Wish List : How Mapping Out Your Career Plan can Make it Come True

If you have a “wish list” for your career, then just like any plan — you need to create a map in order to make everything on the list come true. When you create a map, you are creating a plan of action to get to your destination. When you can see the plan, it is easier to work towards the goals needed to meet every item on the wish list. Even though there is nothing wrong with making things up as you go along, you can get there quicker with a plan mapped out in your mind.

Here’s how to get started mapping out your career success:

Write Down Likes, Dislikes, Needs and Wants

One of the first things you need to do when mapping out your career is writing down all of your likes, dislikes, needs and wants associated with your career. When you reflect on all of this, you will be able to map out a more distinctive path for your career. If this is the first time you are doing this, you might have different likes and dislikes now compared to when you first started working the job five or 10 years ago.

Review Job Trends

The next step involves you reviewing job trends from your career. Even if your career path is wide right now, it could shrink within the next year or two without much notice. When you review job trends, you are able to determine which jobs are expanding and growing within your industry and which ones are being phased out at the moment.

Seek Education and Training Opportunities

When mapping out your career plan, you need to include new educational and training opportunities within the plan. You need to find new training experiences that can move you further down the career path you have mapped out instead of sitting idle watching your career pass you by. Use temporary jobs as a way to boost your experience and training levels, too.

Note Your Accomplishments

As you continue to create the map for your career plan, you need to acknowledge all of the accomplishments from your career. The more often you update your list of accomplishments, the easier it will be to write a killer resume when the time comes to apply for a new job. When you sit down to review past accomplishments, it could remind you of forgotten successes. This can lead you down a new career path without even knowing it.

Perform a Personal Skills Assessment

Another important part of mapping a career plan is performing a skills assessment. Write down what skills you use right now for your job, what you have used in the past, and what you will need to further your career in the future.

Mapping out your career plan will make it easier to find a new job, take a temporary assignment in Detroit MI, or move further into your industry as a professional. It is something that everyone should do, no matter which industry they work in or what type of job they hold.

3 Job Search Tips Manufacturing Candidates Need to Know

3 Job Search Tips Manufacturing Candidates Need to Know

 

Searching for a job has always been difficult, but with social media, networking and references, finding that perfect job gets a little bit easier. Working in the manufacturing field is a calling for most employees, so when it comes time to find a new job within the industry, you need to know the best ways to go about the search.

Here, we will discuss the top three job search tips manufacturing candidates need to know to be successful.

List Target Companies

One of the first things you must do in order to be successful is create a list of target companies in the areas you live. When you take time out of your day to research some of the best companies in the manufacturing industry, you will be able to pick which ones you like the most and which ones you should not waste your time with when sending in applications.

Your list needs to be based on where it is geographically you would like to work, at what level within the company and what type of culture you would like to be a part of if hired. You can build this list based on information found on the company websites, by talking to people who work at those companies and by asking for an informational interview.

Talk to Those Who Have Been There

The second job tip for those searching for a job in manufacturing is to speak with people who have worked in the position in the past. These people will be able to tell you everything they liked and disliked about both the job and the company.

This type of research is invaluable because you will be able to find out what a typical day would be like on the job, what type of tasks would need to be completed and how management handles itself when it comes to dealing with subordinates.

Learn the Company

The third tip on our list is to learn the company. There are multiple ways to make this happen, including scheduling an informational interview, browsing their corporate website, talking to former employees, following the company on multiple social networks and attend any career events the company hosts.

The more you learn about the company, the easier it will be to decide if you want to submit an application with them or not. It will also make it easier if you receive multiple job offers from different companies to make a decision.

Finding the right job in the manufacturing industry does not have to be difficult. You can make it as easy as possible by implementing all three of the tips outlined in this post. One final tip: never ask for a job when on an informational interview with a company.

Advance Staffing Solutions has a wide range of temp to hire, part time and fill time jobs with manufacturing companies hiring in Monroe MI, Southgate MI, and Sylvania OH. We encourage you to check out our recently added jobs and submit your qualifications for consideration.

 

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Have You Created an Online Resume Yet?

Technology advances in the way recruiters find candidates means that the most successful job searches include the use of an online resume. This type of resume is not much different from your paper resume, but it can make a big difference when it comes to getting noticed by potential employers. You will want to do everything possible, and ethical, to put yourself in the driver’s seat of a job search. Using an online resume is one of those things you need to be using right now.

Here’s how to make sure your online resume accomplishes the goals you have in your career.

Digital Presence is Important

Even though paper is not dead yet, having a digital presence is important in today’s high-tech world. As you continue to build a digital presence, and one that shows you in a positive light, a resume should be added somewhere down the line. Having a digital presence today is vital during a job search because it allows employers the opportunity to track where you have been as an employee and verify what is listed on your resume in a reasonable amount of time.

Online Resumes are Always With You

One of the biggest advantages of having an online resume is the fact that it is always with you, in the form of a URL or a digital document saved on your personal cloud. This is important because no matter where you are, you will be able to send a resume to a potential employer. You might be running errands when you bump into a former co-worker who has taken a management position at a different company. He or she might have a job available in their department. You will be able to send your resume to that former co-worker within seconds when you have one online.

Online Resume Must be Printable

Even though you are leaning more towards using only online resumes for a job search, you need to make sure they are printable. So, even though you can do a bunch of cool things with an online resume, it should still be printable if a company wishes to do so. This means that it should still be no longer than two pages in length and should not have any weird graphics that might not translate well when printed. Use a resume template that is left to right aligned, which will make it easier to upload to online systems too.

Online Resume Must be Tailored to Each Employer

As with a paper resume, an online resume must also be tailored to each individual employer. It does not matter if you are applying to the exact same job at three different companies, the online resume you submit for each one should be tailored to each individual company. This will show the companies that you took time to create the resume and are truly committed to finding a new job.

Online resumes are becoming more and more popular these days as companies move away from requesting hardcopies. Make sure your online resume is ready for action even if you are employed. You never know when opportunity will strike and it will need to be submitted.

Why Winter is the Perfect Time to Kick Start a Job Search

You might not realize it, but the winter season is one of the best during the year to kick start your job search. Whether you are currently employed, preparing to graduate in the spring, or are unemployed and looking for work; the winter months can prove to be very effective for finding new employment. Many people back down from a job search during the dreary, cold days of winter and wait for the temperatures to rise. You should take advantage of this and move to the top of the candidate list for open jobs.

Here are some ways to give your job search a head start during the winter months:

Update Your Resume and Cover Letter

A big reason why your job search has stalled could be the shape of your resume and cover letter. If these items are in bad condition, then you will likely struggle with finding a new job. Use the winter months to supercharge your resume and cover letter. Review these documents with a fine-tooth comb and even ask a trusted friend or family member to do the same. The more eyes on them, the better.

You need to have a resume that grabs attention because it might be the only form of communication you have with a potential employer. You also need to tailor each cover letter to the company that is hiring. This makes the application more personal and will get you noticed over some other candidates.

Improve Your LinkedIn Page

Take some time out of your winter activities of shoveling snow and throwing rock salt to revamp your LinkedIn page. This is a vital part of the job search process and should even be done multiple times per year. You need to make sure that your recent work history is up-to-date on your profile page and that you have some recommendations on there from your connections. Those recommendations should come from former supervisors, mentors or co-workers. Also, use LinkedIn as part of your job search. Thousands of companies across the country are posting their open jobs on the site so be sure to spend time each day browsing the new openings posted.

Take the Initiative

As the winter months begin to settle in, do not hunker down and give up on your job search. Instead, take the initiative and submit your resume and job application for open positions in-person at the companies looking to hire new employees. Do not do this on days when a major winter storm is bearing down on the region. Instead, pick a day or two where the weather is clear so you will not be impeded. Companies who see you do this will be sure to put your resume at the top of the pile. Take on temporary jobs in Ohio or Michigan while you are seeking your perfect career.

The bottom line here is that the winter months can actually be the perfect time for kick starting a job search. Just make sure that you make smart decisions and do not risk life and limb to find a job when the snow and ice are falling.

How to Turn Your Temp Job into a Full Time Offer Fast!

Finding a job in any type of market is a daunting task, especially when you have been out of work for quite some time. But do not let rejection kill your confidence because there is a company out there ready and waiting to hire you in the Detroit area. One piece of advice to take into account when looking for a permanent job is to work a temporary position while you are “between jobs”. You could end up with a full time, perm job offer going this route.

Remember that a temporary position in Detroit MI does not necessarily have to be classified as temp-to-hire for you to be hired on as a full-time employee at the company. If you work hard enough and make a lasting impression, you might force the company to bring you on as a full-time employee. Why? Because you will have proven yourself to the employer by the time your temp assignment nears the end and they won’t want to lose you.

Heeding the advice outlined in this article can help you turn a temporary job into a full-time position in no time at all.

Work Your Hardest and Then Some

Just because you are a temporary employee, do not take the job lightly. Arrive to work on-time or early each day and try to leave late at least a couple of times per week. If you want to turn this position into a full-time job, you need to make an impression on various people within the company. Turn your attention to your work output the minute you arrive at the office. Ask questions when necessary, turn work in on-time, and offer to help on projects that need assistance. Do not overwhelm yourself to the point where you cannot finish items by the deadline though.

Express Flexibility to Work ANY Hours

Make sure the company knows that you are flexible in the hours you can work and the tasks that you can undertake while working there temporarily. When a company sees this, it makes the decision to hire you full-time much easier.

Ask About Full-Time Employment

One of the first steps you should take prior to asking about a temporary position is to find out if it can turn into a full-time job. Some agencies will tell you that the company strictly needs temporary employees and that you should never mention full-time employment while on the job. Others will tell you if the job is temp-to-hire and that you will be able to discuss the future opportunities with the company.

Build a Network

Whether you know this temporary position will lead to a full-time job or not, it is in your best interest to create a network of contacts at the company. You might be able to use them for future job references or even to get hired there after you have spent time somewhere else. Treat everyone you meet with respect so you know where to go for references when needed. Depending on how things play out, you might give one of your temporary co-workers a reference in the future.

We hope you enjoyed this post and share it with your networks! Also, we look forward to your comments and feedback!

Want to learn more? Explore important recruitment and employment topics by reading a few more popular posts from Advance Staffing Solutions – a premier temporary employment agency in Detroit, MI. Please feel free to follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and be sure to subscribe to our free newsletter for industry news, job leads and featured updates.

If you are looking for temp job opportunities in Monroe MI, contact us today.

Gearing Up For Winter Safety Regulations

As the seasons move rapidly into the winter months, conditions can become treacherous around Michigan and other Northern Central states. This means that companies across the country, no matter where they are located, should be preparing their employees for winter safety regulations. Your employees need to be put in a safe situation no matter the circumstances, but this is very important when the winter weather delivers its brutal punch on the country.

Review Insurance Coverage

One of the first things your company needs to do is to review its insurance coverage. You can do this by speaking with your company’s insurance agent in order to find out what the policy covers, how the employees are covered and what property you can afford to lose should the winter weather wreak havoc on your business.

Determine Largest Risk Potential

The next step your company must take is determining the largest risk potential that will be present when the winter weather hits hard. This includes the loss of heat at the office, loss of access to the property due to heavy snow or ice and water damage due to broken pipes. Take a look at the property where you do business and determine if any changes can be made prior to the winter season to prevent the risk of losing time or money to storms.

Determine Cost of Business Interruptions

Another important thing you must do prior to the winter months is calculate the cost of a possible interruption to your business. This can last one day, one week, three weeks, one month, six months or even a year or more. As the winter months move closer, your business should be calculating this major possibility, especially if you live in an area prone to major winter weather events. Your company should also consider building a cash reserve that will help it operate following a winter weather event that potentially shuts it down for a prolonged period.

Implement Telework Policies

In order to keep customers or clients satisfied should access be limited to your property, it is a good idea to create a telework policy for your employees. Not all of your employees will live close to the business, so they might have trouble reporting to work. If this is the case, or the business cannot open following a storm, let your employees know that they can work remotely. Make sure this plan is in place months in advance of the winter season so it does not have to be implemented on the fly.

Create a Crisis Communication Plan

A crisis communication plan is something that every business should have in place throughout the year, not just for the winter months. This helps employees, staff members, management, clients, partners and customers know what is happening at the office and what can be expected following a crisis.

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Implement Company Policies Now – Before It’s Too Late!

When an incident occurs at the office, it is too late to discuss implementing a policy to govern such a problem. All company policies need to be implemented right now, before it is too late and something happens that can affect the entire workforce and the success of the company. In this post we will discuss the best ways to implement new company policies and how to activate them immediately without confusing or overwhelming your employees.

Policy Must Solve Problem in Best Way Possible

One of the most important things you need to take into consideration when implementing a company policy is that it must solve the problem in the best way possible. This means that whatever the issue is within your office, it must be solved using this one policy. There should never be more than one policy created to solve the same issue. When this happens, the culture of your organization can take a hit because employees will be confused with the overlap of the company policies.

Policy Should be Reviewed by Multiple Teams

When implementing a new company policy, it should be reviewed by upper management, a select group of employees and the company’s legal team. All three of these groups will have different views about the policy and will be able to determine if it follows employment laws in the country. They should also review the policy and offer any changes, should they be deemed necessary.

Implementation Deadlines Must be Met

As you add new company policies to the employee handbook, it is important that implementation deadlines are always met. If you set a deadline for a new policy, do not push it back to a later date multiple times. This will only frustrate your employees and give them the sense that you are not comfortable with the policy that was created. You want to show confidence in the new policy and that you mean business when putting it into action.

Mandatory Meetings for Staff are a Must

Mandatory meetings must be held for your staff when implementing new company policies. If employees are absent from work when these meetings are held, you must provide make-up dates for meetings. Information about the new policy should be presented at the meetings and employees should be allowed to ask questions and express their concerns at the same time.

HR Must be on Same Page as Management

Another important aspect of implementing a new company policy now, before it is too late, is that the human resources department must be operating on the same page as the management team. No matter which department created the policy, everyone needs to work as a cohesive team in order to ensure success in rolling out the new policy.

Want more information on how to implement new company policies, or how to find candidates who fulfill company requirements? Contact the staffing experts at Advance Staffing Solutions today.

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Are You a Job Hopper? Here’s how to Optimize Your Job Search

There are plenty of workers out there who can be considered “job hoppers”. These are folks who, for whatever reason, do not stay in one job or company for an extended length of time. While this can be detrimental for a job search, it does not have to stand in your way of getting a great job. There are plenty of things you can do to optimize your job search if you have a penchant for job hopping.

Here, we’ll discuss several ways to overcome a history of short-term jobs with some helpful tips.

Explain Temporary Jobs on a Resume

When you prepare to search for a new job and have worked quite a few different jobs over the past handful of years, you need to explain why this has happened. One of the reasons for the job hopping could be that you were working in temporary jobs to gain as much experience as possible or to meet as many different people as possible. When you explain that you have been working temporary jobs, employers will be more likely to hire you since you have been trying to improve your career as much as possible.

Use Time Wisely

The next thing you need to do is use your time wisely when unemployed. If you are between jobs, it is best to perform business-related activities so that you can put these activities on your resume. These activities include attending business events, training sessions, networking events and much more. You will be able to meet various people within your industry, gain new contacts and even pick up some references along the way. This will help potential employers see how well you have used your time and that you stayed dedicated to improving your career.

Remove Older Jobs

An excellent way to optimize your job search if you are a job hopper is to remove older jobs from your resume. For the most part, your resume should only go back 10 years, 15 years at the most. If you have seven years of experience or more in your career, make sure you remove any internships listed on your resume. By removing older jobs from a resume, you can help with the idea that you are a job hopper.

Lump Contract Jobs Together

If you worked a lot of contract jobs during your career, lump them into one job listing on your resume in order to remove the idea of being a job hopper. For example, if you have worked on multiple contracts as a freelance writer, list all of these contracts under one heading and mention the skills you used and the responsibilities of the jobs performed.

If you are in the middle of a job search and are worried you may appear to be a job hopper, then you should follow the tips outlined in this post to optimize your search as much as possible. When you remove the stigma of being a job hopper, then you should have no trouble obtaining an offer of employment. For more help on your job search, contact Advance Staffing Solutions today!

Standing Out at a Manufacturing Interview – 5 Tips You MUST Follow

Interviewing for a manufacturing job in Detroit, MI is stressful, especially when you are in dire need of work. Prevent the process from overwhelming you by preparing for the interview ahead of time. Preparation is key to any type of job interview. As you go on various interviews for manufacturing jobs, be sure you follow the five tips in this post to stand out from the rest of the pack.

  1. Learn about the Company
    One of the first things you must absolutely do is learn about the company. The more you know about the company, the better off you will be during the interview process. Your research should include the yearly numbers of the company, the executives at the company, and even the names of some department heads in case you run into them while on a tour of the manufacturing facility. Make sure you also know the company’s goals and mission so you can pull from your background to show how you would fit.
  2. Prepare Questions to Ask
    Prepare questions of your own to ask during the interview session. This will help you impress the interviewer and anyone else you meet along the way. Your questions should be ones that piggyback off questions asked by the interviewer or ones that you think of on your own that discuss things about the company. Ask the interviewer what types of problems the person hired for the job will need to solve, what type of person will be perfect for the job and much more.
  3. Offer a Conversation
    An important tip for standing out at a manufacturing interview is to be conversational during the meeting with the interviewer. When you provide rehearsed answers to interviewers, you are not showing them your complete personality. One way to do this is by offering them a conversation. When you are conversational during a job interview it allows you to show your personal side, something that the interviewer will want to see so they can gauge if you will fit the culture of the company.
  4. Exceed Expectations
    When you are sitting in a job interview for a manufacturing position, it is best to ask the interviewer how you can exceed their expectations. Make it known to the interviewer that you are not looking to do just the bare minimum if hired. Let the company know how far you are willing to go to perform job duties and get the projects done on-time and correctly.
  5. Recap Your Thoughts Upon Leaving
    As you prepare to leave the interview room, have a 30-second speech prepared for the interviewer. This should be a speech that thanks the interviewer for their time, reiterates how interested you are in the job and why you are the best candidate for the job.

As you prepare for a manufacturing job interview, be sure to follow the five tips outlined in this post so you can stand out from the crowd. Connect with Advance Temporary for manufacturing jobs in Detroit and other local areas.

4 Things to Remember When Negotiating Your Salary

Negotiating a salary after being offered a new job (or during performance review/promotion time) can be scary for some people, especially if they have never had to do this in the past. This should be a process that is satisfying, especially since you were offered a new position at a different company or a promotion at your current employer. If you follow the advice we have in this post, you will find it easy to negotiate a salary with your new or current employer.

#1 Provide a Hard Number

When you reach the negotiation stage of a new job offer, be sure you provide the hiring manager or human resource executive with a hard number. You never want to give a range for expected salary. This allows the employer to take the lower end of the range all the time, no matter how skilled or talented you are. When you offer a salary range, you are giving the company too much leverage in the negotiation process. When you stick with the hard number, you have decent control of the negotiations. Come up with an amount you can live with, then tack on $5K more.

#2 Give Precise Numbers

During the negotiation process, make sure you provide the employer with precise numbers instead of rounding off the figure. When you tell a hiring manager precise numbers instead of rounded numbers you display confidence in yourself and that you understand what the value of the position is at the company. This shows the hiring manager that you are committed to accepting the job and that you want to make the most of your career.

#3 Employers Don’t Like Negotiating

After receiving a job offer, you are asked to come into the office to discuss the salary. You are nervous and dreading the negotiation because you do not want to make a bad impression and lose out on the position, but you also do not want to leave money on the table. Well, you should know that employers do not like negotiating either. Try to make the process more of a persuasive discussion than a battle for who can win.

#4 Remember Money Isn’t the Sole Factor

One of the most important tips in negotiating salary is that money should not always be the lone factor in the process. Employees want more than money from their employers. They also want health benefits, stock options, flexible schedules, a 401k, paid time-off and other perks. During the negotiations, you can ask the employer for telecommuting options, paid-for training, flex-time and much more. All of these can help items can help you negotiate a salary that helps you earn a living while also enjoying life.
When you use the four tips discussed in this post during salary negotiations, you will find that the process will be much easier to deal with for both you and the employer.

Advance Staffing Solutions, a great source of Detroit MI Jobs, can support your goals of being a better manager and retaining the bedt employees. Find out more by visiting our website today. 

Make Your Summer Temp Job a Career

Every year, hundreds of thousands of adults turn to summer employment opportunities to gain on-the-job experience, while earning much-needed extra cash. However, a summer job doesn’t have to end with the final summer breeze. Instead, you can take advantage of a seasonal opportunity and turn it into a full-time career path. Summer jobs are the perfect time to earn new skills, make important professional connections, and propel your career to greatness.

If you follow the tips outlined in this article you will be able to transform just about any summer temp job into a long-term career.

Do Not Quit Your Day Job, Yet

The first thing you need to do is keep your day job (if you are currently employed full-time elsewhere). If you work a summer temp job to bring in extra cash because you are a teacher and have the summer months off, you should definitely not quit your day job. Even if you work a summer job at night to supplement daytime income, do not quit that job either. You want to keep the money flowing while you examine your full-time summer options. Aside from the income, you need to figure out how to acquire health insurance, if you need coverage.

Browse Your Options

You do not want to limit your options when it comes to finding a temp summer job that can turn into full-time, permanent work. Consider working a different summer temp job each year to see what is best for you. One summer you can work as a retail manager while another summer you can work as a surfing instructor, if this is a hobby of yours. Just because you have worked your entire career in the banking industry, it does not mean that you have to continue to do so in the summer.

Employ Your Creativity

When trying to turn a summer temp job into a full-time job, be sure to use your creativity as much as possible. Think about your dream job; is it within reach? Can it really be done? If so, why not give it a shot one summer? Spend time thinking about some of the most interesting jobs you would like to work and go from there. If your dream job is within reach, figure out how much money you can generate from it, what the schedule would look like and work your other job around it.

Work Special Projects

Depending on when your summer job begins, it might last anywhere from one month to three months, so you need to make an impression as quickly as possible. This can be done by taking on special projects every now and then. Make sure those projects can be completed prior to the end of your temp work so you make a lasting impression on the management and ownership. Any special projects you complete can be included on your resume, which will help you impress potential employers.

If you are able to take all of these tips and put them to good use, you will find yourself turning a temporary summer job into a permanent, full-time position. Look to Advance Staffing Solutions in the Toledo Ohio and Detroit Michigan areas for part time and full time summer jobs.

How Temp Work is Affected by the ACA

In 2010, the Affordable Care Act or ACA went into effect across the USA to provide employees with health care insurance coverage options. As part of an initiative to boost the health and wellness of the average American, so far the ACA has enrolled millions of hard working people into qualified health care plans. Yet, there are some concerns that the ACA may be having a negative effect on the job market as employers look for ways to cut costs by reducing workforce numbers.

How the ACA Affects Hiring Trends in the USA

One concern is that the ACA has resulted in fewer employers hiring temp and full time workers because of the new requirement to provide health care coverage for all full timers (for employers with 100 or more employees). A trend that is happening across the nation is employers who are offering more part time assignments to avoid having to pay already astronomical health insurance premiums. While there have been a few workforce studies indicating a slight dip in the number of full time hires for last year, this fear is unwarranted at this time.

ACA Good for Full Time Temps or Not?

It has been widely debated whether or not the ACA gives employers the incentive to cut work hours below the 30-hour per week threshold that constitutes full time work hours. This includes full time temps who regularly receive health care benefits through the staffing agencies they work for. The real problem is when a temp is working at full time status is then offered perm placement at a lower hourly rate to avoid providing them with continued health care coverage. Both employers and staffing agencies need to tread carefully when it comes to ACA guidelines in order to avoid any potential issues like this that may come up.

More Employers Hiring Temp to Perm Employees in 2014

A surprising benefit that has come out of the ACA mandates is that more employers turned to temporary workforce options than ever before. According to a survey conducted by CareerBuilder, a leading career search portal, nearly 42 percent of US employers plan to hire temp workers in 2014. This is as compared to 40 percent of employers in the year before. Additionally, 54 percent of employers anticipate hiring the same if not more temps and full time workers than previously. 40 percent of the companies polled in the survey stated that they planned on transitioning their temp workforce into permanent full time roles in 2014.

We are hopeful that the ACA will continue to only offer good things to the American workforce, including the growing temp market. Hiring through a temp agency can provide your company with a cost effective method of staffing without the worry of meeting ACA mandates. Consider that you may want to talk with one of our experts at Advance Staffing Solutions, a Detroit Michigan staffing agency leader.