Monthly Archives: June 2016

How Recruiters Read Your Resume [Infographic]

When it comes to standing out from the job competition, your resume can make or break your chances of getting noticed. Since recruiters and hiring managers simply don’t have enough time to look at every resume they receive for job openings, it’s important to make sure yours is written in a way that catches their attention and is easy to read.

Check out this infographic from StandOutCV to learn more about what recruiters look for in your resume.

How_a_recruiter_reads_your_CV

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Why Volunteering Is Good for Your Health and Your Career

Helping sort canned goods at a local food pantry or building a wheelchair ramp for a house can leave you with a sense of accomplishment, but volunteering actually has many other long-term benefits, including better overall health and improved teamwork skills.

In fact, about a quarter of people who have volunteered in the past year say that volunteering helped them manage a chronic illness, while almost 50% of people new to volunteering say that volunteering helped with their career.

Check out this infographic to see more health and work-related benefits to volunteering:
Volunteering infographic

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Brand It Blue Day Is This Week!

BrandItBlueDay2014For the fourth year, employees from Express Employment Professionals offices across North America will gather together for an international day of service. The mission of Brand It Blue Day is to help in the fight against hunger in the communities where Express team members work and live, and you have the chance to be a part of the effort.

Taking the time to serve gives you the feeling of joy and a sense of accomplishment through helping someone in need, but it can also improve your chances to find a great job. When you volunteer you’re able to network with people you may not have otherwise met, learn new skills, and show potential employers that serving others is important to you.

If you’d like to join Express for Brand It Blue Day, click here to find out if your local Express office is participating. Then, contact them to find out how you can be involved.

Movin’ On Up is brought to Express Employment Professionals.

Staffing for Canada Week

Staffing for Canada Week_2016June 5 – 11 is Staffing for Canada Week, and we’re excited to celebrate all of our Express Employment Professionals offices in Canada and the amazing associates they place in jobs every day!

Organized by the Association of Canadian Search, Employment, and Staffing Services, Staffing for Canada Week is an annual event aimed at acknowledging the people who are employed through the staffing companies in Canada.

There are currently 37 Express offices in Canada, and we placed nearly 15,000 Canadian workers across five provinces in 2015. We’re proud of all of our associates and wish everyone a happy Staffing for Canada Week!

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

The Results Are In: How Have You Prepared for a Changing Workforce?

statistics 3As Baby Boomers retire, Millennials move into key roles, and technology advances, learning how to navigate a changing workforce can be tricky, but only if you don’t plan for it. Because there are many ways you can navigate this changing workforce, we wanted to know what Movin’ On Up readers are doing to prepare.

The Results
According to our poll, most respondents (29%) said they’ve prepared for a changing workforce by improving their technological skills via online classes, books, etc. Another 21% selected “updated my social media account(s) to reflect my professional brand” as their preparation method.

The other answer choices received the following percentage of votes:

  • Connected with a mentor from an older generation – 13%
  • I haven’t done anything to prepare for a changing workforce – 12%
  • Joined an employee development program – 11%
  • Connected with a professional from a younger generation – 11%

Additionally, readers were able to select the “other” option and provide their own responses. Of the 3% who selected that option, responses included:

  • Attended classes and earned a certification in my new career field
  • Networking and improving communication and public speaking skills

Are there other ways you’re preparing for a changing workforce? Let us know in the comments section below.

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

What Giving Back Can Do for Your Career

Colors hands upVolunteering is a rewarding way to make a positive difference in the lives of others. And, the benefits of giving back are countless. The fact is giving back not only affects your community, but your professional life, as well. From enhancing your resume to establishing new connections to growing leadership skills and more, take a look at what giving back can do for your career.

Networking Opportunities
Volunteering brings you into contact with people you may have never crossed paths with otherwise. Thus, the opportunity to build your professional network is an important benefit of giving back. You will be working with people who are interested in the same causes as you. When you make connections like that, the relationships you build are likely to last longer and lead to job opportunities. Someone you meet volunteering could become your co-worker, boss, or mentor.

Leadership and Other Skills
You can gain invaluable experience through volunteering. First and foremost, you can develop leadership skills if you give your talents to the board of an organization. You can also become a better leader by heading up one of the volunteer projects in your community. Finding an opportunity to lead in these instances is a great transferable skill for the workplace.
Additionally, giving back to your community can help you work on skills like time management, communication, confidence, and teamwork, to name a few.

Better Job Performance
Experts at Glassdoor.com suggest that employees who spend time giving back to their communities often feel more fulfilled. Making a positive difference in someone’s life can help you feel content and translate into your work life, where you’re bound to also be more productive. Just be sure to choose a cause that you’re passionate about.

Resume Building
Aside from the skills you’ll get from volunteering, you can build your resume through giving back. One way to do that is to find a skills-based volunteer opportunity where you can use your expertise to make a difference. You can then include that experience on your resume, highlighting how it’s relevant to your career goals. Check out sites like Catchafire.com to get started.

More Attractive to Employers
All things considered, volunteering simply makes you more attractive to employers. Be sure to include it on your social networking sites, resume, or anywhere else a potential hiring manager might come across it. According to Forbes.com, “Employers like to hire people who can demonstrate they’re motivated and hard-working, even if they haven’t been getting paid for their efforts.”

How do you give back to your community? Let us know in the comment section below.

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.