Looking to quit your current job but not sure where to start? In search of the perfect part-time job? Or maybe you want to break into a new industry altogether.
To help make your search easier, Express Employment Professionals has introduced the ExpressJobs app, brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.
Want to hear more? Check out this quick video, and download the app on the App Store or Google Play today!
Will you connect to your career dreams through a welding position?
Despite already having experience with several jobs, many working adults are unable to answer the age-old question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
Our Job Spotlight monthly blog series is designed to help with that. In this series, we review all the basics of specific job types, from salary and duties to why people do the jobs they do.
Welder
For this month’s Job Spotlight, we’re heating things up with a look at welding positions. Welders use high-temperature equipment to combine separate metal pieces into a completely new product. Different types of welders use different kinds of equipment. With the different types of welding come different work environments and industries.
Meet Brian, a welder, in this Job Genius video.
Required Education
Associate’s degree or certification program
Salary
Although it varies depending on a variety of factors (e.g. experience, industry, geographic area, etc.), welders can average nearly $40,000 a year, $100,000 for specialized welders.
What Welders Do
Welders handle a variety of responsibilities, which may include:
What Companies Look for in Welders
Every position is different, but many require the following skills:
Are you a welder? What else should people know about your position? Let us know in the comments below!
June is National Safety Month, and what better way to celebrate than a few workplace safety tips?
Proper back support, correct lifting techniques, and eye protection tips can seem tedious, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth discussing. Since looking at a few short points can save you from chronic pain or injury, we think it’s worth it.
Here are a few ergonomics tips to ensure your cubicle doesn’t cubikill your back.
[Download a PDF of this poster here]
The professional job market is competitive, with most positions requiring a college degree just to get in the door. However, college is both expensive and a serious time commitment.
Many of those who can’t afford college are looking for jobs that pay well and can provide a great career. Some of these men and women are skilled at working with their hands and want to apply their craft to something other than an office setting.
Fortunately, there are plenty of great job opportunities available that don’t require college degrees.
Many of these jobs provide stable work situations with great pay. Instead of attending college, would-be students can start earning and investing income.
A recent article by CareerBuilder dove into these in-demand jobs, narrowing down the list of occupations to those “where the number of job postings each month outpace the number of people they actually hire.” Top positions included heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, first-line supervisors of retail sales workers and food service managers, to name a few.
Job Genius
As a staffing company, Express Employment Professionals places more than 500,000 associates into jobs each year. These jobs can often be stable, well-paid positions for workers without college degrees, and several are featured in Job Genius, Express’ job-focused educational program.
CNC Operator
Computer Numerically Controlled Machine Tool Programmers (also known as CNC Operators), create and oversee the machine tools or equipment that are used to cut or process plastic, metal, or other materials. This is in addition to installing new parts to the CNC machine and checking the results to make sure they meet the requirements. Workers get to work with their hands and have the instant benefit of seeing the results of their hard work.
Key Skills:
Electrical Contractor
Electrical Contractors install everything that uses electricity. From lighting and air conditioning to manufacturing machinery and more. It’s important to enjoy the thrill of problem-solving, as there are no shortcuts. You must understand the theory and know how to put it into action. Electricity isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so a great electrical contractor usually enjoys steady employment.
Key Skills:
Welder
Have you ever purchased an iron gate or marveled at the metal skeleton of an upcoming skyscraper? Odds are that the structure was a welder’s work. Welders join two pieces of metal together to make the product as strong as one piece. Welders can even end up traveling around the world, working on underwater structures or cruise ships. Metal is everywhere, so the sky is the limit for a talented welder.
Key Skills:
Further Reading
If you are still unsure of whether the traditional college experience is for you, or are worried about the job search in general, these resources should prove useful:
About Express Employment Professionals
Express Employment Professionals puts people to work. It generated $3.4 billion in sales and employed a record 540,000 people in 2017. Its long-term goal is to put a million people to work annually. Contact a local Express office or register online today!
How to tell your entire work history in a minute or less
First things first—what is an elevator pitch? As defined by Investopedia, an elevator pitch is a “…term used to describe a brief speech that outlines an idea for a product, service, or project.” In the world of interviewing, your “elevator pitch” is a quick way to describe who you are and why you’re right for the job. Think of it as a super short version of your cover letter.
You should have one of these speeches handy for networking events and interviews. Or even when you run into someone who is in a position to hire you in a bid to leave them knowing more about you. An elevator pitch isn’t just for business professionals— it can be helpful for any working person as a quick and concise summary of who they are.
Start with Your Resume and Cover Letter
If you already have a resume and cover letter, they are a great place to start (read our resume and cover letter articles if you still need help crafting those).
Your elevator pitch, like your cover letter, should focus on accomplishments and experiences rather than a laundry list of dates and company names. Condense the information you’ve already collected and mix those with details specific to the job you’re interviewing for or hope to have.
What Do You Do Now?
Start with your current position and place of employment, and go on from there. Your job title isn’t enough. A quick statement like “I’m a self-employed plumber,” or “I’m an administrative assistant at XXX company” are great ways to begin.
Mention the type of company culture you enjoy. Then, go into a bit of detail regarding your current responsibilities and recent projects. Just make sure to avoid listing your job description. This is more about how your work relates to you as a person, not as a faceless employee.
What Have You Done?
This doesn’t mean listing every single place you’ve ever worked. What type of work are you looking for? If it’s anything that provides a paycheck, that’s fine—the point here is to use any job experience relevant to the job opportunity at hand, preferably something that you were passionate about.
Why does passion matter? Because interviewers and decision makers like to see it. Passion doesn’t have to mean you were in love with your job—it just means that you can recall a project you really enjoyed working on.
Relevance is important because you only have so much time to spend talking about yourself, and irrelevant information isn’t going to get you a job. Mentioning you worked at a fast food join in high school isn’t going to help you get a forklift operating position, so don’t mention it. (Unless, of course, you just don’t have much experience. Then anything is fair game to show yourwork ethic).
What Do You Want to Do?
In a perfect world, what type of work would you want to be doing? What makes you happy? Although not every job is going to be your ideal, showing that you have a goal in mind for whatever comes next makes you stand out.
Sample Elevator Pitch:
Now it’s time to put it all together. When you start an interview, meet someone at a networking function, or just have the opportunity to tell a new friend about yourself, wow them with your elevator pitch.
“Hi, my name is Andrea Jones. Right now, I’m an administrative assistant at XXX. It’s a great place to work because we’re a close-knit, family-owned company, but I’m moving and ready for a change.
I mainly focus on managing calendars, scheduling my manager’s time, and taking care of guests that come to the front desk. The best part of my job is helping my boss when things get busy. There was one week where I had to reschedule 14 meetings when she fell and hurt her back. It was hectic, but I love a challenge!
I’ve had other admin positions before, at companies like AAA and CCC. At CCC I was an admin for four different managers. That was a fast-paced work environment, but I made sure no one missed a meeting or deadline.
Within the next few years I’m looking to become an office manager. I have the experience, and I’m just looking for the right place to work!
Do you have any more questions about creating your elevator pitch? Let us know in the comments below!
The weather is heating up and summer is almost here. Yup, it’s already June folks! And that means it’s time to celebrate National Safety Month.
Proper back support, correct lifting techniques, and eye protection tips can get boring. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth discussing. Since looking at a few short articles can save you from chronic pain or injury, we think it’s worth it.
Here are our top eye safety tips to ensure you enjoy that annual fireworks show in July.
It takes time to find the perfect job, but you need money now—what can you do?
The job search isn’t quick. Even if you know exactly what type of job you’re looking for, you still have to find an opening to apply for. Next is waiting to see if you get an interview and subsequently attending it. And finally, you wait once again to see if you got the job. That’s a lot of time spent waiting, not considering the hours you spend online or at professional events searching and networking.
Trying to find a great full-time job is a job in and of itself. But one that pays absolutely nothing. And being unemployed doesn’t prevent your bills from piling up. Luckily, a great and flexible part-time job can be the perfect way to escape the job search for a bit, gain experience, and put money in your bank account. Here are our top choices.
Retailer/Cashier
The service industry is always looking for applicants, partly due to many companies not paying a competitive wage. Although this can be hurtful for those wanting to work fulltime in the service industry, the lower wages can mean increased flexibility in a bid to attract applicants. For job seekers looking to earn some sort of income while they’re in the job market, this could be an ideal situation.
Handyman
If you’re good with your hands and looking for something on the industrial side, handyman work might be for you. The difference between being a handyman and a contractor is what is known as a “Minor Work Exemption” or “Handyman Exemption.” Although the particulars vary by state, the main takeaway is that small jobs that rise above a certain price point (or certain types of work) may require a license.
Although it will be up to you to find clients, with handyman work, you can set your own hours, fitting in time to job search as needed.
Administrative/Personal Assistant
Admin and personal assistants are positions like cashiers in that they have fairly high turnover. However, they also can provide exposure to an industry you might be interested in. Looking for a marketing or PR position? Try to find an admin gig at an ad agency or marketing department. Is accounting or finance more your speed? Check and see if anybody is looking for a personal assistant in those departments.
Most every department and business needs an administrative assistant. And if you have to take a part-time job to pay the bills while you’re looking for you dream job, why not choose something in a related industry?
Contact Express
Not sure how to find any of those part-time jobs? At Express, we know that everyone’s job search is different. Some are looking for a career, while others just want something to pay the bills. Either way, whether it’s part time, full time, or something in between, we’re here to help. Check out our online office locator to find a location near you and schedule an in-person visit, or register online.
Have you ever taken on a part-time job while you were job searching? What did you choose? Let us know in the comments below!
