Job Journey

Need a Job? Seasonal Work Is Here

By Job Journey on Monday, September 14, 2015

The holiday season may still seem far off, but now is the time to start looking for work if you plan to find a seasonal job this year. Every year, the holiday season helps put millions of people to work in jobs that may begin as temporary employment, but often turn into permanent employment.

There are many benefits to finding a seasonal job. In addition to the extra income around the holidays, seasonal jobs are also a great way to add experience to your resume and network with people who may be able to help your career in the future. Even though your job may start out as a temporary one, it could lead to permanent, full-time employment.

Take Your Job Seriously
According to Bob Funk, CEO of Express Employment Professionals, “Employers will look at their temporary employees this holiday season to see which ones merit a full-time, permanent position.”

If you want to better your odds of landing a permanent job after the holidays, remember to treat your seasonal job like an extended interview. Take advantage of the opportunity to show you’re hard-working, committed, and have a positive attitude. When you go above and beyond at your temporary job, you better your chances of being noticed by potential employers.

Don’t Limit Your Options
Holiday jobs may seem like they’re limited to Christmas or other winter holidays, but don’t forget about the entire holiday season. Halloween, for example, can be an avenue for temporary work because of large costume superstores that open for the season. Additionally, party stores may need extra help around New Year’s Eve.

Start Now
Stop by any department store and you’re likely to see holiday items already stocked on the shelves. If businesses are already thinking about the holidays, you should be too. Brainstorm places you would like to apply for seasonal work and get started on applications. Don’t wait until November or December, because most employers want their seasonal staff trained and working before the shopping rush begins.

Call a Staffing Agency
When companies want to hire multiple new employees for the holiday season, they often go to a staffing company for assistance. Since staffing providers are usually better equipped to find, screen, and hire large numbers of workers, they can be a great resource for you. Do your homework before you apply and make sure the staffing company is a reputable one, like Express Employment Professionals.

Make Sure You’re Prepared
In a recent poll on Movin’ On Up, we asked if our readers plan on looking for seasonal work this year. An astonishing 84% of responders said that they do plan to look for seasonal work. Since so many people want to find work this holiday season, you need to make sure you’re prepared to beat the competition. Clean up your resume, brush up on your interview skills, make a list of references, research the companies you want to work for, and know the skills that employers want to see. When you’re prepared for a job opportunity, you stand a better chance of landing the job.

Have you worked a seasonal job? Did your seasonal job turn into a permanent one? Share your tips with us in the comments section below!

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

Associates of the Month

Associate Spotlight: Dennis Oiumette

By Job Journey on Friday, September 11, 2015

Movin’ On Up takes pride in recognizing outstanding Express Employment Professionals associates who’ve been acknowledged by one of our Express offices. Every associate we put to work has a story to tell, and we want to celebrate the accomplishments of the individuals who come to work for us.

This month’s associate spotlight recognizes an associate who is a shining example for Express – Dennis Oiumette from the Kelowna, BC Express office.

According to Melissa from the Kelowna office, “Dennis has been nothing short of a rock star on every assignment we have sent him on. He is our top requested associate, and we have received great feedback from every client he has worked for.”

Express is proud to have Dennis as an associate, and we appreciate his amazing dedication and hard work!

If you’re an Express associate or know an associate who would be a great candidate for our associate spotlight, let your Express office know. And, if you work with an Express associate you’d like to feature on Movin’ On Up, let us know in the comments section below.

Job Interviews

Build Your Power Team of References

By Job Journey on Wednesday, September 9, 2015

If a potential employer reaches the point where they ask for your references, be happy. Checking references takes time and effort, so usually only candidates who are serious contenders for the position make it to the references stage.

References are people who can speak knowledgeably about your skills, experience, and work habits. Because references have the power to make or break your chances at landing the job, having a list of strong references is very important. Do you have a powerful list of references?

Because pulling together a strong group of references at the last minute can be difficult, let’s take some time and see how you can start developing your “power reference group” right now.

Who You Should List As References
Power references shouldn’t be your mom, a family member, or your best friend. Instead, they should be people you have worked with, worked for, or know professionally. It’s important that your references also have strong qualifications, character, and reputation.

To identify good candidates for your power list, consider:

Co-workers at all levels. Don’t just stick with those in management, but also consider your peers as well.
Customers or clients you’ve worked closely with in a previous job.
Professors, if you are right out of college.
Supervisors at an internship or apprenticeship.
Leaders you’ve had contact with through avenues like volunteer activities.

How To Build Your List
Now it’s time to select and build your reference list. Following these steps can help you get your list in shape:

Select at least three top references.
Contact each one to ask if they can be included on your reference list.
Let them know what types of jobs you are applying for, or, if you have the job listing, which skills you’d particularly like them to emphasize.
Provide them with your resume, awards, and other career material so they can speak intelligently about your accomplishments.
Do not ask them to lie.

Keep Multiple Lists
Another thing to consider is having a different list of references for different jobs. While a community leader or professor may have more pull with a nonprofit, using a former employer, public figure, or company executive may work better for a larger company.

Also, make sure to rotate your references so they don’t get burned out by too many reference calls.

Once you’ve qualified your references and have a good idea of which to use, create a document that includes each person’s name, title, company, email address, phone number, and your relationship to him or her.

Lastly, don’t forget to send a thank-you note to all your references who have agreed to help you land the job.

Do you have any tips on how to find quality references? Share your stories with us in the comments section below!

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

Events

Happy Labor Day!

By Job Journey on Monday, September 7, 2015

Monday, Sept. 7, is Labor Day in the United States and Canada, and we want to thank all of our Express associates for their hard work and dedication. At Express, we know how much of an impact a job can have on someone’s life. We take pride in helping our associates find great jobs, and you’re helping us reach our long-term goal of putting a million people to work annually. We hope you have a great holiday!

Reader Surveys

The Results Are In: Do You Plan On Looking for Seasonal Work This Year?

By Job Journey on Friday, September 4, 2015

The holiday season is quickly approaching, which means many businesses are starting to gear up for the busiest time of year. Since some employers look to staffing companies to keep up with the peak shopping season, we wanted to know if Movin’ On Up readers plan to look for seasonal work this year.

The Results Are In
The results from our poll suggest that 84% of readers plan on looking for seasonal work. Of that percentage, 34% responded that “seasonal jobs could lead to permanent work after the holidays,” and 50% said that “seasonal jobs are a great way to bring in additional income during the holidays.”

Only 6% of those surveyed reported that they don’t have any interest in finding seasonal work, and 4% said they’d rather find something more permanent instead. An additional 5% of respondents hadn’t yet decided whether or not they plan to look for seasonal work.

Compared to 2014
The number of people who plan to look for seasonal work increased when compared to the same poll from 2014. Last year, 76% of readers planned to look for holiday work. While 4% of readers said they’d rather find something more permanent in 2015, 9% responded this way in 2014.

There are many benefits to working seasonal jobs during the holidays, including the potential for full-time employment, training, and additional income.

According to our poll, four out of five jobseekers plan to look for work this holiday season. Are you one of those jobseekers? Have you secured a seasonal job in the past? Share your holiday hiring success stories in the comments section below!

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

Uncategorized

Lessons From History’s Greatest Leaders

By Job Journey on Wednesday, September 2, 2015

As the saying goes, “those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.” This idea suggests that it’s important to study history’s greatest leaders and the traits that made them successful so you can avoid mistakes and become a strong leader.

Throughout history, great leaders like Alexander the Great, Abraham Lincoln, and Nelson Mandela have overcome challenges, built great teams, and inspired radical changes that benefited the world.

And, here’s the good news – you can learn their secrets.

Most great leaders share common traits that helped them lead vast armies, inspire new movements, and cultivate world-changing ideas. These leaders weren’t born with a magical leadership gene – they had to develop those important habits and learn new ways to succeed.

Here’s a look at five of history’s greatest leaders and what we can learn from them.

Nelson Mandela: Sacrifice and Humility – Nelson Mandela is the epitome of humble sacrifice. He often taught forgiveness over revenge, and was committed to peace and justice, even after being imprisoned for 30 years in South Africa. He went on to become the first South African president elected in a democratic process. His lesson? Sometimes you must sacrifice comfort and stability to accomplish your goals.
Rosa Parks: Bravery and Determination – Look no further than American civil rights warrior Rosa Parks to see bravery and determination at work. Parks is best known for refusing to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, AL. That one act of bravery and determination helped inspire the civil rights movement in America. Her lesson? Stand your ground and fight for causes and purposes that are important to you and your team.
Sun Tzu: Observe and Adapt – Sun Tzu, who wrote “The Art of War” in 500 B.C. China, said that a leader must learn to adapt to any situation, and observation was the first step in adapting. He said war leaders should observe the enemy, terrain, wildlife, and soldiers in order to create the best plan of attack. What can we learn from him? Study your workplace, home, friends, competitors, and environment to create the best plan for success.
Alexander the Great: Encourage and Support – Alexander the Great was one of history’s most famous warriors. His secret was to regularly encourage and single out soldiers for special attention for acts of bravery. He listened to the advice of his generals and common soldiers. He listened to and rewarded even those considered inconsequential. His lesson to us? Support, recognize, and encourage your team, and they will bend over backward to continue to succeed.
Abraham Lincoln: Never Give Up – The great president Abraham Lincoln was defeated more than seven times before being elected as president. He could have given up, but he kept going and kept trying. He also faced ruthless opposition to many of the choices he made as president, but he never backed down from decisions he felt were right. His lesson? Never, ever stop trying. Failure is inevitable, but true leaders get back up and keep fighting for their passion and their dreams.

Do you have any personal heroes from history? What lessons did you learn from them? Share with us in the comments section below.

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

Uncategorized

Poll: What Factors Lead to Teamwork Breakdown?

By Job Journey on Monday, August 31, 2015

In order for companies to succeed, there has to be great teamwork. It’s an important part of everyday operations, and it’s a skill every job seeker should possess. But, not every team works perfectly. There are a number of reasons why teamwork can break down, and we want to know what you think is the biggest one. Let us know by voting in our poll!

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