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How to Stay Relevant in Your Job Search

By Job Journey on Thursday, November 9, 2017

Get out there and make yourself memorable.

Finding a job can take a long time—time spent at home scouring the web for job opportunities, using search engines to research companies, or finding commonly asked interview questions.

Being unemployed for months or even years can result in an unwanted gap on your resume. The best way to avoid this gap is to fit in other activities along with your job search.

In other words, find a way to stay relevant. Attend professional events, network, and try to find gig work on the side if you can. Make community involvement and professional development your new priorities. Here are some ideas.

Keep Up To Date on Your Industry

What industry is your dream job in? Once you figure that out, subscribe to as many relevant blogs and newsletters as you can. If you want to be at the same level as other job seekers, you need to know as much about the industry and major players as possible. Become an expert. Attend professional industry events, listen to speakers, join professional groups, and know what’s happening on a daily basis.

Professional groups have the added benefit of networking. You’ll meet people in your industry that can refer you to job opportunities in the future. If you can’t find any local professional groups in your industry, look into career fairs or industry-specific events on your own. You never know who you might meet.

If your dream job isn’t a professional position, there are still groups you can join. For any given position, there’s a group of people working together to further their understanding of the industry in their area. A few Google searches should get you in touch with the information you need.

Once you have a general idea of what is going on in your industry, research individual companies. Even if you don’t plan on applying to a certain company, make it your business to know what their branding and strategy look like. Knowledge of competitors will always impress in an interview.

After all of that is done, you can better target your job search. You should have a good idea of how your personality and soft skills fit the companies you researched. You can also put professional groups on your resume. Events you attended with those groups can become bullet points.

Find the Recruiters

Sending your resume off into the unknown is a nerve-wracking experience. Mostly because you can never be quite sure that somebody reads it. Finding company recruiters in your area and getting in touch with them can alleviate a bit of that stress. They’ll be more likely to read your resume if they’ve already met you.

But how are you supposed to get in touch with them in the first place? LinkedIn can tell you which mutual contacts you share with a recruiter. You can ask one of them for an introduction, or just reach out to the recruiter yourself. So long as you are polite and well-spoken, the interaction can’t do anything but help. Even if they are unable to meet with you, you will still have that point of contact.

Start a Blog or Portfolio

No matter what you do, you’re liable to have some sort of expertise. Try using WordPress or some other platform to start a blog. If you’re unemployed, use this as a place to showcase the events you’ve attended and achievements that don’t quite fit on a resume.

You can also blog about recent events, your reaction to a major industry change, or whatever else you find interesting. If you’re not much of a writer, that’s fine! Keep it to the facts and you won’t have any problems. Just be careful not to turn it into a personal diary—this is a professional tool, not a journal. You can also use your blog as a networking tool to connect with other bloggers you have met at professional groups or industry events.

If blogging isn’t for you, look into setting up an online portfolio instead. Although portfolios aren’t suitable for every industry, they can be great if you have projects or work to show. If you pick up any side jobs, a portfolio is a perfect place to put examples of your work. Put everything up there and show potential employers why you would be a perfect match for the job they’re looking to fill.

Looking for other ways to stay relevant in the job search? Let us know your questions in the comments below!

The Job Search

Poll Results: What’s Your Go-To Social Network for Finding a Job

By Job Journey on Tuesday, November 7, 2017

A few months ago, we polled readers, asking them what their go-to social network was for finding a job.

The results leaned toward LinkedIn with 51% of the vote. “Other” followed in second with 29%, with Facebook close behind at 20%. Twitter, surprisingly (given the popularity of the platform), received 0% of the vote.

“Other” responses included readers using Indeed.com or Cragislist.com as their social media platform of choice. However, although these are incredibly helpful job search websites, they are not social networks.

What does all of this mean? It means that different people choose to network in different ways whether they’re online or off. In the real world, some prefer professional groups while others prefer charity groups. Online networking is similarly split, with people choosing one platform or another due to personal tastes.

However, the heavy tilt towards LinkedIn does show that you should have LinkedIn for networking. Fifty percent of our voters are on LinkedIn, and you can’t connect with them if you aren’t there too!

Have anything to share about your preferred social media platform for finding a job? Let us know in the comments below!

At Work

2017 Hiring Trends Show Signs of Optimism—and Challenges—Ahead of the New Year

By Job Journey on Friday, November 3, 2017

Express Employment Professionals recently conducted a Job Insights Survey to track quarterly hiring trends for businesses across a wide range of industries to see what the hiring landscape looks like as we head into 2018. Good news: the results were optimistic! Here are a few major takeaways:

Businesses are optimistic about the economy
The majority of respondents reported that they expect to see an upward trend in hiring, or at least maintain current hiring levels. Only 11% of businesses expect their employment activity to decrease in the fourth quarter of 2017.

Up slightly since the beginning of 2017, 45% of respondents say they expect business to trend up, followed by 44% who believe their hiring activity will stay in line with current levels. In fact, these statistics have remained relatively consistent throughout 2017, which bodes well for the economy heading into the new year.

The heaviest hiring activity this year has been in the “general labor” segment, followed by skilled labor (industrial), and administrative/office clerical. And 92% of respondents do not plan to eliminate positions in the fourth quarter—which is up from 86% in fourth quarter 2016.

Despite optimism about the economy, qualified candidate pools continue to dry
Across most industries, there are jobs to be found. However, candidates with the skills to fill in-demand positions are becoming fewer and far between. Attracting and retaining top performers continues to be one of the highest priorities for businesses. As a result, employers have begun to rethink their hiring mindset, focusing on transferable soft skills and increased training.

According to Bob Funk, CEO of Express Employment Professionals, “Good economic news doesn’t come without its challenges. Finding new workers is today’s challenge—and one that employers and policymakers will need to tackle as long as the economy continues to grow.”

The Job Insights Survey revealed that more than 70% of businesses say it is “somewhat” or “very” difficult to recruit for and fill positions, with the top three reasons jobs go unfilled including lack of applicants with experience, lack of applicants in general, and lack of applicants with hard skills.

Wage growth will remain stable, but largely unchanged
Wage growth is often a barometer for the health of the overall economy. If wages are increasing, then employment activity is likely on the uptick as businesses compete for top talent to fill open positions, as well as retain their current workforce. For the fourth quarter of 2017, survey results indicate wage growth will remain mostly stable, with some growth expected.

When asked how wages would fluctuate over the next three months, the majority of respondents said wages would remain the same in the near future. A little more than one-third expect to see an increase, while only 1% of businesses surveyed believe wages in their companies will decrease.

“Although, there’s certainly good news for some workers, most will likely see unchanged wages in the fourth quarter of 2017,” said Funk. “However, as the labor market continues to tighten, we would expect to see higher rates of wage increases in the coming quarters.”

Uncategorized

Resume Tips to Impress Your Interviewer

By Job Journey on Tuesday, October 31, 2017

As the weather gets colder, heat up your resume

Interviewers and HR professionals go through hundreds of resumes a day. And that’s after computers have already gone through thousands more. If you really want to stand out, you need to add something extra to your resume. After all, you can’t make an impression without an interview.

We’ve previously provided you with the best words to use in your resume, and we’ve helped out with ways to maintain your resume over time. In this blog, we’ll focus on the little things you can do with your resume to truly stand out.

Get Past the Filter

In order for your resume to even be seen by a human being, you first have to get past the robots. No, this isn’t a science fiction story—we’re talking about the programs companies use to filter resumes.

These programs look for certain keywords and phrases that show how you match the job qualifications. A lot of that is industry jargon—words and phrases only those “in the know” would use. And guess where a lot of those words show up! Right in the job description. Find anything usable in the job description and pop it right back into your resume. Google is an invaluable resource for finding out more industry-specific words to use.

However, be careful of using too many keywords. If your keywords aren’t organically placed into the resume, they will look out of place once the resume makes it into human hands. Instead of trying to pack your resume with as many keywords as possible, just make sure to choose the right keywords in the right places.

Cater Your Resume to the Job Description

Don’t stop at just customizing your resume for the industry. Make sure it answers each and every concern brought up by the job description. Make sure each bullet shows exactly how your individual work advanced the company as a whole.

You can accomplish this even if your prior work has not been in the same industry. Just re-frame your experiences with industry specific terms, and show how that experience would really help in this new job.

The only difficult part of all of this is answering requirements with bullet points. You obviously can’t just write out your answers like in grade school. You have to adapt them to the resume format. Look at a few different resume formats online, and choose the one that best matches your current needs.

Your Accomplishments

Companies want to know more than what you did. They want to know how what you did benefited the company as a whole. In other words, they want to know your accomplishments.

Quantify each accomplishment, noting how it led to an X% increase in efficiency or saved X amount of time on project. Use action verbs like oversaw, managed, led, etc.

Looking for more resume help? Let us know your questions in the comments below!

Uncategorized

Find a Holiday Job Now

By Job Journey on Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Did you know holiday hiring has already started?

Holiday hiring is already in full swing. Businesses need to prepare for the increased traffic the holiday months are sure to bring. Here are a few reasons why now is a great time to look for a seasonal job.

Harvest Season

For many areas in the United States, now is the time to thresh the grain and harvest fruits and vegetables. Carrots, Brussels sprouts, Celeriac, Endive, and cabbage are all in season in the fall. As a result, many areas are hiring farmhand positions. Grocery stores also need to hire more people to prepare for the increased demand.

Although these jobs are usually temporary for the season, they are also frequently part-time. So you can use them to bolster your normal paycheck or as a chance to experience a different industry.

Holiday Preparation

The holidays bring a huge uptick in traffic for most businesses, especially retail and grocery chains. November experiences a huge amount of Christmas traffic (especially black Friday), while December is full of last minute shoppers.

However, new employees need to be trained before the holiday season arrives. That’s why companies are already starting holiday hiring.

Less Turnover

Many industries traditionally experience a fair amount of turnover in the summer. This is due to vacations and family obligations. Now is when vacations are finally winding down and people are ready to work. Many people also need to work so they can afford the holidays.

So now what?

What does all of this mean for you as an applicant? It means you can get ahead of the curve by calling businesses you are interested in working for. If you call them courteously and ask about job opportunities, they may keep you in mind when hiring starts in the near future. And that holiday job could turn into a full-time job.

Not quite sure how to make that next step? We’re here to help. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK, Express Employment Professionals is a leading staffing provider in the U.S. and Canada. Our recruiters are already reaching out to companies for the holiday season. Just contact your local Express office or create an Express account to get started.

Are you looking for a holiday job? Let us know how the search is going in the comments below!

At Work Career Advancement Uncategorized

Poll Results: Will You Retire?

By Job Journey on Thursday, October 12, 2017

A few months ago we held a Movin’ On Up poll asking whether or not retirement was in your future. Only about 23% of those polled said that they planned to retire.

Twenty-nine percent said they can’t afford to retire, while 15% think retirement would be boring. Just fewer than 9% don’t see a reason to retire since they can travel and do what they want while working. Seven percent have heavy debt they have to pay off before retirement even becomes a consideration. Six percent wanted to keep working because they love their jobs, while 3% need to support their children financially. Two percent have to support their parents financially.

Six percent chose the “Other” option, with responses ranging from needing to work part-time or being a workaholic to the desire to start a second career.

So what does all of that data mean? We’re living in a changing employment environment. For a variety of reasons, baby boomers are working longer. This is the new normal. But it can be nice to see that you aren’t alone.

Any other reasons you won’t be retiring any time soon? Let us know in the comments below!

Job Interviews The Job Search Uncategorized

Why Companies Don’t Respond After an Interview

By Job Journey on Tuesday, October 10, 2017

You thought the interview went well, but never heard back. Why?

Going through an interview is stressful enough, but it’s waiting for a response afterwards that can really get an applicant’s head spinning. Did they like me? Was I good enough? What could I have done better?

To make sure you stay in the loop, ask for a “next steps” timeline during your interview. That way you’ll at least have some idea of when they’re deciding on a candidate. After that, the only option is to send a polite email asking if they’ve made a decision yet. Then you play the waiting game.

But waiting can get unbearable. Especially when the company never gets back to you.

Isn’t this rude? Why would a company skip out on the goodwill a well-meaning rejection email can generate? Although we personally feel companies should always send out courtesy rejection emails, here are a few reasons why they might not:

They’re Busy

This may not seem like much of an excuse, but many companies, especially smaller companies, simply don’t feel they have the time to let every candidate know why they were rejected. Perhaps they interviewed 100 or so applicants, but only have one person dedicated to Human Resources. That one person has to devote most of their time to the new hire. When they finally do find time, it’s too late to send out rejection emails.

Busy companies might also send mass rejection letters via traditional mail. That could mean weeks before you get a response.

They Don’t Want to Start a Conversation

When companies send out a rejection email, it gives applicants an opportunity to ask why they were rejected. Companies don’t, or rather can’t, answer this question. Any type of rejection could be taken offensively, and offended interviewees might resort to legal action.

In some cases, candidates may not take rejection well, and respond by sending angry emails. Many companies just don’t think it’s worth it to respond, given their unique experience with sending out rejection emails in the past.

They’re Still Considering Applicants

In some cases, companies have one applicant they place above all others. Their first pick. But that first pick doesn’t always go through. Maybe they can’t agree on salaries or vacation time. When something like that happens, the company goes to their backups, their second, or even third choice. So if you don’t get a rejection right away, it might be because the company is holding onto your resume in case their first pick doesn’t work out. It’s even possible that the company doesn’t want to offend you with a rejection because they want to keep you in mind for a future position.

A company’s response time might also vary according to the industry they are in. State and government agencies, for instance, can take up to a year or more to place a position.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, you’re never going to know why a company decided not to send you a rejection letter. Maybe it was for a good reason, maybe it wasn’t. So don’t dwell on it. It isn’t easy to let go, but when you do, it will become much easier to move forward. Get started on the next application and start preparing for that next interview.

Has a company ever kept you waiting for a response? Let us know about it in the comments below!