The holiday season is the busiest time of year for many businesses. With shopping at its peak, some employers look to staffing companies to help handle the extra workload. While the holiday season is still a few months away, many businesses are already starting to hire seasonal workers. So, we want to know: are you planning to take a seasonal job this year?
http://poll.fm/5cvrg]
With the Fourth of July holiday right around the corner, many Americans will find themselves traveling, camping, enjoying cook-outs, and gathering with family and friends. While it’s a great time to make memories and enjoy a firework show, it’s also a prime time to make sure you’re thinking about your career.
How can a holiday weekend make an impact on your job search? It’s all about networking. Whether you’re planning to attend a neighborhood pool party, barbeque with friends, or participate in a community event, there’s always an opportunity to network and make connections that could help you on your career path. Take a look at these tips for enhancing your summer holiday through the power of networking.
Be friendly.
You never know who you may run into at a social gathering, so it’s always important to put your best foot forward. In fact, it’s a commonly held belief that people will form an impression of you in the first seven seconds. When you meet someone new, consider it an informal job interview. Be friendly and positive and don’t be afraid to talk about your hobbies, what you enjoy doing for work, or your career goals. Even if the person you’re meeting doesn’t seem to possess any direct connections to a new job or company you want to work for, they may know someone who does. And, the first impression you give them could make or break your chance at that relationship.
Give yourself value.
When you meet someone for the first time, it may be easy to talk about yourself and share your career goals with the other person. While it’s important to introduce yourself, make sure you also allow your new connection time to speak. And don’t forget to give yourself value by explaining what you can do for the relationship. If you have experience, certain skills, or training that could benefit the other person, make it known. For example, if you’re an experienced welder and you find out your cousin’s friend owns a machine shop that’s looking for welders, be sure to introduce yourself and make your skills known.
Share your contact information.
If you happen to meet someone with connections or a job they’re trying to fill, make sure you get their contact information so you can follow up with them after the holiday weekend. You may want to consider carrying around business cards with your name and contact information for networking purposes. Keep a pen handy so you can write a note on the back of the card, like “Jim’s BBQ” or “Sarah’s Firework Stand” so they will remember where you met when they find your card after the holiday weekend. You may also consider sharing your LinkedIn profile with any new connections. If you have a smart phone or tablet handy, you can even look up the profile of those you network with and add them as a connection before you forget.
Don’t forget to follow up.
After the holiday weekend has ended, consider sending your new contact a handwritten note thanking them for their time or interest and asking if there’s a convenient time for you to meet and further discuss the open position or your career goals. Sending a quick note through email is another way to make a memorable impression and keep your name at the forefront of your new connection’s mind.
How do you plan to network during the holiday weekend? Have you made a job connection through a social event? Share your tips in the comments section below!
Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.
The role of a parent is different for every mother and father. Some moms work, others stay home with their children, and some do both. Likewise, some fathers work while others take the opportunity to stay home and raise the kids. To celebrate Father’s Day on Sunday, June 21, we want to share some interesting facts about the role dads play in their children’s future careers.
Breaking Gender Barriers
While parenthood is different for everyone, a new study by a group of psychologists at the University of British Columbia is helping illuminate how parents’ routines may impact their children. The study suggests that fathers who take part in activities that have traditionally been deemed female chores, like cooking, cleaning, or childcare, are more likely to have school-aged daughters who aspire to more gender-neutral careers, such as being a doctor or lawyer, instead of stereotypical female careers.
According to the study, when children–especially girls–see this division of household labor, their view of gender equality can be shaped from a young age.
Establishing Work Ethic
Likewise, how parents view their work life directly influences how their children will feel about work in the future. University of Michigan researchers found that children who perceive their father as someone with a strong career orientation are more likely to be career-oriented themselves. Furthermore, children may carry their parents’ views about work into their own jobs or careers.
The study also found that children who were close to their fathers were more likely to model their father’s career behavior.
Teaching Important Skills
Another study found that human capital passed from father to son, like advice, intelligence, and work ethic, could be more important to the child’s success than the money a father brings home. In fact, the study, published by the Journal of Political Economy, suggests that these intangible human elements account for nearly two-thirds of the overall relationship between a father’s income and his child’s future salary.
A Deeper Look
Express Employment Professionals recently polled fathers in the workplace to find out if they work out of necessity or choice. The poll revealed that 80% of working fathers would continue working even if they didn’t have to, while 20% reported that they would stay at home if their situation allowed. These results are not very different from those of working mothers. The poll found that 28% of mothers would stay home if they could, while 72% revealed they would continue working.
At Express, we honor and celebrate all of our associates who are working fathers and wish all of them a happy Father’s Day!
Are you a working dad? How do you find balance between your work and home life? Share your tips in the comments section below!
Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.
June 1 – 7 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 profession in Canada.
There are currently 34 Express offices in Canada, and we placed 15,715 Canadian workers across five provinces in 2014. 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.
In the United States, Memorial Day is Monday, May 25. Established after the Civil War by Union veterans, the first Memorial Day (originally called Decoration Day) was celebrated in 1868. In 1971, the day became an official U.S. holiday and is now celebrated on the last Monday in May.
Memorial Day Facts
On this day of remembrance, Express reminds everyone to take time to honor our fallen soldiers and loved ones. We wish you a happy Memorial Day!
Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.
Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 10, in the United States, and it’s a great day to honor the moms and motherly figures in our lives. We’d like to recognize all working moms by sharing interesting facts, gift ideas, and an in-depth look at the women who make both Mother’s Day and the workplace something to celebrate.
Moms In the Workforce
Finding a job and maintaining a positive work-life balance can be tough. For working moms, it can be even more difficult. Fifty years ago, it wasn’t very common for mothers to be a part of the workforce, but that’s a trend that has changed today. In fact, the U.S. Department of Labor reports that 70% of women with children under 18 participate in the labor force. This equates to roughly 31 million working American mothers.
When comparing the years 1961-1965 with years 2006-2008, this change in the labor force becomes even clearer. In the 1960s, only 44% of first-time mothers worked during their pregnancy, while 66% of first-time moms worked during their pregnancies in the 2000s. Additionally, only 17% of women returned to work within a year of their first baby’s birth in the 1960s, compared to 64% who returned to work in the 2000s.
Furthermore, in the 1960s, only 11% of working mothers were the sole or primary breadwinner for their families, compared to 40% of women today.
The Value of Mom’s Time
Many mothers take care of household tasks while also maintaining full- or part-time jobs. These tasks include cooking, cleaning, managing family finances, chauffeuring, and shopping. According to the Insure.com 2014 Mother’s Day Index, tasks that moms perform at home would be worth nearly $63,000 a year in the professional world.
Saying Thank You
According to CNN, 141 million Mother’s Day cards are exchanged every year in the United States, and more people purchase fresh flowers and plants on this day than any other holiday, except for Christmas. In fact, Mother’s Day accounts for one-fourth of all holiday sales of flowers and plants.
According to Insure.com, a card or flowers will be appreciated on Mother’s Day. But, what do moms really want? A 2014 survey of mothers revealed that the top picks for Mother’s Day gifts include a day at the spa, a family getaway, a nice dinner, chocolates, breakfast in bed, and handmade gifts from their children.
Here at Movin’ On Up, we salute our associates who are working mothers and wish all of them a happy Mother’s Day!
Are you a working mother? How do you find a balance between your work and home life? Share your tips in the comments section below!
Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.
According to the latest statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor, more than 4.8 million administrative professionals work in the United States. And according to Statistics Canada, more than 500,000 administrative professionals work in Canada.
To honor this growing industry, Administrative Professionals Day is an unofficial holiday observed in several countries throughout the year. In the United States and Canada, Administrative Professionals Day is Wednesday, April 22. The day recognizes the work of secretaries, administrative assistants, receptionists, and other administrative support professionals.
The idea for the holiday began when Mary Barrett, president of what is now known as the International Association of Administrative Professionals, and C. King Woodbridge, president of Dictaphone Corporation, addressed a national shortage of skilled office workers. From there, the idea for National Secretaries Day, now known as Administrative Professionals Day, was created. The first National Secretaries Day was held June 4, 1952.
Since then, Administrative Professionals Day has become one of the largest observances in the workplace.
At Express Employment Professionals, we are proud of our administrative associates and want to wish them a very happy Administrative Professionals Day!
Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.
