Monthly Archives: October 2014

Dust the Cobwebs off Your Resume

cobwebs_webWhen people tell you that looking for a job is a full-time job in itself, they aren’t kidding. It usually takes a scary amount of time and energy to search for opportunities, network, prepare for interviews, actually interview, and then follow up. But the truth is, as much as we dread it, looking for a job is a job that we’re all doing more and more often.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average number of years employees stay at one company is just under five. So, even if you aren’t currently in the market for a new job, chances are you will be in the near future.  That’s why it’s so important to constantly keep your resume up to date. You never know when you might need it again.

If it’s been a little while since your resume has seen the light of day, it may be time to get it out and dust it off. Here are a couple of tips to help you get started.

1. Don’t Be Afraid to Cut Stuff Out

Before you start adding to your resume, check to see if there’s anything that can or should be taken out. Objective statements for example are now seen as obsolete. If you still have one, consider cutting it out and replacing with a list of your skills set instead. Need another example of cutting stuff out? If you’ve been out of high school for a few years, it’s probably time to delete any mention of your old stomping grounds.

Take some time to really think through what you include from your past. Your resume should be succinct and, at the same time, powerful, so there may be some parts of your resume that could be restructured to have a stronger impact.

2. Update Your Resume with Relevant and Valuable Information

After you’ve cut out any unnecessary information, it’s time to start updating your resume with new awards, achievements, and skills. Because you only have one to two pages max to demonstrate your work experience and knowledge, remember that every word counts. Craft your resume carefully with power words like these.

As you describe your work experience, try to stay focused on your accomplishments rather than tasks. Share measurable information about how you’ve made a difference in the companies you’ve worked at, whether that’s how much you’ve increased sales or a problem you solved for your former employers.

3. Keep it Updated As You Move Forward

Every time you win a new award or achieve an important goal, update your resume as soon as possible. That way, you won’t have to spend a ton of time on it when you’re ready to move on to a new job.

Your resume is typically a very important step in getting a new job. But, remember that there are a lot of other steps to successfully landing a job too, so don’t stop here. After you’ve updated your resume, take a look at any online profiles you can update, start brushing up on your interview skills, and find ways to network now so you’ll have the connections you need, when you need them. Preparing ahead of time will help take the fear and dread out of your next job search, and hopefully, help you find the perfect fit fast! For, as one of our great presidents Abraham Lincoln once said, “I will prepare and someday my chance will come.”

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

Hired Today, Gone Tomorrow: Recent Grads Don’t Stay in First Jobs Very Long

graduates_first_job_webFor college graduates, the first job after graduation may be just a stepping stone on the way to bigger and better things, and if you’re a company that’s hired that perfect graduate, you may lose him or her quicker than you think.

A recent Express Employment Professionals survey found that most employers – 77 percent – do not expect recent college graduates to stay more than a year in his or her first job. Of the franchises surveyed, only 23 percent believed the average graduate would spend more than a year with the company.

That means all that time you spent recruiting vibrant college grads is for naught, if you can’t keep them.

The Grass May Not Be Greener, but Who Cares
Express released the 2014 edition of the “America Employed” survey of 115 Express franchises across the nation. Respondents to the survey were asked how long the average graduate stayed in their first job following graduation, and the results were pretty clear. Graduates are looking for new or better jobs less than 12 months after being hired.

“These survey results bring to mind a couple of trends that we’ve seen for years now,” said Bob Funk, CEO of Express and a former chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.

“First, many in the Millennial generation are taking jobs that they are over-qualified for and thus are eager to move on when something better appears. Second, we’ve seen a decrease in employees’ commitment to employers as a higher value is placed on personal advancement.”

So what does this mean for employers? First, companies need to find ways to attract young talent and make the company appealing enough for them to stay.

Keeping Your Talent
Competition for attracting talented college graduates is fierce, and studies show the battle will only get tougher for the high-demand skills that graduates have. One way businesses can keep those talented workers is to offer an opportunity for professional growth.

Professional development and the possibility of advancement may be the perfect carrots to dangle in front of your new hires, but investing in their future shows you want to keep them. Add on training and promotion, and you’ll make staying on your team more appealing.

“It’s true that the ‘grass isn’t always greener,’ but this generation seems plenty willing to go check out the grass on the other side,” Funk said. “Employers, take note!”

How long did you stay in your first job after college graduation? How long do you expect to stay in your first job? Let us know in the comment section below!

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

What Workers Want: Poll

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As we approach the holiday season, many companies are deciding how to show appreciation to their employees this year. From cash bonuses to holiday parties, the ways employers compensate, or don’t compensate, their employees’ hard work varies. We want to know how you wish your employer, or future employer, showed appreciation to employees this time of year.

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

 

DIY – Skip the Career Ladder

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From home repair projects to car tune ups and crafts, we live in a do-it-yourself world. If a traditional career path doesn’t seem as appealing to you as owning your own business, why not join the DIY craze when it comes to your career?

Take the Elevator to Get There Faster

Today, most young employees have an entrepreneurial spirit. So, if you’re really driven and want to skip the career ladder, consider taking the elevator straight to the top of business ownership. According to Entrepreneur, 71% of Millennials working in a corporate environment want to become a business owner. One reason is because of the freedom that comes along with being the boss.

A recent Movin’ On Up poll also asked readers if they considered starting a business. Almost 20% of respondents said they already own their own business, while 17% were in the process of starting their business. Nearly half (46%) of respondents said they would like to start their own business, but don’t know where to begin.

How You Can Make It Happen

If you don’t know where to start, consider contacting The U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBA offers a variety of online resources and training, as well as assistance with creating a business plan. You can also sign up at SBA.gov to receive helpful business tips and information on upcoming events in your area.

You may consider starting a side gig to test the waters of owning a business before you jump in with both feet.

And if you’re currently working, continue giving it your best while at the office. You might acquire additional skills while on the job. Keep working on your hobby after hours until your hobby takes off and becomes your career.

Stability of Franchising

The Kauffman Foundation also conducted a survey on Millennials who either want to start a business or have already started one. According to Kauffman Foundation president and CEO Carl Schramm, “Millennials recognize that entrepreneurship is the key to reviving the economy.”

If you have the drive, franchising might be another great option. With franchising, you get to be the boss, but you have the support system of a national or global franchise system. Express Employment Professionals is one of the fastest growing franchises in North America. For more information about owning an Express franchise, visit ExpressFranchising.com.

Have you started down the DIY road? Are you taking additional training to make business ownership a reality? Share with us in the comments section below.

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

Interview Showdown: You vs. the Competition

interview_showdown_webAfter a while, all the different interview tips can begin to run together and even feel stale. Dress to impress – done. Do your research – check. Be prepared – got it. It can seem like every job seeker out there is following the exact same advice, and you begin to question if it’s even possible to stand out from your competition during job interviews.

The truth is, though, many candidates don’t follow commonsense advice, and actually doing what is recommended will put you at the top of the group. But, how can you go from the top 10 to the number one choice? The answer is to give potential employers what they’re seeking. An article from Forbes specifically pinpointed five things every employer wants to hear, so check out these statements and how you can incorporate them into an interview.

“I am a loyal employee.”
Talented employees don’t present much value to employers if they lack loyalty, so hiring managers look for candidates who have a history of allegiance and appear to want to stick with a job for a long period of time. That means you should never be negative about past employers in an interview or in your resume. Instead, focus on the opportunities they provided to you and what you learned. Also, make sure you express excitement about this new job opportunity and how you would like to stay with the company long term.

“I will complete the job/assignment you give me with excellence.”
Hiring managers usually don’t have any problem narrowing down candidates to the top few that could adequately complete the responsibilities of the position. What they really want to find though, is the candidate who will go beyond adequate and actually excel at the job. To show you’re willing and able to complete assignments with excellence, communicate in detail some examples of how you’ve done this in previous positions. And, if you really have prepared for the interview and done your research, you should be familiar enough with the new job’s responsibilities to give an example of how you could apply a new idea to one of the tasks to improve the process or results.

“I am open to learning, adapting, adjusting, and to receiving feedback on how I can improve.”
The ability to adapt is a top commodity in today’s workplace, and employers want to hire people who are able to adjust to the company’s, customers’, and industry’s changing needs. During the interview, highlight the wide variety of your experiences, skills, and interests, and how you could apply them to this new position. Also, give examples of how you’ve sought to learn a new skill on your own, used feedback constructively to change how you approached a project, and adapted your plan when a project didn’t go as expected.

“You will never have to tell me what to do twice.”
The workplace is a busy place, and managers normally don’t have time to continually tell employees what they need to do. They need workers who can listen the first time they have tasks explained to them and then can go do their jobs with confidence and dependability. And, while this is a little more difficult to show during an interview, it is still something that you should at least mention. One good way to get this idea across is to discuss a situation where you took on responsibility and completed a task with minimal supervision. Carefully listening to the interviewer and not making them repeat themselves is another way to prove that you’re up for the job.

“I am easy to correct and instruct.”
While this one really goes along with the previous two statements, the fact that three of the things employers want to hear have to do with listening, following instructions, and receiving feedback is a major sign that you need to incorporate these issues into what you share during your interview. Employers understand that workers, especially new hires, won’t know exactly what to do and will make mistakes – they are most concerned with how you’ll handle the learning process. So, again, highlighting how you’ve learned new skills and the process that was involved is very important for setting you apart.

At the end of the day, an employer wants to find the best candidate for the job. Use this to your advantage by giving the hiring manager a full picture of what you have to offer. By communicating to the employer that you have what they’re looking for, you’ll shoot ahead of your competition and to the top of the hiring list.

Are there other things you’ve discovered potential employers really want to hear? Share an example of how you’ve communicated your value during an interview in the comments section below.

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

Instant Makeover: Look More Professional In Minutes

professional_in_an_instant_webLooking your best in job interviews is an essential part of showing potential employers that you’re professional and serious about the opportunity. The same goes for maintaining a level of professionalism and success in the workplace. And, doing so doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, there are a number of things you can do right now to make your professional image look even more professional. Here are nine tips for an instant professional make-over.

Embrace the power of a neck tie
Gentlemen, if you’re heading to a job interview, don’t forget to throw on a nice tie. Wearing a tie instantly shows professionalism and lets the interviewer know you’re taking this opportunity seriously. If you aren’t sure how to tie a tie, don’t worry! Check out these how-to tips and you’ll be an expert in no time.

Polish your shoes
It’s amazing how a freshly-polished pair of nice shoes can pull together an interview outfit. Though it’s a step often missed, polishing your shoes is an important part of looking professional in interviews or at work. If you don’t have the extra time or money to have your shoes shined professionally, invest in some inexpensive polish and get to work yourself. GQ has some tips for do-it-yourself shoe polishing to help you step up your interview game.

Make sure you’re well-groomed
It may seem obvious, but it’s important to look your best during interviews or while on the job. This includes your overall personal hygiene, too. You can dress well, prepare for the interview, and speak professionally, but neglecting personal hygiene can instantly ruin the image you want to project. If you have an interview scheduled, make sure you’re ready by showering, fixing your hair, and maintaining a clean-shaven appearance.

Dress to impress
Whether at work or in a job interview, the way you dress says a lot about you. If you’re going to an interview, what you wear can make or break your chances of landing the job. Before you head out of the house, make sure you’re dressed in clean, unwrinkled clothes. Take your interview outfit to the dry cleaners a few days before if you need to, and be sure to use a lint roller if you have animals that shed in your home. To help you understand what to wear to an interview, research the company’s culture before you arrive.

Invest in comfortable shoes
With any job, chances are you’ll spend a good deal of time on your feet. So, invest in a pair of comfortable, work-appropriate shoes to get you through the day. If your shoes are old, worn, and damaged, you could not only be hurting your image, but also your feet and posture.

Practice your speech
Speaking in front of others can be nerve-racking, which may lead you to use words like “um,” or “uh” far more frequently than interviewers would like to hear. To help you eliminate such words and gain better control over your speech, try speaking into a recording device and playing it back. When you listen to the recording, take notes on your natural speaking habits and try to adjust. Do this as much as you need to until you’ve gained better control and confidence over your speech.

Be positive, respectful, and reliable
Being professional isn’t just about how you look or speak. The way you behave can also play a big role in how you appear to interviewers, managers, or co-workers. Especially in interviews, it’s important to maintain a positive attitude and be respectful. Be courteous to everyone you meet during an interview, from the person at the front desk to the interviewer. And, focus on being reliable from the start. Show up on time and perform any job-related interview assignments requested of you afterwards. At work, showing up on time, working diligently, and completing projects with accuracy and efficiency can help boost your professional image instantly.

Stay organized
If you have a workspace at your job, it’s important to keep it neat. Professionalism doesn’t look like a messy, disorganized desk, but rather a tidy, clean space conducive to learning and working. When you clean your desk, don’t forget about your computer. Keeping your desktop clean and organized can show a level of professionalism that is sometimes overlooked.

Make your private life private again
Social media is beneficial for many reasons, including helping you in your job search. But, your online presence can also cost you the interview or the job. It’s important to keep your social media profiles clean and professional in case an interviewer, manager, or co-worker finds them. To take greater control of your personal life, be sure to adjust your social media privacy settings and maintain a professional look on all of your accounts. Need help? Check out these tips for detoxing your social media.

How do you make sure you look as professional as possible on the job or in interviews? Share your tips in the comments section below!

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

Avoiding Hand Injuries at Work

hand_safety_webWe use our hands for so many tasks that we often take them for granted. Imagine how difficult it would be to brush your teeth, put on shoes, drive, work or do a million other things because of an injury or loss of a hand.

Unfortunately, hand injuries occur in the workplace every 32 seconds according to Telecom Insurance Group. Every year 16 million people seek emergency care for hand injuries

Most of these accidents are preventable, so it’s very important to know and understand prevention tips.

Sources for Hand Injury Prevention
WebMD offers valuable tips for preventing finger, hand, and wrist injuries. You can also find prevention tips from Canada’s Labour Program. And, a new website, www.choosehandsafety.org, was launched this spring to help teach workers how to protect their hands, including what to look for when choosing and using hand tools and gloves.

The National Safety Council and the Labour Program also have resources you can share with your employers and co-workers.

Leave Mechanical Maintenance to the Professionals
Although generally cautious about burns or cuts while handling objects, workers often do not think of the dangers associated with reaching into a machine to fix a jam or remove material. But, reaching into a machine can be very dangerous. Think about how much you use your hands before you put them at risk by reaching into a machine.

For more information on machine safety, read this article.

It’s important to take some time to know the risks and prevention tips associated with hand injuries. And, of all the prevention tips, remember to think safety first!

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