Monthly Archives: May 2017

Poll: How Do You Build Your Network Outside of Social Media?

On a planet full of tweets and status updates, how do you meet people face-to-face?

MOV_POLL-ICONWhether it’s a night on the town with friends or meeting with a monthly professional group, networking has always been part of the employment scene. When it comes to pretty much any job, “who you know” really does matter. Which makes sense, given that an employer is more likely to trust a new hire that they know personally or was referred rather than an impressive resume from an unknown applicant.

How do you keep it real in a digital world? Let us know by voting in our poll! 

On the Job: From Hired to Retired—Episode 3

A Job for Life

ACO17_OnTheJob_GraphicBHere at Movin’ On Up, we’re proud to share a new episode in a podcast series brought to you by Express Employment Professionals—On the Job: From Hired to Retired and Everything In Between.

Each week through the end of June, On the Job shares stories about the pursuit of work by taking a look at the employment situations people from all walks of life face each day.

Episode 3: A Job for Life

One of public radio’s premier producers uncovers secrets from her mother’s career—a woman’s journey from typist and switchboard operator to helping run the American Psychiatric Association.

Start Listening Today!

Download On the Job: From Hired to Retired and Everything In Between on iTunes or anywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Check back next week for Episode 4: Gimme Shelter: Helping Neighbors Find the Right Home.

What is Movin’ On Up?

Movin on Up[We want to take a moment to give our readers a refresher of just what Movin’ On Up is. Most of you are long-time readers, but we’ve gained quite a few newbies in the last few months.

In order to clarify what we do here, let’s back up a bit and explain what Express Employment Professionals is all about. Our blog is powered by Express employees, and that’s where our expert advice comes from.

Express Employment Professionals is a leading staffing provider in the U.S. and Canada, and employed a record 510,000 people in 2016. Express works with job seekers to help them find the right jobs for their skills and experience, and never charges a fee for our services and support. A variety of jobs are filled through Express, including full-time, part-time, and temporary positions. And, as one of the leading staffing agencies in North America, Express provides employment services and workforce solutions to employers throughout our community.

In case that wasn’t informative enough, here is a YouTube playlist chock full of videos that explain what Express is all about. The following is the first video in the series detailing job opportunities at Express:

So, what is Movin’ On Up’s purpose? To prepare job seekers for struggles they might face during their career, from interview to hire to retirement. We help readers discover how to get the interview, how to nab the job, and how to excel in their position. We want each reader to discover and maintain an exciting career. All blogs are backed by Express industry knowledge, so you know you’re getting quality information.

New articles are added to Movin’ On Up the first Wednesday and Friday of every month, and every Tuesday and Thursday thereafter.

 

Have any questions or suggestions for Movin’ On Up? Let us know in the comments below!

How to Survive a Millennial Manager

He watched The Office you watched Cheers—how do you communicate?

Tips_For_Working_With_Younger_Boss_Dec2013

It’s happening across the nation. As baby boomers start to retire (the ones who can, anyway), the millennials are closing in. They like to job hop, and it’s hard for companies to get them to stay. This generation spans fifteen years, and many have built a career and are already getting promoted. Now one is your boss. He can’t stop talking about virtual reality and you miss the simplicity of an age before social media.  It doesn’t seem like you’re ever on the same page.

But does it really matter if you get along with your younger boss as long as the work gets done? As noted by The Washington Post, the answer is a resounding yes. A study was recently published in the Journal of Organizational Psychology that surveyed 8,000 employees from 61 German companies. The results showed that a higher percentage of younger people managing older employees resulted in a 12% increase in negative emotions. And those negative emotions, in turn, led to less than stellar manager reports in regard to financial and organizational performance.

How are you supposed to take orders from someone who reminds you of your child?

1.       Steer Clear of Judgment

No two career paths are identical. This holds true regardless of age. All workers have different experiences and skills that lead them to where they are in life. Even if your boss is younger, try to trust that she gained the position for a good reason. Regardless of whether or not that reason was because of “who she knew” or not, it’s out of your hands. So try to assume the best.

After all, assuming the worst isn’t going to help anyone, even if it turns out to be true. Being younger doesn’t mean your boss is going to be a bad manager. Despite her age and fewer years on the job, she may have a variety of unique skills that make her a great boss.

Of course, it’s also quite possible that you’ll eventually come to find out that she’s wholly unprepared for the position. Even then, avoid complaining.  It’s still in your best interest to get along—you may even want to help guide her in the right direction.

2.       Become an Advisor

Regardless of whether your new millennial pal is well-suited for his new position, he’s probably not going to know as much about the industry as you do. You’ve been working longer, so you know who the players are and how they operate. You can draw on these past experiences and apply them to current events, imparting knowledge to your manager.

All of these things are incredibly valuable to a young manager. Although his tools may be sharp, he might not know how to use them yet. You can help him avoid first time mistakes by giving him advice and sharing the wisdom of your past experiences. Just be sure to come across as a helpful advisor rather than patronizing. Think of your manager as a co-worker and peer rather than an inexperienced child.

3.       Be Open to Communication

The key to any relationship is communication. So make sure to talk! If you play it right, you can create a real connection with your younger boss. Embrace team-building activities and really get to know her. Maybe take her out to lunch once in a while. If she really is out of her element with this position, she’ll want a co-worker she can trust and rely on. And, once you become familiar with her on a personal level, it can really change the dynamic—you start to see her as an actual person rather than “The Millennial.”

Do you have a younger boss? How do you handle it? Let us know about it in the comments below!

 

 

 

 

On the Job: From Hired to Retired—Episode 2

Not Your Grandpa’s Shop Class

ACO17_OnTheJob_GraphicBHere at Movin’ On Up, we’re proud to share a new episode in a podcast series brought to you by Express Employment Professionals—On the Job: From Hired to Retired and Everything in Between.

Each week through the end of June, On the Job will share stories about the pursuit of work by taking a look at the employment situations people from all walks of life face each day.

 

Episode 2: Not Your Grandpa’s Shop Class

These motivated high school students spend half their days learning a trade. Some of them will go on to college; other graduates will begin apprenticeships. But every student is taking full advantage of thousands of dollars of free technical education that will prepare them for high-paying careers.

Start Listening Today!

Download On the Job: From Hired to Retired and Everything in Between on iTunes or anywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Check back next week for Episode 3—A Job for Life: One Woman’s Journey from Typist and Switchboard Operator to Helping Run the American Psychiatric Association.

Kick-Start Your Resume with Community Service

Serve others and boost your resume at the same time

BrandItBlueDay2014On Saturday, June 10, Express Employment Professionals offices across North America will gather together for Brand It Blue Day to help fill community food banks and pantries. The event is a day of service aimed to help in the fight against hunger, and you’re invited to join in.

Wondering why you might want to participate in something like this? Apart from the obvious reason of helping those who really need it, there are professional advantages as well.

1. Help Others

As noted by Feeding America®, 43.1 million people (13.5% of the U.S. population) were in poverty in 2015.  About 42.2 million lived in food-insecure households. That means over 13 million children went to bed hungry at some point that year.

Summer is the worst time for child hunger, as the school meal program ends for most kids. In 2013, more than 21.5 million children received free or reduced-price meals through their school programs and only 2.5 million of those children took part in summer food service programs. Volunteering allows you to make a real difference and help those kids get three meals a day.

2. Enhance Your Resume

Being involved in the community also shows potential employers that you have interests and goals outside of work. In other words, volunteering could help you land your next job.

As noted by Fortune, a 2016 Deloitte study of 2,506 U.S. hiring managers found that 82% of interviewers held a preference for applicants with volunteer experience. 92% said such activities built leadership skills. This was in sharp contrast to the mere 32% of applicants that mentioned unpaid volunteer work on their resumes. So, at the very least, add volunteer experience to your resume to help make you stand out above other applicants.

But why do employers find volunteer work so attractive? 85% of the interviewers found that skills-based activities, including those used during volunteer work, increased candidate communication skills, while 88% felt it built “strong character.” For those whose volunteer work didn’t use their professional skills, those numbers decreased slightly to 77% and 84%, respectively.

What else can volunteer work do for your resume? It provides an opportunity to master more skills. Take lessons learned in the workplace or college and develop those skills in rea-life situations. Maybe you’ve written mock strategic plans for a promotions management class, but never had a chance to put them into action. Or perhaps you film weddings for a living, but want to expand to other events.

3. Network

Networking can be challenging, especially when you’re at an event where everybody else is there to network as well. These events can be helpful, but they can be tiring.

Community service allows you to network in a much more organic way. Everyone is serving the same cause—nobody expects the newbie to walk in with a killer smile and an even more killer resume. If you work hard and make a good impression on others, they may pass on future job opportunities or serve as reference contacts.

In addition, continued nonprofit work for a particular cause lets you build a reputation in that area, allowing for future networking opportunities further down the road. You can also see how an organization functions and interact with people from all levels of the organization. If you’re interested in a nonprofit career, even better—these could be future co-workers after all.

Brand It Blue Day

If you’re looking for a cause to work with, consider Express’ Brand it Blue Day on Saturday, June 10! Check out the nearest participating Express office today.

In 2016, more than 235 Express offices and 1,000 volunteers from California to North Carolina to Canada came together at local food banks and pantries across North America to help fight hunger. Over the past four years, Express offices donated 300,000 meals to nonprofit organizations across North America through their efforts on Brand It Blue Day.

Has community service helped your career? Let us know how in the comments below!

Celebrating Accountants

Accounting Day_SMG_USNoSeal_FBIf you’re looking for an accounting job, you’re in luck! According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, accounting and auditing positions are expected to grow for the next seven years. With over 1.3 million accounting and auditing jobs in the workforce and another 142,400 projected jobs to open up by 2024, this is one career field to get excited about.

Not only is the job outlook on the up-and-up, a nationally recognized holiday has been established to celebrate this great career field. On May 22, make sure to give a shout out to those who spend countless hours poring over financial ledgers, creating invoices, and keeping the company’s books balanced!

If the growth in the industry isn’t enough to boost your confidence in the accounting career field, the median annual salary for an accountant is more than $67,000. That’s more than 50% higher than the annual median wage of all other workers combined. Now that’s something to celebrate! Forbes recently released the top sought after undergraduate and graduate degrees for getting hired, and you guessed it, accounting is in the top three on both lists. Within the 169 employers surveyed, 59.7% said they would hire graduates with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and 23.6% with a master’s degree in accounting.

Accountants are needed not only in the corporate world but in personal affairs as well. Are you uncertain you have what it takes to be a great accountant? Here are some character traits and skill sets you should strive to master to become indispensable to any company.

  • Attention to Detail
  • Client oriented
  • Collaborator
  • Communication Skills
  • Creativity
  • Excellent Organizational Skills
  • Flexibility
  • Time Management
  • Trustworthiness

Want to take your accounting career to the next level? Become a member of a professional organization. Not only does this show employers you are investing in yourself, but you’ll truly benefit from the continuing education opportunities typically associated with professional organizations. Networking is another reason to join. Making connections with peers and mentors within your field can provide lasting relationships that will undoubtedly have a positive impact on your career.

Are you in the accounting field? Let us know your success stories or how your job search is going in the comments section below.