Reader Surveys

Poll: Have You Considered Being an Independent Contractor?

By Job Journey on Friday, May 29, 2015

When it comes to the workforce, there are a number of different job types available, including full-time, part-time, temporary, and independent contractor work. An independent contractor is a person that provides goods or services to another entity under terms specified in a contract or verbal agreement. They do not work regularly for an employer and are usually paid on a freelance basis.

Fortune Magazine reports that 42 million people in the American workforce are freelance or contract workers, and the U.S. Department of Labor predicts that this number will grow to 65 million in the next five years. Given this growing popularity, we want to know if you’ve ever considered being an independent contractor. Let us know by voting in our poll!

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

Reader Surveys

The Results Are In: How Soon After Graduation Did You Get a Job?

By Job Journey on Monday, May 11, 2015

Education and experience are hot topics when it comes to your chances of finding a job. Since professional opinions are mixed on whether or not your education plays a primary role in your search for employment, we asked Movin’ On Up readers how soon after graduation they secured a job.

What the Survey Revealed
With 167 votes, the survey revealed that 27% of readers were hired immediately, or even had a job lined up before graduation. The rest of the respondents who found work after graduation reported their time table as follows:

Less than three months – 15%
Three to six months – 10%
Six months to a year – 11%
More than a year – 14%

While the largest majority of readers found a job immediately after or before graduation, those who found work a few months after graduation were mixed in their responses. According to the results of the survey, it could take anywhere from one month to one year to secure a job after earning your degree.

Additionally, 16%, the second largest group of respondents to our poll, reported that they are still looking for a job after graduation.

Respondents could also select the “Other” option and provide their own responses to the poll. Of the 7% who selected “Other,” responses included:

I got hired before finishing my degree
I went to USMC Boot Camp the next day
Three years
Seven years
10 years
15 years and still looking
I found work, but not in my field

Keep Focusing On Your Goals
The results of the poll are a mixture of graduates who found work right away and those who are still looking after several years. While it’s easy to feel discouraged by long job searches, it’s important not to give up. Recent surveys from universities and other institutions suggest that hiring is on the rise for recent graduates, and there are ways you can help yourself stand out from the competition.

If you got a job after graduation, what tips do you have for other recent graduates? Let us know in the comments section below!

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

Reader Surveys

Poll: How Do You Give Back?

By Job Journey on Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Whether you’re volunteering at a local food pantry or donating clothes to a shelter, giving back is a great feeling. And it can help you in your job search too. Adding volunteer experience to your resume can help separate you from the crowd of people applying to the same jobs. When you volunteer, you have the opportunity to make connections and network, and you can learn new skills that enhance your resume. A report by the Corporation for National and Community Service recently found that “volunteering was associated with 27% higher odds of employment.”

Aside from making you more employable, giving back is also a wonderful way to be a part of your community. So, we want to know how you give back through charitable citizenship.

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

Reader Surveys

The Results Are In: How Does Your Company Promote Health and Wellness?

By Job Journey on Friday, April 3, 2015

Your health is an important part of your life, and it’s something that matters both in and out of the workplace. In an effort to help you stay on track with your fitness goals, some companies offer health and wellness benefits, programs, and resources to help you stay healthy. To find out what kinds of programs your workplace offers, we asked Movin’ On Up readers how your company promotes health and wellness and the results were mixed.

What Readers Said
Only 6% of respondents stated that their company offers healthy snacks and beverages, 9% reported that wellness screenings are offered in their workplace, and 15% said that they have access to a workplace gym. Another 15% of respondents reported that their workplace offers health education, coaching, or training. Additionally, 21% of readers responded that their company offers all of the aforementioned health benefits.

While these results offer a positive outlook on what companies are doing to promote the health of their employees, 35% of readers, the most respondents to the poll, stated that their workplace does not offer any health incentives whatsoever.

What Employers Said
These statistics mirror the results of a similar poll on Refresh Leadership, the Express blog for business leaders. In that poll, 27% of company leaders responded that they do not have any wellness incentives in place. While 20% offer a gym or gym discounts, 16% offer discounts on health insurance for wellness program participants, 12% have healthy vending options, and 5% have sports clubs or exercise classes after work, the most prevalent response was that no health programs currently exist.

Since health is important and a good majority of an employee’s day is spent in the office or on the job site, it seems health and wellness incentives should be more prevalent in the workplace. How do you think companies can implement health programs and incentives? Let us know in the comments section below.

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

Reader Surveys

Poll: How Soon After Graduation Did You Get a Job?

By Job Journey on Thursday, March 26, 2015

Which is more important: education or experience? It’s an age-old question that has been researched and debated for decades, but one that doesn’t necessarily have a clear-cut answer. While the results from Glassdoor’s recent 2014 Employment Confidence Survey suggest that 82% of U.S. college graduates who were employed on a full or part time basis believed that their level of education has been an asset to their careers, 72% believe that specialized training outside of a traditional college degree is more valuable when it comes to the workplace.

Last year, we asked Movin’ On Up readers how their education has affected their career path. While the results of this poll were illuminating in the education vs. experience debate, we want to know how quickly recent graduates are being added to the workforce. To help determine how long a graduate typically spends looking for a job after going through the higher education process, we want to know how soon after graduation you landed a job. Let us know by voting in our poll!

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

Reader Surveys

The Results Are In: What Causes Communication Breakdown in Your Job Search?

By Job Journey on Wednesday, March 11, 2015

There are a number of factors that can make or break your chances of landing a job. Your resume, the interview, and how you follow up with potential employers can positively or negatively affect your job search.

One factor that plays a significant role in your job search is communication. Clear and concise communication is important in all areas of your life, and your job search is no exception. Since communication is such a big factor in landing a job, we asked Movin’ On Up readers what causes communication breakdown in their job search.

What Readers Think
With 35% of the votes, “lack of follow up from the interviewer” was the number one answer to what causes communication breakdown. “Unclear job postings” earned 22% of the vote, followed by “unmotivated workers/interviewers” with 12%.

Other answers included “the job application” with 7% of the votes and “poor leadership” with 5%. “Stress” also earned 5% of the votes, and “lack of planning” received 3%.

Additionally, 10% of respondents selected the “Other” option in our poll and left responses including:

Poor interviewer planning
No response to applications
Online applications, which remove personal communication
Use of internet to screen applicants

What Leaders Think
Interestingly, in a similar poll on Refresh Leadership, the Express blog for business leaders, the areas of communication breakdown don’t seem to match for employers and job seekers. While “poor leadership” only received 5% of job seekers votes, it was the number one response from business leaders (33%). Likewise, the number one response from job seekers was “lack of follow up” with 35% of the votes, while only 10% of business leaders selected this option.

Since the number one factors causing communication breakdown seem to be very different for job seekers than they are for business leaders, it’s no surprise that there may be a lack of communication in the job search. To help you better your chances of landing a job, take a look at the factors Movin’ On Up readers selected. If lack of follow up from an interviewer is affecting your job search, take the lead and follow up with them yourself. If unclear job postings are holding you back, reach out to the recruiter or hiring manager and ask for clarification. Doing so shows you have a clear interest in the job.

Likewise, take into consideration what business leaders are experiencing. Many business leaders reported that unmotivated workers were a source of communication breakdown, so break the mold by showing motivation and interest in the job. Show up to your interview on time, have an excellent resume ready, and follow up with the interviewer frequently.

How do you plan to use these results to help with your job search? Let us know in the comments section below!

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

Reader Surveys

Poll: How Does Your Company Promote Health and Wellness?

By Job Journey on Friday, February 27, 2015

Staying healthy is an important part of your life, and many employers recognize that your wellness shouldn’t be hindered at the office. In an effort to help you stay on track with your fitness goals, many companies offer health and wellness benefits, programs, or resources in the workplace. Wellness programs range from health education, coaching, medical screenings, access to a gym, and more.

The attention to health and wellness that employers provide may even affect your job search. Since your health is important wherever you go, wellness programs inside the workplace may be a determining factor in your decision whether or not to accept a position at a particular company.

We want to know how your current employer promotes health and wellness. If you’re currently looking for a job, did any of your past employers promote health and wellness? Let us know by voting in our poll!

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