Consider Signing Up with A Staffing Firm

Considering a  Staffing Firm

According to a survey I reviewed, Staffing firms fill more than 50% of all open job orders. Being aligned with a staffing firm is a good idea. Often times, staffing firms have direct access to the hiring manager, they act as the liaison between you and the client. Staffing firms, in many cases can get you an interview sooner than you would be able to secure on your own.

What a staffing firm will do for you.
A good staffing firm will get your resume and set up an interview to talk about your skills, your goals, and the job you are applying for. Resumes don't always do a candidate justice, and a good recruiter is almost like a job therapist - and will draw out of you information relevant to the position that you may not have thought to mention in your resume. A good recruiter knows a lot about the job you are applying for too, which can be helpful. Job descriptions are notoriously bland and don't really give you all of the useful inside scoop it would be useful to know before you actually interview. Recruiters also have jobs that aren't posted, and after talking with you may recommend you for something you didn't even know was out there.

There are many benefits with working with a staffing firm

Staffing and recruiting companies are committed to bringing the right people and the right companies together. Whether you want a temporary, contract, part-time, or permanent position, working with a staffing company is an easy way to improve your job search.

Regardless of the industry or geographic location in which you want to work, there is a staffing company to help. Staffing companies match millions of people to millions of jobs in the U.S. and abroad every day.

Reasons to work with a staffing firm

Staffing companies are not only looking for administrative and short-term manual labor positions but also for executives, clinicians and professionals searching for full-time employment. Below are a few of the reasons you should work with a staffing company during your next job search. Also, please read the American Staffing Association's graph of the best reasons to work with a staffing company.

1. Get the inside scoop on new openings: Staffing companies work with a variety of companies. Many businesses turn to staffing companies to fill certain positions and never advertise the opening themselves.

1. Save time: Staffing companies specialize in position types, areas, industries, or even companies. Thus, they know the job market and know the cultures on the companies for which they are recruiting.

1. Put flexibility and work in the same sentence: If you are looking for time to live life while still making ends meet, working with a staffing company could be the best career move you ever make. Staffing companies place you in part-time or contract work that fits your life.

Maybe you want to take a trip to Europe for a month or maybe you need the summers off to watch your kids while school's out. Either way, a staffing company can help you find a project or company that is right for you.

4. Work part time and get benefits: When you go on temporary assignments for a staffing company, you are normally employed by the staffing company and could be eligible for vacation, holidays, health insurance, retirement plans, and more.

4. Free training: Temporary employees get free training from staffing companies to improve their skills and go on more assignments. This is a great way to boost your knowledge and experience before looking for a permanent gig.

4. Never get bored: As an employee of a staffing company, you get to select the short-term assignments you want to take. You get the opportunity to work in a variety of industries and with different people on numerous projects and tasks. The opportunities are endless.

4. Go from temp to perm: According to the American Staffing Association, about 75 percent of temporary and contract employees move on to permanent jobs. Thus, a temp job can be a great way to try out a company's culture

Reference: http://www.generalemployment.com/career-resources/article/top-ten-tips-for-using-staffing-firms

Double the Number of Recommendations on Linkedin

How to ask for — and get — recommendations that will catch the attention of recruiters and hiring managers.

According to  recruiters and hiring managers who were surveyed. When considering candidates, recruiters do say that they notice these 3 things about recommendations on LinkedIn:

1. They count to make sure there is a strong ratio between the number of connections and the number of recommendations. A large network with few recommendations is a red flag.
2. An equal number of recommendations received to recommendations given is a red flag. It makes it look like the recommendations were mere reciprocity.
3. Recruiters look for quality (meaty) recommendations, and disregard flaky or fluffy ones as not credible.

So, how can you increase your number of meaty recommendations?

How to Ask for LinkedIn Recommendations

Here is a way to ask for a freshly written recommendation without burdening your manager with a one to two  page letter.

• Remind them that a LinkedIn rec isn’t a full letter; it takes only about 10 minutes and doesn’t need to be longer than three short paragraphs.
• Give them something specific to recommend about you. For example, “Would you mind talking about the ATT project we did together and the role I played?”
• Suggest three specific personality or professional traits you want them to mention. For example, “Would you mind mentioning my work ethic, ability to work in teams, and depth of experience working with large enterprise accounts?”

The Anatomy of a Good LinkedIn Recommendation

Being specific in your request will help you avoid the “She’s a good person” type of recommendation. But you might also suggest the following format to help them whip something up even faster.
Qualify your relationship with the person: “I’ve known Jane for 5 years, and during this time, we’ve worked on countless projects together.”
Show that you’ve already taken action to vouch for them: “When I became a manager in the department, I specifically requested that she join my new team.” 
Describe a project they worked on that exemplifies a professional quality such as leadership or initiative: “On a project with ATT, we were in danger of delivering late. Jane stepped up and found three additional resources to share the work. Through her leadership, we saved the project and ... ”
Close the recommendation with a call to action by re-emphasizing those professional qualities: “If you are looking for a super organized, easy to get along with and tenacious project manager, Jane would be my first choice.”

Do you have a linkedin account? lets connect  www.linkedin.com/in/cmoonzwe/

How to Handle Voicemail for a Resume Follow-Up

When you phone a potential employer to follow up on your resume, you may be diverted to the manager's voicemail. If leaving a voicemail message becomes your only option, you should make the message count. This will help ensure that you'll get a chance at actually speaking to the contact.

Tips for dealing with voicemail

When you can’t break through voicemail, leave a short message showing upbeat interest, not desperation — and a time when you will call back.

My name is Maureen Fisher, and I’m calling you because I'm very interested in your Clinical Manager position, I have the skill set and clinical expertise to get the job done. I think you have my resume. If you like what you see, can we talk? I’ll call you tomorrow morning at 11:30 to set a convenient time.

Pronounce your name clearly and say your telephone number at a moderate pace. Give the hiring manager a chance to write it down without replaying the message.

How often should you call? Some job search experts suggest calling every five to ten days. But busy employers insist that — unless you’re in sales or another field requiring a demonstration of persistence — after you’re certain your resume was received, call one to two weeks later, and then no more than once every three to four weeks.

Following up by phone is your most effective tool, but you should, from time to time, substitute contacts by sending notes or e-mail with additional facts about your qualifications, ideas to solve a problem you know the company is facing, a news clipping of mutual interest, or just an expression of our continuing interest in working for the company and the manager. I would also recommend that you attempt to connect with a potential employer on Linkedin

Avoid asking the employer to call you back

Avoid asking that employers call you back. Even if you leave your contact information, the chances of your getting a return call are slim to none. Instead, leave a very brief message indicating that you'll call again at a specific time. You may have to make a dozen calls before connecting, each time again giving a time frame for your next call. The trick is to

·  Set a specific time and keep your word, which makes you look like a reliable person.

·  Use phrases that prevent the target from feeling “guilty” for missing your call after call. (“Please don’t feel bad about missing my call. Afternoons may be better for you”)

Find a hook (an enticing bit of information about your accomplishments) for each time you call back. In the following examples, the hook is in italics:

• Monday ( week 1): Sorry I missed you; I'll try again Wednesday afternoon. I'm hoping to meet and go into detail about my sales channel strategy, which could work very well for you.
• Wednesday ( week 2): Too bad we missed connecting today. I'll get back to you tomorrow to explain how I worked the lost-customer database and reclaimed 38 percent of them as paying customers. Until tomorrow, then . . .
• Thursday (week 3): You undoubtedly have your plate full, which is why you need to meet with me — I’m persistent and I follow through. I'll get back with you next week. I want to help

Tips:

•  Make sure you customize your messages specifically using key words that are related to the job you are interested in.
• Write your script out prior to dialing the number.

Related article: Professional Email Address and Voicemail Message 

Professional Email Address and Voicemail Message

Does your email address and voicemail message give the right impression to potential employers?

When applying to jobs, it's important to have a professional and appropriate email address and voicemail message for business use. It seems basic, but too often does the following occur: a job seeker applies to a job with an email address like babyguurrrl3548@wxyz.com or flyking@wxyz.com. Definitely a turn-off for potential employers.

Same goes for your voicemail message. If an employer calls you up and hears the message, "Reynolds Pizza, what's your order? KIDDING! It's Brett, leave it after the beep," chances are they'll hang up without leaving a message. An employer will consider a voicemail message like this unprofessional.

Instead, follow these rules for professional email addresses and voicemail messages:

Email address

• Create a new email address specifically for your job search. This is a good step regardless, so you don't mix up your personal and job search emails.
• If possible, include your name in your email address like firstname.lastname@xyz.com so the employer can find email correspondence from you easily.
• It’s acceptable to create an email address that corresponds to your industry or profession, such as SallySalesManager@xyz.com.
• Avoid unnecessarily complicated email addresses, especially those with long strings of numbers. Mistakes could easily be made while entering your email address, making it difficult for potential employers to contact you.

Voicemail message

• Include your name or phone number in the message, mention you’re unavailable to answer the phone. Then ask them to leave their name, number and message, and say you will get back to them as soon as possible.

Example: "Hi, this is Rachel. I’m unable to take your call now, but please leave your name, number and message after the tone and I’ll return your call as soon as possible. Thank you.”

• Speak clearly, and sound professional and polite when recording your greeting.
• Avoid background noise, musical or other “cute” messages, religious messages, joke messages, and profanity.

I highly recommend using  Google Voice or Youmail to simplify the way you use phones, make using voicemail as easy as email, customize your callers' experience, and more. My favorite part is that you can have your voicemail transcribed to your email or text message.

When you begin your job search, make sure your email address and voicemail message are simple and professional, rather than off the wall, inappropriate or bizarre. By doing so, you can ensure they will not harm your chances of being contacted by an employer. Paying attention to these small details can greatly improve your prospects of being hired.

Are you a recruiter or hiring manager who has come across an unprofessional email address or voicemail message? Do you have other tips for job seekers? Share in the comments below!

Reference: http://blog.simplyhired.com/

The Perfect Elevator Pitch To Land A Job

If you’re looking for a job, one of the first tasks on your to-do list should be crafting an ideal “elevator pitch.” It’s the 30-second speech that summarizes who you are, what you do and why you’d be a perfect candidate. You should be able to reel off your elevator pitch at any time, from a job fair to a  job interview even at a  cocktail party conversation with someone who might be able to help you land a position. Regardless of where you are in your career path, having a well thought out elevator speech is critical.

1. Clarify your job target.
 Nail down the best way to describe your field and the type of job you’re pursuing. Until you can clearly explain the type of position you want, nobody can help you find it or hire you to do it.
2. Put it on paper. Write down everything you’d want a prospective employer to know about your skills, accomplishments and work experiences that are relevant to your target position. Then grab a red pen and mercilessly delete everything that’s not critical to your pitch.
Keep editing until you’ve got the speech down to a few key bullet points or sentences.I recommend  3 to 4 bullet points
3. Format it. A good pitch should answer three questions: Who are you? What do you do? What are you looking for?
 “Hi. I am Jessica Hill. I am an accountant with 10 years experience in the insurance industry and I’m looking for opportunities in the Dallas area with both insurance and finance companies.” That speech would take about 15 seconds. Jessica would then want to use her next 15 seconds to add details about her unique selling proposition, special skills and specific ways she could help a potential employer.
If you are a new grad  Hi. I'am Jessica Smith . I have the experience and the attitude to excel in this production assistant position. I have almost two years of television production experience — including two summers interning at The Ellen Show, where I was exposed to all aspects of TV production and worked so hard the first summer that they invited me back for a second summer and gave me more responsibilities.
4. Tailor the pitch to them, not you. It’s important to remember that the people listening to your speech will have their antennas tuned to WIFM (What’s in It for Me?) So be sure to focus your message on their needs.
For example, this introduction: “I am a human resources professional with 10 years experience working for consumer products companies.” The pitch would be more powerful if you said, “I am a human resources professional with a strong track record in helping to identify and recruit top-level talent into management.”
Using benefit-focused terminology will help convince an interviewer that you have the experience, savvy and skills to get the job done at his or her business.
5. Eliminate industry jargon. You need to make your pitch easy for anyone to understand, so avoid using acronyms and tech-speak that the average person or job interviewer might not understand.
The last thing you want to do is make your listener feel stupid or uninformed.
6. Read your pitch out loud. As Fast Company’s Deborah Grayson Riegel recently pointed out in her article “The Problem With Your Elevator Pitch and How to Fix It,” writing is more formal and structured than speaking. If you’re not careful, your elevator pitch can come off sounding more like an infomercial than a conversation.
Reading it aloud then tinkering with the words will help you sound more authentic.
7. Practice, practice, practice (then solicit feedback). Rehearse your pitch in front of a mirror or use the recording capabilities of your computer, so you can see and hear how you sound.
This might feel awkward at first, but the more you practice, the smoother your delivery will be.
8. Prepare a few variations. You might want to say things slightly differently to an interviewer than to a former colleague. Also, sometimes you’ll just have 15 seconds for a pitch (kind of a short elevator ride), other times you may have a minute or two.
So focus on mastering a few key talking points then work up ways to customize your speech for particular situations.
9. Nail it with confidence. The best-worded elevator pitch in the world will fall flat unless it’s conveyed well. When you give the speech, look the person in the eye, smile and deliver your message with a confident, upbeat delivery.
Get your pitch right and you might soon find yourself riding an actual elevator at your new job.

Reference:  http://www.forbes.com/

Focus on Follow-up

You've  made  a connections by attending a career fair or job interview,  you have left behind your resume and made a great first impression- now what do you do? Now is the time to show the employer just how interested you are in that position. Following are some helpful tips and suggestions on what to do after the career fair is over.
Within the week following the meeting, send a thank you email or note. This will ensure that the employer remembers you and makes another good impression. Sending a thank you email or note is a professional gesture that shows your interest and maintains an open line of communication.  I would strongly recommend that you connect with  your potential employer on Linkedin

• Keep your thank you note or email professional and to the point, and remember to proof read it as well as you did your resume.
• Thank the recruiter for his/her time and express that you have a great interest in the company and position. You may want to mention why this job is such a great fit for you.
• If after sending your note you have not heard from the employer, do another follow up and ask about the status of the position and next steps.

Throughout your job search remember to maintain that positive, action-oriented attitude that got you to the career fair in the first place. Each connection and discussion is an opportunity to move you forward!

Looking For a Job? We Can Help.

Department of Labor

The Department of Labor expands opportunities for all Americans, keep workers safe, and helps ensure workers are able to provide for their families and keep what they earn. The Department is getting America back to work though a wide range of training programs, nearly 3000 One-Stop Career Centers nationwide, and new online tools to connect Americans with good jobs and training resources in their local communities. For further information please see: www.dol.gov

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National Association of State Workforce Agencies

NASWA is a private non-profit association representing state workforce agencies.  State agencies serve jobseekers in various ways, such as: preparing for and finding employment, assessing job skills, understanding local labor market information, facilitating access to job-training, and providing unemployment insurance benefits to eligible workers.  With DirectEmployers, NASWA provides jobseekers and employers the National Labor Exchange, a resource connecting workers to current jobs nationwide.   Please visit www.naswa.org/index.cfm?action=statemap  for further information.

Download the NASWA Annual Report 

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National Association of Colleges and Employers

NACE is the leading source of information about the employment of new college graduates. NACE tracks the job market, reports on starting salaries, and provides job-search resources—including a job posting system, salary calculator, and how-to articles. Since 1956, NACE, a nonprofit association, has been serving college career center professionals who work with students and alumni and HR professionals who recruit graduates for their work forces. Please visit www.naceweb.org for more information

Download NACE Information Guide

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DirectEmployers

DirectEmployers Association is proud to participate in this partnership to get America back to work by providing job seekers nearly one million jobs from over 90,000 vetted hiring employers through the National Labor Exchange and soon through Facebook.This initiative will be powerful in helping people find and share relevant jobs while making recruitment easier for employers all across the nation. Please visit www.DirectEmployers.org for further information.

Download the DirectEmployer Information Guide

How We Can Help

My Next Move

If you already know the career you want, this easy-to-navigate site will tell you everything there is to know about it. If you’re not sure, it has comprehensive information on over 900 career options, and a questionnaire to see which jobs could be the best fit.

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My Skills My Future

If you’re looking to change careers, this site matches your current skills to future opportunities. Not only does it suggest careers with similar skill set needs, it also tells you about any additional training you may need and even lists current job openings in those areas.

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Registered Apprenticeship

There are many ways to learn and many paths to a successful career. Here you’ll find details on Registered Apprenticeships, which offer access to a wide variety of career options and the ‘earn and learn’ model offers excellent training and a good-paying job from day one.

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Career One Stop

As the name implies, this site covers every aspect of finding a job, from career options to education and training to writing resumés and interview skills. It even lists starting salaries in different industries, by region, as well as actual job opportunities.

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Job Corps

This free education and training program helps young people from low-income families learn a career, earn a high school diploma or GED, and find a keep a good job. The focus is on academic, vocational, IT, employability and independent living skills.

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NACElink Network

NACElink provides job and internship postings to college students through their college career center.

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Job Choices

New college grads get job search, resumé and cover letter advice in Job Choices magazine

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Using Facebook to get Hired.

Just about everyone is using Facebook for personal networking, but you can use it for professional networking, as well. With lots of job search applications to choose from, Facebook is becoming more than a social networking site. These Facebook applications can all be used as part of your job search.
Before you start, be sure to adjust your privacy settings so professional connections and potential employers aren't viewing too much of your personal information.
How to Get Facebook Job Search Applications
Login to Facebook, click on Profile, type the application name in the search box, then follow the instructions to install. Or, visit the Facebook Application Directory and search using "job search" "career" or "jobs" as keywords.
BeKnown
Monster's Facebook app BeKnown provides an easy way for job seekers to search for and apply for jobs without leaving Facebook. The app is fully integrated with Facebook, but enables users to keep their personal Facebook information private.
BranchOut
BranchOut is a Facebook app for career networking. Your LinkedIn profile can be imported to BranchOut, so you have a professional profile on Facebook. You can browse your friends on Facebook to see where they have worked. You can browse and share jobs that people within your career network have posted. If you're hiring, you can post jobs for free.
Business Cards
Business Cards allows users to network better on Facebook. You can personalize your card and attach it to your Facebook messages. This application is much like the signature common in email messages. Users can enter information they want to appear on their virtual business card.
CareerBuilder Facebook App
Users can have updated job and internship postings delivered directly from CareerBuilder to their profiles. Information such as location and career interest is used to send you the most relevant job profiles. You can follow a link directly from the job listing to apply for it. Users have the option to search by keyword, location and category.
CareerFriend Facebook App
CareerFriend uses your Facebook friends employment information to find potential job opportunities within your network. After connecting with your Facebook login information, CareerFriend creates a report that includes your friends' employers, occupations, and reviews of related careers.
Hire My Friend
Promote your Friends who are job searching to your other Facebook Friends with the Hire My Friend Facebook App. You can include a brief description of their skills and a link to their LinkedIn Profile.
 to compare salaries and to find information on top-paying careers. Work With Us by Jobvite
The Work With Us application displays jobs on profile or fan pages. Users can browse interesting opportunities at companies where friends work, apply to the jobs and send Jobvites to their own friends and contacts. To use this application, your company must subscribe to it. You must be invited to use the application by authorized users, and then you can view job opportunities at their companies.

I recommend that you go through all the apps a choose  2 or 3 that best met your needs and use the often.

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