 Everyone knows that it’s a difficult choice, as well as a difficult path, to change to a new career. It’s not easy to know what to do during such a transition.
Why? Because changing careers means that you’re choosing to adjust to a new working environment and consequently redefining your professional identity. However, it’s not as difficult as you might think to make a change. Below are five steps for making a mid-career transition: Step #1—Figure out what you really want. The first thing to do is make sure that you really need to change jobs, can take charge in the new field, and can take the potential risk caused by the change. Ask yourself questions such as, “Am I going to be able to leverage my skills and experiences to make a successful transition?” Only when you’re sure that you won’t regret your decision is it time to prepare for the next step. Step #2—Research the new careers. You need to do your homework. It’s natural to feel insecure when nothing is certain, but researching can help you feel more safe and sure of yourself. You can find some useful information about your new career on the Internet, in books, or from other people. The more prepared you are, the greater your chances of success. Step #3—Create a plan. Write down your final goal first and then break it down. Draw a timeline and divide all of your work into clear daily or weekly tasks. What skills do you need to acquire? What things do you need to deal with in your current job? How much money do you need to support yourself or your family until you have a new job? Who you are going to meet with who can help you? Write out your plan and review it often. After you complete the plan, you’ll notice how small steps tend to have a “snowball effect.” Step #4—Network. One of the keys to successfully changing jobs is networking. You can get information and advice about your new career or be introduced to others who can help you with these. Don’t be afraid of not having anyone to network with, because you must have—open your contacts and see the list of your family members, friends, former classmates, and colleagues. You can also try to connect to related professional organizations or alumni groups from college to broaden your network. Step #5—Get what you need for finding a new job. In your plan, you should have figured out what you’re lacking in your new career field. If what you need is experience, which is the easiest to obtain, just look for a part-time or volunteer job to get that experience. If what you need is skill or education, then make the decision of whether or not you’re willing to make that investment in your new career. It could be a simple matter of taking an online course, or it could be the difficult choice of leaving your family to study far away. Just make the choice that you believe is the right one for you. Last year, Time Staffing won ClearlyRated’s Best of Staffing Client and Talent Awards for providing superior service to their clients and candidates. ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing Award is the only award in the United States and Canada that recognizes staffing agencies that have proven superior service and quality based entirely upon ratings provided by their clients and job candidates. Time Staffing received satisfaction scores of 9 out of 10 or 10 out of 10 from 75.4% of their placed talent, significantly higher than the industry’s average of 45%. Contact us today to find out more about the employment opportunities that are available in your chosen field! A mentor can play a very important role in growing your skills and enhancing your career.
That’s because they should be willing to provide unbiased advice and expertise in the areas in which you’re seeking to improve. While actually finding a mentor can prove to be a confusing process at times, it might be easier than you think. With that in mind, below are four steps for finding a mentor: #1—Determine your weaknesses and your goals. There’s no point in actually searching for a mentor if you don’t know exactly the areas with which you’d like the mentor to help you. If you want a particular job, list the qualities that you’ll need and identify any gaps. You’ll know where you need improvement, and it will be easier for you to search for someone who possesses the required skills. #2—Define your expectations. It might help to write them down, including the role that you’d like for your mentor to play in the growth of your career. Clarifying your expectations, goals, and objectives will help ensure that you find the right mentors and that the relationships benefit your professional goals. #3—Identify mentoring candidates. Great mentors can be found in a variety of places, so try looking outside of your current workplace. Seek out mentors at business associations in your area, non-profit organizations, your college or university, within your family, church groups, and even community groups such as business chambers of commerce. #4—Meet with your potential mentor (or mentors). You must have a good reason why you want that person to advise you. For example, if they’re a good speaker in meetings, then ask them to give you tips on presentations. You must also compliment your potential mentor. For example, you could say, “The reason that I’m hoping you’ll mentor me in this one area of my career is because I love the way you handle yourself in meetings.” Remember, you might not find everything you need in just one person. If that’s the case, think of having two or more mentors with different strengths and qualities and try to sharpen your skills even more. Last year, Time Staffing won ClearlyRated’s Best of Staffing Client and Talent Awards for providing superior service to their clients and candidates. ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing Award is the only award in the United States and Canada that recognizes staffing agencies that have proven superior service and quality based entirely upon ratings provided by their clients and job candidates. Time Staffing received satisfaction scores of 9 out of 10 or 10 out of 10 from 75.4% of their placed talent, significantly higher than the industry’s average of 45%. Contact us today to find out more about the employment opportunities that are available in your chosen field! It doesn’t matter who you are or what your title is, networking is a critical skill for professional success and career advancement.
Building powerful relationships with others in your field can help you to stand out, both as an individual and as a company. If you’re an employee or candidate, those relationships might help you to land a great new job. If you’re a hiring manager, those relationships could allow you to identify and hire the company’s next great employee—or perhaps help you find a new position, as well. So, how can you get started? Below are five tips for improving your networking skills. Tip #1—Don’t rely on your computer. Sure, (just about) everybody is participating in social media these days, and maybe you’re a LinkedIn whiz. However, the Internet will only take you so far. To truly maximize the effectiveness of networking, it will eventually have to be conducted on a face-to-face basis—in spite of the pandemic. Tip #2—Make networking an acquired behavior. For some people, networking does not come easily, and that’s okay. As with everything else, you’ll become better over time. The key is to not become discouraged to the point where you quit. However, if you’re persistent, not only will you improve, but networking will also become a habit. Tip #3—Prepare your personal “elevator pitch.” Your “elevator pitch” is your 60-second speech about who you are, what you do, and the unique value that you offer. The best way to hone this speech is to practice, practice, practice. The good news is that if you follow tip #2, you’ll already be doing this. Tip #4—Understand the people with whom you’re networking. If you’re attending a networking event, be sure to conduct some research beforehand if you can. There is usually plenty of information online about people (including on LinkedIn), and this information will better prepare you to engage them in a meaningful way. Tip #5—Pay more attention to influential contacts. Networking is like anything else: you must focus your energy on those areas most likely to provide the results you’re seeking. It’s advisable to segment your contacts into different categories based upon their influence and then interact with those groups differently in a way that makes sense. Last year, Time Staffing won ClearlyRated’s Best of Staffing Client and Talent Awards for providing superior service to their clients and candidates. ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing Award is the only award in the United States and Canada that recognizes staffing agencies that have proven superior service and quality based entirely upon ratings provided by their clients and job candidates. Time Staffing received satisfaction scores of 9 out of 10 or 10 out of 10 from 75.4% of their placed talent, significantly higher than the industry’s average of 45%. Contact us today to find out more about the employment opportunities that are available in your chosen field! No job interview is flawless, but you can certainly cut down on the number of mistakes that you make, and you definitely don’t want to make any BIG mistakes.
First and foremost, a ringing cell phone is just that kind of mistake. That’s why it’s important to remember to turn your phone off before the interview begins. That will allow you to focus on making sure that you don’t “trip up” in some other way. Below are the five biggest interview mistakes and how you can avoid them: #1—Lack of research Find out as much as you can about the company and the job opening ahead of time. Useful background data may include sales volume, profit for the last several years, major products and/or services, opportunities for growth, number of employees and branches, the mission statement, corporate giving to charitable institutions, reputation and background of management, and job responsibilities. Most, if not all, of this information should be available online. Other information, such as the company's approach toward promoting from within, the job description, or the salary may require a little more digging. #2—Inappropriate dress/appearance Your appearance in the job interview is the first impression you’ll make, so show up like somebody who really wants the job. Inappropriate dress is often a major reason that a person does not receive an offer of employment. While it’s obvious that you can dress in too casual a fashion, you can also go too far in the other direction and “overdo it.” This can involve too much jewelry, too much cologne or perfume or too much makeup. #3—A perceived lack of integrity and credibility Avoid saying negative things about your previous employers. How you speak about your previous employers gives the hiring authority an idea of how you’ll speak about your next employer. In addition, some people use negative speech patterns such as “just,” “actually,” “kinda,” and “almost.” For example: “I’m just really grateful to be talking to you today.” These phrases make you come across as less confident, less authoritative, and less employable. The same goes for using disclaimers such as, “Well, I’m really not an expert on this.” People think these types of statements make them seem more likable or down-to-earth, but they undermine credibility. #4—Failure to ask good questions Ask intelligent questions about the job opportunities and the position duties, and prepare a list of these questions beforehand. Good questions provide you with the information you need to make a decision about the job, and they also impress your interviewer. The hiring manager can ascertain whether or not you’ve done your homework by what kind of questions you ask. They realize that you understand what the job requires, because you're able to discuss its potential opportunities and challenges. When you're asked if you have any questions at the end of the interview, simply shrugging and saying, “Not really” is a HUGE mistake. #5—Asking how much you’ll get paid too soon. If you don’t already know what the job pays, avoid this topic unless the interviewer brings it up first. You don’t want the employer to think that all you’re interested in is how much they pay. You may ask about salary only after several interactions and at the very end of an interview as a “curious question.” Last year, Time Staffing won ClearlyRated’s Best of Staffing Client and Talent Awards for providing superior service to their clients and candidates. ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing Award is the only award in the United States and Canada that recognizes staffing agencies that have proven superior service and quality based entirely upon ratings provided by their clients and job candidates. Time Staffing received satisfaction scores of 9 out of 10 or 10 out of 10 from 75.4% of their placed talent, significantly higher than the industry’s average of 45%. Contact us today to find out more about the employment opportunities that are available in your chosen field! The job interview can be a stressful experience for a lot of people, but preparing for the questions can help increase your confidence level.
Below are the five most common questions asked during an interview, including the logic behind them and how to consider answering them: #1—“Tell me about yourself.” This is typically the first question the interviewer will ask. It’s an opportunity for them to assess you as a person through what you say and how you deliver it. You never get a second chance to make a first impression, so make sure you’re adequately prepared to answer this question. Above all, keep it concise. #2—“What are your weaknesses?” At first glance, this question might seem tricky. However, if you’ve thoroughly gone through the company’s profile and/or website, you’ll better understand which qualities are considered strengths and which are not. There are a few ways to answer this question. First, armed with your knowledge of which weaknesses are likely frowned upon by the interviewer, you could admit to those that are not crucial to the job requirements. Second, you could mask strengths as weaknesses. For instance, you could say that you are a very meticulous person who gets picky with details of a project. Third, you could confess to past weaknesses, but then illustrate how you triumphed over them. #4—“Why should I hire you?” Here’s where you should link your skills, experience, education, and personality to the job. This is why you need to be very familiar with the job description and the company culture. It’s possible that you may not have as much in the way of skills, experience, or qualifications as other candidates. As you explain your compatibility with the job and company, be sure to portray yourself as a motivated, confident, and energetic person. As a general rule, people are attracted to those traits. #5—“Do you have any questions for me?” This your chance to finish the interview in a strong fashion. This means not saying that you don’t have questions to ask. You absolutely must ask questions. Doing otherwise might leave the impression that you’re not exactly keen on the job. (Or at the very least, that you’re a person who does not do their due diligence.) However, don’t ask questions with obvious answers you could have discovered through research. Try to incorporate your knowledge of the industry and the company into a question that addresses a genuine concern. Last year, Time Staffing won ClearlyRated’s Best of Staffing Client and Talent Awards for providing superior service to their clients and candidates. ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing Award is the only award in the United States and Canada that recognizes staffing agencies that have proven superior service and quality based entirely upon ratings provided by their clients and job candidates. Time Staffing received satisfaction scores of 9 out of 10 or 10 out of 10 from 75.4% of their placed talent, significantly higher than the industry’s average of 45%. Contact us today to find out more about the employment opportunities that are available in your chosen field!  One of the best ways to position yourself to land a great job is to make sure that you’re in the right place at the right time—and that includes making sure that your resume is in the right place at the right time.
Those people who hire and find jobs for workers—including company officials and staffing agencies—routinely use applicant tracking systems (or ATS) to source candidates in their database for open positions. When they conduct a search for candidates in that system, they typically give priority to those candidates that come up first in the search results. As you might guess, you want to be in those search results. Below are 10 ways that you can “beat” the applicant tracking system with your resume. #1—Use generic headings, such as “Work Experience.” Using headings like “Career Achievements” or “Professional Experience” may cause the system to skip over your work experience completely. #2—Don’t limit the length of your resume. The ATS does not put a limit on how long your resume can be. If you lengthen your resume to include more work experience and credentials, there’s a better chance that the system will rank you higher. #3—Do not start your work experience section with dates. The ATS does not look for dates; it looks for the names of the employers first. Make sure to put the name of your employer first, followed by the date. #4—Do not use tables and/or graphics. The system can’t read tables and graphics, so be sure to omit them from your resume before submitting it. #5—Use relevant keywords and phrases. The system is designed to look for keywords and phrases associated with the job, so include those that might be found in the job listing. #6—Do not try to “mimic” the applicant tracking system. Keywords are important, but don’t repeat those phrases throughout your entire resume. This can make your resume look and sound clunky, and companies are not in the habit of hiring clunky employees. #7—Make your resume easy and quick to read. The system scans for keywords, but it’s still advisable that your paragraphs are clean and legible. Put plenty of spaces in between paragraphs and don’t jumble them together. #8—Research the company’s corporate culture. Researching the company’s culture gives you more of an idea of what the company is seeking. Incorporate some keywords and phrases associated with the culture into your resume. #9—Use bullet points. This helps to ensure that your resume is easy to read, since it eliminates long sentences and paragraphs. However, keep in mind that applicant tracking systems prefer asterisks. #10—Add a cover letter. Adding a cover letter is a great way to further show that you fit into the company’s culture. Last year, Time Staffing won ClearlyRated’s Best of Staffing Client and Talent Awards for providing superior service to their clients and candidates. ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing Award is the only award in the United States and Canada that recognizes staffing agencies that have proven superior service and quality based entirely upon ratings provided by their clients and job candidates. Time Staffing received satisfaction scores of 9 out of 10 or 10 out of 10 from 75.4% of their placed talent, significantly higher than the industry’s average of 45%. Contact us today to find out more about the employment opportunities that are available in your chosen field! Few things determine whether or not you’ll receive an offer of employment as much as the face-to-face interview. This is where the “rubber meets the road,” so to speak, and if you fall short during the interview, it won’t matter what skills you possess or how much you experience you have.
You still won’t get the job. Your resume helps you “get your foot in the door,” but the interview is what allows you to walk through it. Below are 10 ways that you can sharpen your face-to-face interviewing skills and increase the chances that you’ll receive an invitation to walk through that figurative (and literal) door. #1—Be engaging. If you take the initiative and introduce yourself first, you will come off as confident and outgoing to your potential employer. #2—Keep it professional at all times. Focus only on your professional experience, even if you can respond to a question regarding your personal life. #3—“Commit” to the company. What does this mean? Act as if the job for which you’re interviewing is your dream job. (After all, maybe it is.) Be enthusiastic and focused. #4—Be thoroughly attentive. Make sure that you pay attention to every question the interviewer asks, because every response matters, no matter how trivial you might think it is. #5—Be positive. Do not answer any question in a negative fashion, even if the answer itself is not a positive one. Companies want employees with a positive attitude. #6—Never discuss salary or benefits. It’s always a good idea to make sure you have the job first before talking about your wages. Don’t bring up the subject of money or other compensation. #7—Maintain good body language. Do not slouch; sit upright and look attentive. Make sure you look interested in what the interviewer has to say. #8—Keep jokes to a minimum (and keep them appropriate). You do not know your interviewer’s particular sense of humor, so you might offend him or her if you try to lighten the mood with a joke. If you do crack a joke, be 100% sure of its appropriateness. #9—Think first before you answer a question. It’s okay to take a few seconds to make an educated statement before responding. This is your interview, so don’t feel rushed when making your statements. #10—Weave your achievements into your answers. When answering questions, mention specific achievements if they pertain to the question asked. Use examples and real-life scenarios in which you went above and beyond the call of duty. Last year, Time Staffing won ClearlyRated’s Best of Staffing Client and Talent Awards for providing superior service to their clients and candidates. ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing Award is the only award in the United States and Canada that recognizes staffing agencies that have proven superior service and quality based entirely upon ratings provided by their clients and job candidates. Time Staffing received satisfaction scores of 9 out of 10 or 10 out of 10 from 75.4% of their placed talent, significantly higher than the industry’s average of 45%. Contact us today to find out more about the employment opportunities that are available in your chosen field! Congratulations, you’ve landed a face-to-face interview!
This is an excellent opportunity to show off your skills and achievements and move one step closer to receiving an offer of employment from this company. You might be a little nervous, but you should also be confident. You wouldn’t have an interview if the company didn’t see potential in your candidacy. However, to fully prepare and ultimately boost your interview success, you should answer the following two questions: #1—How is the interviewer assessing me during the interview? The interviewer will assess your qualifications on two fronts:
The personal aspect is very important. Not only is the employer looking for someone to get the job done, but they’re also looking for someone who gets along with everyone else, is a responsible and respectable representative of the company, and can be a team player to advance company goals. The interviewer will then assess your professional qualifications, and below are two steps for making a great impression in that regard:
As a bonus, having extensive knowledge of your resume (and the company) and having the ability to communicate that knowledge will greatly boost your confidence. #2—What must I do for proper interview etiquette? In addition to what’s described above, there are many things to remember on the day of the interview, including the following:
After the interview, assess your performance and make note of any adjustments. Also, send a thank-you email to the interviewer, one that re-states your interest, emphasizes relevant information you may have forgotten, and highlights your candidacy. Last year, Time Staffing won ClearlyRated’s Best of Staffing Client and Talent Awards for providing superior service to their clients and candidates. ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing Award is the only award in the United States and Canada that recognizes staffing agencies that have proven superior service and quality based entirely upon ratings provided by their clients and job candidates. Time Staffing received satisfaction scores of 9 out of 10 or 10 out of 10 from 75.4% of their placed talent, significantly higher than the industry’s average of 45%. Contact us today to find out more about the employment opportunities that are available in your chosen field! Asking questions is an important part of a face-to-face interview, not only to find out more about the company, but also as an approach for building a relationship with people who might be future colleagues (and even your future boss).
While some questions are easier to ask than others, asking the more difficult questions can definitely help you get to know the company and the people with whom you might be working. Below are five difficult and awkward questions that you should ask during your interview: #1—“How would you describe the company culture?” The more you know about the culture—and by extension, your potential colleagues—the less likely it is that you’ll regret taking the position. In addition, asking this question will show your interest about not just the job itself, but also the people who work at the company. #2—“On what areas should I focus my development?” This question shows that you’re a bold thinker and demonstrates that you’re more than happy to change and improve yourself. What’s the worst-case scenario? You discover that there are gaps in your development that are holding you back from this position. That information will certainly help you during future interviews. #3—“Are you optimistic about the company's future?” This question shows that you care about the future of the company, and it will also help you decide if you want to take the position. These days, one of the most important considerations for candidates is whether or not a company has a bright future. People want to work for companies with vision, potential for growth, and room for advancement. #4—“Why do customers choose your company?” This is another way for you to know more about the organization and its future. You may get answers that are similar to what you’ve seen on the company website, but you might also receive a completely different answer from the person conducting the interview. #5—“Is there flexibility related to dress, work hours, vacation schedule, etc.?” It’s typically not a good idea to ask questions about salary or vacation schedule during the first interview. However, when you’ve received a formal offer of employment, that’s a different matter altogether. You have the right to ask any questions, but just remember to do your homework first and approach your questions in an appropriate manner. Once you miss the chance, it will be difficult for you to bring up a conversation about these items or to make any changes. Last year, Time Staffing won ClearlyRated’s Best of Staffing Client and Talent Awards for providing superior service to their clients and candidates. ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing Award is the only award in the United States and Canada that recognizes staffing agencies that have proven superior service and quality based entirely upon ratings provided by their clients and job candidates. Time Staffing received satisfaction scores of 9 out of 10 or 10 out of 10 from 75.4% of their placed talent, significantly higher than the industry’s average of 45%. Contact us today to find out more about the employment opportunities that are available in your chosen field! Almost everybody has moments when they feel they don’t like their job. However, what should you do if you feel like you hate your job... and you just started it?
How can you “smooth out the rough edges” of such a situation? Well, there are five things you can do: #1—Figure out exactly what is bothering you. Try to pinpoint what you don’t like about the position and employer. Keep a work journal to discover what may be ailing you. Writing out your issues and concerns will help you make sense of why you feel the way you do. Also ask yourself, “Is the dissatisfaction I feel now greater than the dissatisfaction I felt in the previous job, company, or career?” #2—Have a frank conversation with your new boss. Think carefully and know what you want before you ask for it. You might inquire about different work assignments, a new reporting structure, or maybe even moving to a different team entirely. Also keep in mind that there are a lot of variables at play in such a situation, including your role, your experience level, your boss, and the size of the company. As a result, be prepared to be flexible. #3—Give it time. Starting a new job is always difficult. Everyone struggles to make connections, understand the company and its culture, and develop relationships, so try to have realistic expectations for the transition and don’t make any irrational decisions. Unless you’re in an unsafe situation, there’s no reason to give up on the new job immediately. Give yourself at least six months before deciding to go somewhere else. #4—Start networking. If you’re convinced that you’re in the wrong job at the right company, get to know people in other departments so that you can ask polite questions about whether people there are happy, how they ended up there, and whether there are positions that might better fit your interests and skills. Developing a personal network within the company is one of the smartest things you can do if you want to stay there, but in a different role. Remember, people will typically hire people they know and trust over external candidates. #5—Launch a casual job search. Launching a job search can be as simple as just looking around at what postings are out there or putting out feelers to people in your network. You might start getting useful data about the market that will push you one way or the other. Even just taking small steps can sometimes make an unhappy job more bearable. If possible, try not to quit your current job without having something else lined up first. You might be feeling some regret at the moment, but all is not lost. Follow the steps outlined above, and take your job in the direction you want it to go! Last year, Time Staffing won ClearlyRated’s Best of Staffing Client and Talent Awards for providing superior service to their clients and candidates. ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing Award is the only award in the United States and Canada that recognizes staffing agencies that have proven superior service and quality based entirely upon ratings provided by their clients and job candidates. Time Staffing received satisfaction scores of 9 out of 10 or 10 out of 10 from 75.4% of their placed talent, significantly higher than the industry’s average of 45%. Contact us today to find out more about the employment opportunities that are available in your chosen field! |
