Blog
1.09.17
How to Start Fresh on Your Job Search This New Year
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Maybe you've been looking for a while and have become discouraged. Or maybe you were distracted by holiday responsibilities and festivities. In any case, you're in dire need of some motivation.
Here are 5 ideas for re-energizing your job hunt and starting off 2017 with a bang.
1. Focus more on networking than job postings.
If there's nothing on the boards except the same old positions you've seen — and applied to — for months, it's time to look in a new direction. Consider everyone you talk with, from your neighborhood barista to old school buddies, as a potential link to an unadvertised job opening. Candidates who are personally referred have more credibility with hiring managers than unknown applicants from the job boards.
2. Widen your job target.
Think outside the box of your desired career path. Your strengths may be equally well suited to related fields where opportunities are more plentiful. What you consider a detour on your route to success just...
12.19.16
Your Secret Advantage: Job Hunt in December
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You've probably heard that nobody hires in December. So you might as well take the month off from your job hunting efforts and enjoy the holidays, right?
Wrong. The truth is that two out of three recruiters say they'll place as many candidates this month as any other month. In fact, it's much tougher to land a job in January than December.
Want some more reasons why December can be the most wonderful time of the year to job hunt? Check these out:
1. Beating out your competition.
Everyone else has heard that same thing about December being a slow hiring month as you have, and decided to slack off looking for work. So if you get your resume out there now, you'll be competing with fewer other candidates for the job. Plus, it puts recruiters under more pressure to fill the position so you're more likely to have an easier, quicker path from first introduction to job offer.
2. Easier access to hiring managers.
With many support staff away on holiday break...
8.01.16
How to Turn Your Summer Internship Into a Job Offer
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As the summer winds down and your internship along with it, you may be wondering what your next career move should be. The first place to look is right under your nose, in a full-time job with your host employer.
After all, you already have an inside track. They know you, you know them and the job openings available right now or in the near future. Nobody is in a better position than you to snap up that opportunity. Check out these tips for making it happen.
Let them know you want it.
If your internship program includes progress meetings with your supervisor, make sure your long-term goals are part of the discussion. (If you aren't having such regularly scheduled meetings, ask for one.) Explain how your goals align with the company's. Then come right out and say you're interested in permanent employment with them.
Don't wait for the exit interview to do this. Your supervisor may need time to discuss the hire with senior management before a decision is made. Start...
11.30.15
You Might Have Forgotten This Important Step in Your Last Interview
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You've worked hard to present yourself and your qualifications as perfectly as possible. You've handled the interview well, and believe you've given them good reasons why they should want you to work for them.
But did you find out whether YOU want to work for them?
Most job applicants are so focused on making a good impression that they get tunnel vision while they're on company property: they see nothing but the interviewer and his/her reactions to what they're saying.
Big mistake! Next time you go on an interview, keep your eyes open to what kind of a work environment you might be getting into. Then you can decide whether it's a culture you'll be comfortable with, or whether you'll be wanting out in a few months.
When you pass employees in the hall, do their smiles look fake or real (or non-existent)? Is the atmosphere casual and fun, or serious and business-like? Is there a lot of movement and collaboration going on, or is everyone glued to their work...
9.25.15
The Biggest Interview Mistake You Don’t Want to Make
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In the thousands of job interviews we at Integrity Staffing Solutions conduct every year, we’ve seen some pretty outrageous mistakes, from bringing breakfast (and eating it while talking) to showing up in a torn T-shirt and cutoffs.
The Mistake: Being Unprepared.
However, in our opinion, the one mistake that will do the most damage to your chance of getting hired is not doing your homework ahead of time. For one thing, knowing something about the company you’re interviewing with will help you explain how you can contribute to their success. For another, not bothering to do any research tells them you’re lazy and/or not really interested in working there.
3 Ways to Avoid It: Research, Research, Research.
Research the company.
Read their website thoroughly, until you’re confident you understand their business, vision, culture, challenges and recent events or changes.
Check out their social media pages (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.).
Google the company and see what...
2.05.15
Analyzing the Job Offer: 5 Questions to Help You Decide
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Great news, you’ve received a job offer, and the pay is within your desired range. Should you jump at it without further ado? In this difficult economy and highly competitive job market, it’s understandable if you say yes. But we strongly advise you to consider other factors of the job before you commit yourself.
After all, you’re hoping for long-term employment and career advancement. That won’t happen if you’re so unhappy at work that you can’t stick it out for very long out no matter how good your wages are. Then you’ll be right back where you started, looking for work.
You wouldn’t be alone. Money is rarely the primary reason people give for the job dissatisfaction that caused them to leave. Ask yourself these 5 crucial questions when you’re deciding whether or not to accept that offer:
Will I have work/life balance? Or is this a workplace where employees are routinely expected to work 10, 12 or more hours a day, leaving no time for family or social activities?
Will I have...
