How to Find a Job in 2019

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How to Find a Job in 2019

The job market constantly evolves. Twenty years ago, you read paper newspapers to find job postings and had to stay near your house phone to wait for companies to call you back. Ten years ago, it was all job sites and maybe some message boards.

Now, social media, the gig economy and an emphasis on employer branding play an increasing part, once again complicating the process of finding a position. Another year, another set of changes in the mix of potential job-search tools.

So, what’s the best combination of techniques to use in 2019 and beyond? Here solutions for your job search for the rest of the year and into the 2020s.

Job Postings

Job posting sites still represent the vanilla, baseline place to find potential opportunities. Job sites like Indeed or Monster aggregate postings submitted by companies. They provide a good place to start your job search, especially if you have just entered the market.

These sites have a wide selection of current positions and provide an easy interface. Most sites allow you to upload a resume (or a set of targeted resumes), which you can submit to different positions, usually something close to a single-click process. It facilitates a shotgun approach of applying to a lot of gigs in short succession.

On the downside, you can slog through a lot of trash to find a real gem. Also, the posting sites get stale pretty quickly. Once you’ve been out of work for a time, only a few new items come up each day.

Social Media

LinkedIn remains the central hub of social media job searching. However, it is far from the only game in town. You can use a spate of other professional online hubs. You can also use the services that aren’t specifically targeted to career building, places like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

These services allow you to get the word out quickly that you are looking for work. You can also market your skills with relatively little effort on your part. Meanwhile, you can research opportunities and reach out to people…even strangers you want to cultivate as contacts.

The social media path has some drawbacks. These strategies can be indirect, and people are generally leery of social media trolls.

Find Your Dream Situation

Don’t just use a scattershot approach to finding opportunities. The powerful research capabilities the Internet provides can help you to seek out a particular company or the specific position you want.

Search out dream companies and see if they are hiring. Reach out to their HR department…you may get lucky with your time in hand find an unpublicized opening.

Old Fashioned Networking

Everyone knows that networking provides the best opportunity to find a new position.

As soon as you are looking for a job, alert everyone you know. Don’t stop a blanket announcement, hoping people will volunteer help. Contact your best prospects individually and gently press them for connections.

Staffing Agency

Everyone can use a little help, especially during the job-search process. That’s a key advantage of networking: getting other people involved.

Take this to the next level with some professional assistance. Staffing agencies connect with hundreds of companies, allowing them access to large collections of job placements that fit your skill sets.

What’s more, a recruiter will help streamline the process of applying to these opportunities. It’s like nuclear-grade networking. Apply once with a recruiter and automatically tap into their entire network.

Work With Diverse Staffing

Ready to reach out to a staffing firm? Diverse Staffing provides the industry’s best performance. Our knowledgeable and friendly staff are ready to help you jump-start your career.

How to Write a Thank You Email After a Job Interview?

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In this world of online job ads, mobile apps and social media networking, sending a thank you email to the recruiter or interviewer seems to be an old-fashioned idea.  If you think this way, then you are wrong. It still means a lot and is the crucial final step in a successful interview process. Experts suggest sending a well-written thank you email to each of your interviewers, as an acknowledgment of their time and effort. This shows that you are respectful of your interviewer’s time.

Here are some tips that will help you in writing a thank you email after the interview and explain all that you need to include in the same.

Send It within 24 Hours of the Interview

After you had your job interview, make sure to follow-up within 24 hours. It is always a good idea to send a follow-up letter or an email when the interviewer’s impression of you is still fresh in his/her mind. Recruiters nowadays have a habit of being persistent in their hiring campaigns, and thus conduct interviews every now and then. To ensure that your candidature is still going strong, send in your letter of gratitude through an email. Surely, this is something that will make you stand apart from rest of the candidates. 

Make it a Brief Wrap-Up of your Discussion

Without a doubt, you nailed the interview. Every element was kept into consideration and questions were answered in the most professional way possible. However, keep in mind that you need to mention all the points discussed during the interview. Go ahead and express how strong-a-fit you make for the job role and the organization as a whole.

Highlight your skills and remind the interviewer why they should hire you.

Give It a Personal Touch

Again, there’s no hard-and-fast rule when it comes to writing a thank you letter. It is your free will to give it a personal touch and customize the body according to the role requirements. If you think you forgot to cover anything or want to give a clarification about anything that can affect the employer’s decision, this might be your chance to put forth your viewpoint.

Remember, whatever you do, abstain from going overboard. Present your case in the politest way possible.

Keep it Short and Error Free

Keep your thank you email concise and to-the-point. Focus on blunt details/points and summarize your job suitability in an error-free way. Your thank you note will leave a final and lasting impression on the hiring manager. It is important to ensure that the email is well drafted and error-free. Re-read it multiple times. If possible, get it proofread by someone who has a good command of English to save yourself from making any irrevocable mistakes.

12 Signs You’re in a Dead-End Job

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12 Signs You’re in a Dead-End Job

You want to make a difference. You want to feel appreciated. You want to be challenged. Most importantly, you want to know your hard work today is building towards a goal.  If you don’t see any of these things on the horizon it might be time to re-evaluate your situation.  Here are 12 signs you’re in a dead-end job:

  1. Your boss won’t give you the time of day.

You can’t get time with the boss to move projects forward.  Your projects seem to get lost in the abyss.  You are being ignored and emails go unanswered.  You’re lucky if you catch your boss in the breakroom making their morning coffee.

  1. Your thoughts and opinions don’t matter.

You share your best ideas and solutions, but they are never implemented. Your voice isn’t heard, and your opinions aren’t valued.

  1. No interest in knowing your goals.

You can see yourself doing amazing things for your current employer, but you aren’t being asked about your professional goals or future plans.

  1. Career plans are ignored.

You are asked about your career goals and plans, but the boss pays no attention to them and doesn’t take you seriously.

  1. Your company hires outside talent.

You have watched on multiple occasions high-level positions open up and instead of promoting from within, the corporate culture is to bring in outside talent.

  1. You get no recognition.

There’s no praise in sight.  No matter what you do, you can’t seem to please.  You could do the impossible and the silence that would follow would be deafening.

  1. Decision makers practice favoritism.

You see favoritism or bias in management practices.  If you’re not on their good side, you’ll probably be stuck doing what you are doing without any promotion in sight.

  1. Unfair treatment.

You notice your colleagues are getting opportunities you don’t get.

  1. Your skills are not being tapped.

You came into the job with a large skill set but your supervisor doesn’t tap into or go beyond what you’ve been contributing for quite some time.  You may have been passed over for a promotion or your request to take on more challenging projects have been ignored.

  1. You’re not challenged.

You feel unchallenged by your job, your boss, or your co-workers with no avenue to change the projection of things.

  1. You lack motivation and enthusiasm.

You get that Monday morning feeling every morning and you find it hard to get out of bed.  What you used to enjoy doing is no longer enjoyable.  There’s no challenge, no opportunity that excites you at the workplace.

  1. A machine could do your job.

Your role is becoming obsolete, as the skills required are being replaced by technology.

Questions to ask yourself before resigning

If you’re seeing all these signs, it might be time to make a change. But, before you go job hopping, make sure the problem is not with you. Here are a few questions to ask prior to hitting the road:

  • Have I communicated my career goals to my manager?
  • Have I shown that I am willing and able to take on new roles and responsibilities?
  • Does my employer offer training that I am not taking advantage of?
  • Have I looked for ways to expand my current role by identifying unmet needs in the organization?
  • Are there any other roles with my current employer that could help me learn new skills and address new challenges?

What to do when you know it’s time to move on

You’ve pondered the above questions and think it’s probably time to move on from your current job. But before you look for similar work elsewhere there are a couple more questions to ask yourself:

  • If I was offered me a promotion within the company, would I really want the new job?
  • Is there a job somewhere else in the company that excites me?

If your answer is “No!” to both of these questions, you may need to do more than look for a better version of your current job. You may need a career makeover. When choosing a new field or industry, think about where there is consistent and sustained job growth. If you do decide to change careers, you can often improve your odds of making a successful transition by first taking on part-time roles, temporary work, or projects.

If you like the type of work you do but desire a fresh start with a new boss and company, start pursuing one. Job seekers with in-demand skills are in the driver’s seat in today’s employment market. So be proactive and begin the process. There’s no reason to languish in a dead-end job without a plan to improve your situation.

Time to look for a new job? Diverse Staffing can help you find the right opportunity!

 

Why Work With A Recruiter

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As you begin the job search process, you may find that it can be overwhelming. From filling out multiple applications to undergoing extensive interview processes, searching for a job can easily become a full-time job. Instead of wasting energy, you can work with a recruiter who will help you find a job that fits your needs and your career goals. Whether you work in the manufacturing industry or as an executive, recruiters can make the entire job search process less strenuous.

One Application

When you work with a recruiter, there is only one application to fill out. Because the recruiter will be submitting you to various jobs, they are the only one who needs an application. Instead of spending all your time filling out job applications for various positions at different companies, you can focus on interviewing, preparing a resume, and making sure you actually get the job.

Interview Help

Your recruiter wants you to succeed, which means they will work with you to make sure you are prepared for any interview. From giving detailed job descriptions to helping you come up with great interview responses, your recruiter is there to help. If you have questions about an interview or a job, you only have to ask!

Your Fallback

Worried about a job interview? Cannot decide what to wear? Are things not going well at your new job? Your recruiter is there to help you. Even after you have started your placement, you can rely on your recruiter for help. Aside from frequent check-ins, you can contact your recruiter about any issues you may be experiencing at your placement

Long-Term Relationship

Your recruiter’s job is to help you find a job, which means at any given time, they may have multiple job opportunities for you. Your recruiter will always be on the job hunt for you. This person will use their network of job openings and clients to find the right job fit for you!

Staying Positive While Job Seraching

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The job search process can be time-consuming and frustrating. As you sift through job postings and send your resume to various employers, you may find that your spirits start sinking. It’s easy to become frustrated and negative during this time. Whether you are not getting called for interviews or simply miss the target after a couple of interviews, staying positive during the job search process can be hard.

However, staying positive can greatly increase your chances of actually landing a job. When you are negative, this attitude can seep into the rest of your life and eventually provide you with a poor outlook on things. Many recruiters, employers, and managers will notice this and decide not to work with you because of that attitude. Instead, it’s crucial to stay positive during the job search. Here are a few ways to do that:

Volunteer

It may seem like an odd suggestion when you are struggling to find work, but volunteering can give you purpose. Whether you are tutoring, helping in a soup kitchen, or planting some trees, volunteering gets you out of the house and gets you active. Staying active can help you stay positive during this time.

Spend Time with Friends and Family

When you are feeling down or negative, you need something to cheer you up. Spending time with your friends and/or your family could just be what you need. From a good laugh to a long conversation, friends and family are going to be there for you during this time. Spend some quality time with the people who care about you in order to lift your spirits.

Create a Routine

Routines may not be much fun, but when you are trying to find a job, they can keep you on track. In this routine, you need to outline how many jobs you will apply to on a daily or weekly basis, and how long you will spend every day working on your resume/applying to jobs. Make sure that the schedule you set includes time away from the job search process. If you spend all of your time job hunting, you are more likely to become frustrated by the process.

Network

A great way to land a new job or get your foot in the door at a specific company is to network. Who do you know that would be willing to help you find a new job? Do you know someone at a company that is hiring? Use your contacts to help boost your chances at finding a job. Plus, the social interaction will help you stay positive.

Shake It Off

Being rejected after an interview can be tough to deal with. Never getting a call about a job you are excited about is discouraging. Instead of dwelling on these things, do your best to shake it off. Make a plan to apply to two jobs for ever rejection. Use rejection as motivation to keep going. Staying positive will help you find the right job, in the long run.

How to Impress a Recruiter

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Last week we discussed some of the things you can do to not impress a recruiter. While it important to know what not to do when meeting with a recruiter, it is equally, if not more so, important to know how to impress a recruiter. While you could just do the opposite of the things discussed last week that will not be enough to really impress a recruiter. To impress a recruiter, you need to go above and beyond what you think might work. You need to be prepared for questions, for tests, and for a quick process. Here are a few things you can do to impress a recruiter:

Prepare a Resume

While the position you are applying for may not require a resume, it is still a great idea to have one with you when you meet a recruiter. Even if you filled out an application online and uploaded a version of your resume, bringing a paper copy with you shows that you are dedicated and thorough. Impress your recruiter by being prepared with a resume and show that you care about the opportunity.

Dress Appropriately

The way you dress says a lot about you and your career/job goals. While you do not necessarily need to wear your best clothes (like a suit), you do want to make sure you are dressed appropriately for the job and for your interview. When considering what to wear, make sure that your clothing is free of holes, offensive language, and excessive wrinkles. When you dress appropriately for an interview, you convey that you are highly interested in the position and that you are professional.

Have Questions

If you are going into an interview, it is important to know that you will be asked questions. Practice answering interview questions with a friend or relative before your interview so that you can answer the questions the recruiter has well and completely. However, if you really want to impress a recruiter, have your own questions ready. What do you need to know about the position? What is the work environment like? Remember, by asking questions you show your interest and you will also learn more about the company and position.

Be Punctual

One of the best ways to impress a recruiter is to actually show up on time. Just because you may be applying for and interviewing for temporary positions does not mean it is okay to show up late. When you do show up late, you waste the recruiter’s time, your time, and ultimately the time of the organization trying to hire you. Do yourself a favor and show up on time. Not only does it show you are a punctual and dedicated person, but it will impress the recruiter and could increase your chances of being hired.

How Not to Impress a Recruiter

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Maybe you’re applying to a temporary job. Maybe a recruiter has reached out to you about a position. Regardless of the situation, there are certain things you can do as a candidate to most definitely disappoint a recruiter. For passive and active candidates, if you are trying to land a job, it is important to know what works and does not work when interacting with a recruiter. Here are a few things that will not impress a recruiter:

Showing Up Late

If you have set an appointment to meet with a recruiter or with someone at the organization you are trying to be placed at, show up and show up on time. Recruiters will not want to work with you if you have poor attendance and leave them waiting.

Exaggerating Qualifications

If you have experience as an executive administrator, then you should not apply to a position that involves operating a forklift. Know what skills you have and go after jobs that will allow you to showcase the skills you have.

No Enthusiasm

If you are not excited about the potential of a new job, then a recruiter will not be excited about placing you in a new job. Show enthusiasm for the potential of a job and convey excitement when you are interacting with your recruiter.

Talking Too Much

If you are doing the majority of the talking when you meet a recruiter, you may be doing it wrong. Be sure to listen to what the recruiter has to say about the position and organization you are applying to. Show that you can listen and follow instructions.

Before you meet or speak with a recruiter, make sure you know what they are looking for and be sure you make the right impression.

How to Guide: Job Searching Online

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In the past, job seekers only needed to turn to the classified ads in their local newspaper to find a job. Or maybe just talk to a friend or neighbor to see if they knew of any open positions with a local company. Those methods are no longer the best way to find a job in today’s digital-heavy and technology driven work. It’s not as easy anymore and it’s way more competitive. Job searching online can be a complex network of hoops and challenges for any job seeker.

From online job boards to digital networking, there are so many tools job seekers not only need to use, but need to use well. Knowing where to start your job searching online is the first step for the modern job seeker, but it doesn’t end there. Here are a few tips for job searching online:

Define Your Job

What kind of job are you looking for? Do you want a full-time, part time, or temporary job? When you know the kind of job you’re looking for and you know your skillset, then you can begin to narrow down the jobs you’re right for.

Target Specific Companies/Industries

Have you ever dreamed of working at a specific company? Maybe there isn’t a dream company, but there is a dream industry. Either way, make a list and begin following these companies/industries on your social media accounts. Conduct your own research to find out what the work environment is like, what the culture is like, and what kind of people typically get hired.

Refine Your Resume and Interview Skills

Don’t send out your resume without looking it over. Did you tailor it for the job you’re applying to? Your resume is a company’s first glimpse of who you are, so make sure you show them the best version. Further, the interview literally makes or breaks your chances of getting the job, so practice with professionals to brush up on your interviewing skills.

Establish Your Brand

As a job seeker you have a personal brand. For many, this personal brand is haphazard and all over the place. Depending on the jobs you are applying for, this can really hurt your chances. One thing to consider, when it comes to your personal brand is social media. Make sure if your profiles are public that you are being professional while showing off your personality. Don’t over-share and work to represent yourself as an expert.

Create Genuine Connections

For many, networking can be a challenge. It seems there are rules to how you should network, but if you are genuine about creating connections and relationships, then networking becomes easy and fun. Focus on how you can help others rather than how they can help you and you’ll find that others want to help you.

Follow Up (Always)

Whether it’s after an interview, a networking event, or someone helping you practice your interview skills, be sure to follow up. Send an email or pick up the phone; just make sure to thank someone for taking the time to speak with your or help you out.

Do you have any advice for modern job seekers looking for opportunities online? What has been your best/worst experience? Leave your stories and suggestions in the comments section below!

How to Get a Holiday Job

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With the holidays fast approaching, you may be looking for a way to make some extra money or a new job to help you ring in the new year. No matter your reason for looking, getting a holiday job should not be too difficult. For many industries and companies, this is the busy season, which means hiring extra help to maintain and increase service levels.

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Video Resume: Best Practices

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Depending on the field of work you are in, creating a video resume may be the best way to land a new job. If you work in a highly competitive or creative industry, then a video resume can help you get noticed by potential employers. Not only can you showcase your skills, but you’ll be able to show more of your personality than with a traditional paper resume and cover letter.
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