How to stand out in an interview

Interviews can be nerve-racking and full of surprises, so how do you feel confident and stand out when the advice you hear blends in with all the rest? Smiling, being polite, dressing professionally, researching the company, and following up are all the basic interview tactics you should already be doing, but it won’t land the job you really want.

Prepare to not only sell yourself but to sell the company as well. This means more than memorizing facts- it means understanding the mission, the people, the strategies, and the steps taken to be the successful company they are today.  Mike Ruben, Managing Director of Executive Search at Creative Financial Staffing says, “Too often candidates go into an interview only prepared to talk about themselves, their accomplishments, and their achievements, but the most successful interviewee can also ask thought provoking questions.”

·     What do I need to accomplish in order to be successful during my first 90 days? This question shows that you are goal-oriented and driven to reach their standards of success.

·     What do you think the company will look like in a year? This will help you get a feel for what the company will look like when you’re joining it or when you’ve started to find your place within the company.

·     What type of person thrives in your organization? Asking your interviewer to list common characteristics and qualities within the company will help you get an idea of the tempo and culture. It’s also helpful to find out the common reasons why new hires haven’t worked out at the company in the past.

·     How would you describe the managing style of the person I will be working for? You need to know the expectations your manager will have and whether they suit you. It’s important to be comfortable with their style of teaching and feedback.

·     How does this position help make your job easier? Gearing this question towards your future boss or manager will help you to better understand how the company works, who you’ll be collaborating with the most, and generally where you’ll stand in this new role compared to those around you.

These types of questions will make you stand out from the pack and showcase your interest in making a positive impact to the organization.

To contact a local recruiter at CFS, please visit www.cfstaffing.com.

Temporary Jobs To Grow Over Next Five Years

Do you have job commitment phobia? Are you reluctant to sign on to a full-time staff position? Or are you in between jobs and need a temporary job in the meantime? Well then CareerBuilder has some good news for you. Temporary employment is on the rise.

When the recession ended and companies looked to slowly rebuild their workforce, temporary help services were among the first industries to add jobs. Temp work rose 15 percent from 2009 to 2010 and 57 percent from 2009 to 2014. According to a CareerBuilder study, temporary jobs are expected to grow 13 percent over the next five years, which equals more than 350,000 jobs. In addition to that, a separate CareerBuilder and Harris Poll study reported that 46 percent of employers plan to hire temporary or contract workers in 2015. Approximately 3 million people are employed in temporary jobs today...


To read full article, click here.
Source: Kristen Felicetti (www.jobs.aol.com)

So You Want to Be a Headhunter?

Recruiting for my own team is a natural part of being the director of a recruitment company. However, what I’ve discovered is that many people don’t have a clue what being a headhunter means. The title sounds fancy and seeking out exceptional talent sounds glamorous, but before you pursue a career in recruitment, there are a few important things you should know first.

1. It’s a fast-paced business!

There are no promises or guarantees in our business, meaning that priorities and objectives can change very rapidly. A single call from an important customer or an email detailing a new job order may change the entire plan for a given day, especially when you work in a success-fee mode. Being “close to the money” is usually the best indicator that you are working on a) the right things in b) the right order, but remember…situations can change quickly!

This also means unpredictable schedules. Timing is everything in recruiting…but time also kills deals! As a recruiter, you can’t be afraid to set firm deadlines with your candidates and clients. As headhunters, we are paid to deliver results in a timely manner. Recruiters need to constantly react to changing circumstances and ensure that candidates and clients are both on the same page...

To read full article, click here.

Source: Adam Lyko (www.linkedin.com)

Five Things That Repel Candidates

All the data shows that we're about to enter a period of massive talent shortage. The events of the global recession have acted as a bit of a smoke-screen to the underlying facts - more and more businesses are growing, and there is less specialist talent.

As unemployment is falling, so too are there other forces at work. More start-ups than even before. The increase of remote working. And perhaps most influential of all: the effect of social - with the internet, most candidates have made up their minds on a company waaayyy before they turn up to interview (if they decide to attend in the first place).

All this means that hiring managers need to be more careful than ever when interviewing. News travels faster than ever - your reputation is more important than even before.

Here are five things that all hiring managers must avoid:

1) Not following up quickly (or even worse not following up at all)...

To read full article, click here.

Source: Jas Singh (www.linkedin.com)

Before You Hire Anyone, Ask These 2 Questions

Building a business is scary, challenging, frustrating, but above all, ultimately fun. It's a rush to know your company is getting bigger.

And because it is, and because the work tends to pile up so far so fast, you might be in a hurry to add people to your team. That's understandable.

But whether this is your first hire or your 40th, it's a good idea to ask these two questions before you start issuing anyone a W-2.

1. What are we missing?

You always want complementary skills. Some people only think this is required at the beginning, when you look to find a Ms. Outside to your Mr. Inside. But they are not thinking big enough.

Yes, of course, when you are first getting under way, you want someone who offsets your weaknesses with his or her strengths.

But even when you are growing, you want to keep that concept in mind. Companies, departments, and teams take on characteristics of their own and they can become over-indexed in an area. You can end up with too many number crunchers or too many people who are great at strategy but not enough who are implementers. Balance is important at every stage of a company's growth. When things get out of whack, problems usually follow.

And that brings us to point 2...

To read full article, click here.

Source: Paul B. Brown (www.inc.com)

Weekly US Unemployment Aid Applications Fall

WASHINGTON (AP) - Fewer people sought U.S. unemployment benefits last week, as the continued low levels of applicants reflect growing job security.

The Labor Department says weekly applications fell 3,000 to a seasonally adjusted 294,000. The four-week average, a less volatile measure, ticked up a slight 250 to 299,250.

Over the past 12 months, the four-week average has plunged 10 percent...


To read full article, click here.

Source: The Associated Press (www.jobs.aol.com)

17 Top Executives Share Their Favorite Interview Question

Interview questions like, "What's your biggest strength?" and, "What's you biggest weakness?" aren't as telling as they seem.

That's probably why most savvy CEOs and executives steer clear of these cliché queries and instead ask more meaningful ones.

In fact, many top execs have their one favorite go-to question that reveals everything they need to know about a job candidate.

Some prefer to ask more serious questions, while others believe that silly queries about costumes and the zombie apocalypse, for instance, best uncover an applicant's creativity....

To read all 17 questions, click here.

Source: Jacquelyn Smith (www.businessinsider.com)

5 simple reasons - to join the Staffing/Recruiting profession

(Written by our very own, Tarah Frawley, Regional Director)

I wrote a recent post called "5 simple steps- to recruit the best". Staying on that theme, (not sure why I picked the number 5, but it seemed more insightful than 3 and a quicker read than 10) I'd like to share the 5 simple reasons that you should be in the Recruiting/Staffing profession. Not everyone should, that is for sure, but for those who read this and it speaks to you, what are you waiting for?

1. You love the thrill of 'the chase' and the sweet satisfaction of 'the close'....

To read full article, click here.

Source: Tarah Frawley (www.linkedin.com)

Being employed during an economic downturn: burnt out and unhappy.

For the lucky workers who have survived rounds of layoffs in this recent economic downturn, work has not been easy. Staff shortages, hiring freezes, and budget cuts have placed pressure on those who are still employed to take on additional workloads, put in overtime, and produce the same quality and level of work with less resource.

At this point, many are either dissatisfied with their job or feeling burnt out.

According to a recent survey, 40% of employees at companies who had layoffs say they experienced lower productivity; and two-thirds of those are suffering from low workplace morale.

Job dissatisfaction, low morale, and burn out can have long term effects on a company’s profitability. These factors negatively impact employee performance and increase turnover. They can also affect an organization’s ability to attract new talent in the future if it develops a bad workplace reputation.

One cost effective solution is to utilize temporary staffing. This allows firms to quickly add and reduce staff based on seasonal activities. Because the temps work for the staffing agency, you are also not responsible for their payroll, benefits or unemployment claims. Therefore, these expenses do not affect your firm's bottom line.

Read more:
Less pay. More hours. Unhappy workers.

Stop treating your temp like a temp!

Sometimes a temp is treated as just that – an outsider who is brought in for a definite period of time to complete X, Y, and Z. Since he already should have the experience and necessary skills to do the job, it is fair to expect him to jump right in. No training or guidance necessary…right?

The answer is yes and no.

As you can fairly assume, you should not have to train him on the basics of accounting. That’s what you paid the agency to do – to find someone who already knows.

However, no two company does something the same way. There are certain things that a temp would have no way of knowing on his own, such as a particular deadline he has to meet or company specific procedures he has to follow. Just like you would not expect a new permanent hire to immediately adapt to your company, a temp is the same way.

Therefore, it is good practice to sit down with him at the beginning and be clear about exactly what he needs to do. This will make mistakes and misunderstandings less likely going forward. Take the extra time to help him get familiar with your organization and culture, let him know whom he should report to, check in on him to see if he has any questions, and give him feedback. The more you make him feel like he is part of your team, the more he will work for your team.

Who knows, you may be so impressed with his work that you want to hire him as a permanent employee – so stop treating your temp like a temp and more like a valued member of your organization.

Taking a vacation should not be stressful

Based on a recent survey, 77% of respondents find it difficult to deal with the work pile-up on their first day back in the office after being away on vacation – and the recent layoffs and hiring freezes that leave many departments short-staffed are only adding to their concern.

Your employees have endured the trials and tribulations of the recent economic downturn with you. They may have survived rounds of layoffs, hiring freezes, and budget cuts – putting in overtime and producing the same quality and level of work with less resources and staff.

Even your most productive people can work in overdrive mode for so long before they burnout, so the worst thing you can possibly do is take away their vacation time. Prolonged periods of stress and exhaustion can lead to poorer performance, lower productivity, burnout, and turnover.

One cost effective solution is to utilize temporary staffing. This allows firms to quickly add and reduce staff based on seasonal activities. As a result, you only pay for the labor you need. This flexibility helps firms keep productivity at more efficient levels by eliminating unnecessary overstaffing.

So encourage your people to take a break and let someone else handle the work while they’re away!

How recent layoffs may be costing you

In this tough economy, firms have been cutting their staffs to a bare minimum level to reduce expenses. Recent layoffs have left many employees doing the work of two people or more.

Working overtime, however, is an expensive way to get work done - often costing companies approximately 20-25% excess of payroll.

In addition, there are also indirect costs associated with understaffing, such as employee burnout, lower morale, operation/production defects, and turnover.



One cost effective solution is to utilize temporary staffing. Temporary staffing allows firms to quickly add and reduce people based on fluctuating/seasonal market demands. This flexibility helps firms keep productivity at more efficient levels by eliminating unnecessary overstaffing.

Because the temps work for the staffing agency, you are also not responsible for their payroll, benefits or unemployment claims. Therefore, these expenses do not affect your firm's bottom line.