5 Work Skills You Can Need to Be Always Improving

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If you ever have spare time while you’re working, you should utilize that time to brush up on some work skills. There are some specific skills you can always practice and improve upon with hard work. If you take the time to do this, your value at work as an employee will drastically increase. Here are the 5 work skills you can always improve:

Typing Skills-

It’s always a good skill to be able to type fast. If you are serious about improving this skill, try typing simple sentences over and over again, so you become comfortable with the act of typing. Eventually, you will be able to move on to more complex sentences. You can quickly work on this whenever you are in the 10-minute “waiting on someone or something” mode.

Vocabulary Skills-

If you get the chance to improve your vocabulary, do it. One of the easiest ways is to have a dictionary app or website nearby when you’re working. If someone says a word you don’t know, do not just write it off. Take the time to look it up and make a note of what that new word means. If you glance over your notes every day, you will be able to increase your vocabulary in no time.

Cold Calling Skills-

If you regularly are turned down when you make a cold call, you still have some practice to do. Try different variations of the cold call script and make notes of what changes worked and what changes didn’t work. When you start keeping track of your calls, you’ll be able to see patterns forming, which will make you that much more effective in the future.

Customer Service Skills-

You can never be too good at customer service. Challenge yourself by taking on strenuous or difficult tasks with customers. This will force you to develop patience and problem-solving skills that can be applied to conflicts of any kind, whether personal or work-related.

Organization Skills-

The more organized you are, the more efficient you will be in your work life. Once again, when you have a few minutes of wait time, make use of it. Take time to tidy up your desk or workspace. Even if the workspace is shared, you and your co-workers will benefit from the organization and resulting productivity. Developing these skills can be incorporated in your workday work for maximum effectiveness.

Here at Award Staffing, we say, “Just do it.” Need a job or job change? Contact Award Staffing. We will be able to use these work skills as selling points to prospective employers who may need your services in the future.

The Secret to a Healthy Back at Work

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Many factors in the workplace can cause back pain including heavy lifting, repetitive movements and sitting at a desk all day. It is essential to understand the facts about back pain at work to learn how to prevent it. Common causes of back pain at work are:

· Force- Exerting too much force on your back — such as by lifting or moving heavy objects — can cause injury.
· Repetition- Repeating certain movements, especially those that involve twisting or rotating your spine, can injure your back.
· Inactivity- Both an active job or a desk job can contribute to back pain, especially if you have poor posture or sit all day in a chair with inadequate back support.

Back pain and lifestyle factors-

Factors such as aging, being overweight, and poor physical condition also can contribute to back pain. It is essential to maintain a healthy weight to minimize stress on your back. To keep a healthy weight, it is necessary to eat a healthy diet. It is also vital to ensure that you consume enough calcium and vitamin D because these nutrients can help prevent osteoporosis, a condition that causes bones to become weak and brittle and is responsible for many of the bone fractures that lead to back pain.

It is crucial to combine aerobic exercise (swimming, walking, etc.) with exercises that strengthen and stretch your back muscles and abdomen. Exercises that increase your balance and strength can also decrease your risk of falling and injuring your back. (consider yoga and weight-bearing exercises). The Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity — preferably spread throughout the week — and strength training exercises at least twice a week.

Preventing back pain at work-

You can take steps to avoid and prevent back pain and injuries at work. For example:

Pay attention to posture:

When standing, balance your weight evenly on your feet. Don’t slouch. To promote good posture when sitting, choose a chair that supports your spinal curves. Adjust the height of your chair so that your feet rest flat on the floor or a footrest and your thighs are parallel to the floor. Remove your wallet or cell phone from your back pocket when sitting to prevent putting extra pressure on your buttocks or lower back.

Lift properly:

When lifting and carrying a heavy object, lift with your legs and tighten your core muscles. Hold the object close to your body. Maintain the natural curve of your back. Don’t twist when lifting. If an object is too heavy to lift safely, ask someone to help you.

Modify repetitive tasks:

Use lifting devices, when available, to help you lift loads. Try to alternate physically demanding tasks with less demanding ones. If you work at a computer, make sure that your monitor, keyboard, mouse, and chair are positioned correctly. If you frequently talk on the phone and type or write at the same time, place your phone on speaker or use a headset. Avoid unnecessary bending, twisting and reaching. Limit the time you spend carrying heavy briefcases, purses, and bags. Consider using a rolling suitcase.

Listen to your body:

If you must sit for a prolonged period, change your position often. Periodically walk around and gently stretch your muscles to relieve tension.

It is essential to examine your work environment and address situations that might aggravate your back. Even simple steps to ease or prevent back pain are steps in the right direction.

If you are looking for a short-term or long-term job, contact Award Staffing to help you with your job search. Our team of hiring professional located in Bloomington, Chaska, Crystal, Delano, Maplewood, and Ramsey Minnesota to help you with your job search today! We will be able to match you up with interviews in your area so you can get the job opportunity you want.

5 Interview Mistakes That We See All The Time

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So, you have a job interview – congratulations! Hopefully, you’re prepared and have your resume ready to go. But, what are some interview mistakes that could end up costing you the job? Here are five common errors.

You Were Late to Your Interview-

First impressions matter and one of the biggest impressions you can give someone is whether or not you can be punctual. It’s important to account for any factors that could make you late (traffic, construction, phone dying). Your interviewer doesn’t want to hear excuses; your interviewer wants to meet you!

You Brought a Friend-

Bringing a friend to your interview makes you look unprofessional and immature. If the friend needs to be with you for some reason, ask him or her to wait in the car or outside. It’s essential that your interviewer’s first impression of you is of you alone.

You Were Underdressed-

Don’t show up to your interview in jeans. Even if the job you’re interviewing for is casual, showing up in nice clothes symbolizes respect and a commitment to the job. If you don’t have nice clothes, see if you can borrow some from a friend for the interview.

You Got a Phone Call During the Interview-

If you must bring your cell phone into the interview, don’t forget to turn it on silent. Even vibrate isn’t good enough because that can still be heard. If your phone starts ringing or loudly vibrating while you’re talking, it’s likely that your interviewer will lose his or her train of thought and not be able to focus on what you’re saying.

You Didn’t Shake Hands-

Always shake hands with your interviewer when you first meet them, and when you’re about to walk out the door. This shows your interviewer that you respect them. It also shows that you’re mature and aren’t afraid of eye contact. If you’re aware of these common interview pitfalls, hopefully, you can avoid them so you can increase your chances of being hired.

Need some help?  Contact Award Staffing. We will be able to match you up with interviews in your area so you can get the job opportunity you want. We have offices located in Bloomington, Chaska, Crystal, Delano, Maplewood, and Ramsey Minnesota to help you with your job search today! Want to learn more career tips and tricks – check our When Work Works blog.

Prevent Getting “Hangry” on the Job

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Hunger is no joke; it’s proven that being hungry sours one’s mood and productivity. Some people refer to hunger-induced anger as “hanger,” and its adverse effects are long-proven in the workplace. Here are some ways to keep yourself from getting hangry on the job:

Eat Protein-Rich Foods-

Protein is necessary to keep your blood sugar stable throughout the day, so replace your carb-heavy munchies with high-protein snacks. Even pairing carbs with protein make a difference, so get that protein and prevent blood sugar crashes.

Have a Snack Every 2-3 Hours-

Another way to keep your blood sugar stable is to eat every 2-3 hours. It’s easy to forget to eat during the day, especially if you’re busy. If you’re prone to forgetfulness regarding your snack schedule, set the alarm so you can step away to have your snack.

Avoid Sugary Sodas and Juices-

While you might get a quick “energy boost” from soda or juice, this is precisely the opposite of what you need to help you avoid hanger. When you have soda or juice, your blood sugar will rise immediately . . . Only to crash a few hours later. If you need something to sip on during the day, try water or unsweetened iced tea. Your blood sugar will thank you! We hope you benefitted from this Award Staffing Tip.

Being Hangry is real, we know all about it. It’s just one of the ways we show that we care. Contact us today. We will be able to match you up with interviews in your area so you can get the job opportunity you want. We have offices located in Bloomington, Chaska, Crystal, Delano, Maplewood, and Ramsey Minnesota to help you with your job search today! Want to learn more career tips and tricks – check our When Work Works blog.

Interviewing for Jobs in Minnesota – Here is How

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A great interview is just like any other accomplishment; it won’t happen without some real planning and hard work. At Award Staffing we have highlighted some of the interview prep skills that can make the next interview the best.

Review the Job Posting-

This cannot be overstated: the company knows exactly what they are looking for, and they state it clearly on the job posting. Review the job post. List point by point every experience and skill they are seeking. Go over your own experiences and how they make you a great fit, so all of this is fresh in your mind when you walk in the door.

As Dana Leavey puts it, “try to remember what’s most relevant regarding specific clients you’ve worked with, types of projects you’ve worked on, similar companies you’ve worked for, and anything else that’s pertinent to the role.”

Research the Company-

Google is your friend, and so are social media sites like LinkedIn. Do your research before your interview. See what this company has done to get in the news. Find out what you can about the people who work there, what kind of background and skills they bring to the table. Look for points of similarity and points of difference and be ready to discuss them in the interview.

Take The Next Step Beyond Your Resume-

When they ask about information that is on your resume the last thing you want to do is just quote the resume.  Share specific examples that illustrate the information on your resume.  Be prepared to talk and give the interviewer the extra layer of knowledge they are seeking.

Listen to The Interviewer-

Don’t be so focused on what you have to say that you don’t hear what you’re asked. An interview is the first date. You need to pay attention, listen carefully and ask detailed follow-up questions. This makes the interviewer see you as someone who is interested and gives you a chance to find out more about the position.

Don’t Ask for A Job; Offer to Help-

The company didn’t put up a job post because they were hoping to give someone a salary or a cool place to hang out from 9 to 5. They put up a job post because they need to hire a new person. Find out what they need and discuss the ways you can produce the work they require. This attitude can get you out of the interview on just the right note.

As Lam Nguyen says, “it’s then up to you to make your final selling pitch by summarizing what the position is and what you bring to the table. Don’t forget to find out the next steps for the interviewing process. The follow-up item you want to leave in your interviewer’s mind is, “This is the right candidate. I’m ready to make an offer.”

If you’re looking to make your next interview your best one ever, contact Award Staffing. We have offices located in Bloomington, Chaska, Crystal, Delano, Maplewood, and Ramsey Minnesota to help you with your job search today! We will be able to help you find a new job opportunity that lets you take advantage of your abilities and prepare you to turn the interview into your dream offer.

How to Build a Good Work-Life Balance? Read This

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When you work a time-consuming job, it’s hard to find a good work-life balance. Often, employees find that they end up working more hours than normal or working off the clock to accomplish their tasks and goals. It’s important to have a good work-life balance, though, so you can be energized and renewed at work every day.

Set Clear Boundaries for Yourself-

One of the easiest ways to ensure you have a work-life balance is to set clear boundaries for yourself. Depending on your job and the tasks you have to perform, there are a variety of ways you can do this. One good example is to turn off your cell phone or not answer e-mails when you’re not at work. While it can be hard to disengage initially, you’ll find that taking this initial step will help in setting up your work-life balance.

Exercise Regularly-

Work can be stressful, and it’s easy to spend extra time at your workplace to catch up or get more done. This can often be counter-productive; increasing your stress, which in turn, reduces your productivity. Physical exercise combats stress. Make a point to schedule regular workouts. Once you get into the swing of working out, you will be more motivated to go on a regular basis.

Prioritize Self Care-

One reason why people struggle with a healthy work-life balance is that they don’t prioritize self-care. Self-care could include taking vacations, doing fun things on the weekend, or spending more time with family. When you start prioritizing self-care, you will develop a healthier work-life balance because you’ll have more of an incentive to do so.

If you are looking for a new job, which will allow you to prioritize a work-life balance more easily, contact Award Staffing. We will be able to help you find a job opportunity that is respectful of your time and outside commitments while still taking your skills and work experience into account. Want to learn more career tips and tricks – check our When Work Works blog.

5 Easy Ways Protect Your Eyes at Work

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As an employee of a light industrial company, your eyes are one of your most important assets. However, many light industrial jobs require skillsets and tasks that can put your eyes in danger. Protect your eyes while working by following specific safety measures. The two best ways to protect your eyes at work are to avoid harmful situations and enable best safety practices. Here are some dangerous conditions you should avoid:

1. Avoid Direct Sunlight-

If you’re working in the direct sunlight, you are potentially exposing your eyes to harmful UV rays. Over time, direct sunlight can have detrimental effects on your eyes such as blindness and blurred vision.

2. Be Cautious of Contaminants-

Contaminants are usually chemicals, whether liquid or gas, that can cause serious harm to your eyes. Some pollutants are so strong that they could blind you or seriously impair your vision instantly.

3. Watch out for Particles-

If you’re working in a job that requires construction or deconstruction, the chances are that you have particles flying around you most of the day. Particles can irritate your eye and potentially cause serious harm if they are not removed quickly. Protect your eyes is to adopt certain safety practices in response to these harmful situations. Here are some safety practices you should enable:

4. Wear Sunglasses if You’re Working Outside and Goggles if You’re Working Inside-

One of the most important ways you can protect your eyes is to shield them from harm. If you’re working outside, you should wear sunglasses on a regular basis. Sunglasses will protect your eyes from harmful UV rays, but they will also protect you from air-borne particles. If you’re working inside, wear protective goggles. The goggles will protect you from air-borne particles.

5. Wash Your Hands Before Touching Your Eyes-

The best way to protect yourself from contaminants, in addition to protective goggles, is to wash your hands before touching your eyes. When you do this, you are erasing the pollutants from your hand so that you won’t accidentally touch your eye. Develop a regular habit of washing your hands as soon as you finish working with a harmful substance to reduce the risk of irritation and contamination. Your eyes are particularly susceptible to harm. Make an effort to keep them protected when you are at work. Award Staffing believes in safety on the job.

If you are looking for a job in the light industrial field where safety matters, contact Award Staffing to be matched up with a company that fits your needs perfectly. We have offices located in Bloomington, Chaska, Crystal, Delano, Maplewood, and Ramsey Minnesota to help you with your job search today!

3 Super Simple Tips for Writing an Amazing Cover Letter

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Many jobs ask you to supply a cover letter when you apply, so how are you going to stand out from everyone else? The easiest way to do so is to have an amazing cover letter; here’s our advice on how to do just that.

Have Interesting Experience-

This is simple enough: have an interesting experience. If you have the same experience as everyone else, how are you going to stand out? Some ideas for how you can build interesting experience include traveling, volunteering, or starting your own side hustle. You’d be amazed at how quickly the cover letter writes itself if you have enough to say!

Be Specific-

Don’t be vague; your cover letter is your chance to show that specific company why you want to work for them more than any other company. You can accomplish this by using keywords and mentioning skills that match the job description of the position you are seeking. Include the strengths you will be bringing to the company – again, focus on strengths that match the position. If you know a company employee, drop their name into the letter if appropriate. Many people will just submit the same cover letter for every job, so by personalizing, you will stand out.

Have it Proofread-

No matter how good of a writer you think you are, you still need to have your cover letter proofread. Even if there are no grammatical mistakes, it’s always a good idea to have a third party read it over to inform you of what you may be missing in your letter. For example, your proofreader could point out that you completely forgot to mention your education, because you were so fixated on talking about your work experience.

If you have a great cover letter written but need help finding jobs, contact Award Staffing. We can look at your cover letter and resume and help you determine what job opportunities would be the best fit for you at this point in your career. Want to learn more career tips and tricks – check our When Work Works blog.

How to Network – Even When You Don’t Want to

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If you’re like most working individuals, you have limited time in your day – dealing with work responsibilities, household tasks, or you may be going back to school too. With busy lives how is someone able to make time to network, also?

Most individuals recognize that the individuals who you know can be critical for finding your future job. When you are short on time, there are tactics for making the most of expanding your professional network – here is how:

Start Small, Then Work Your Way Up-

When most people think of networking, they tend to think of large events that take out a significant amount of time from their day. To some this may seem like the only way to meet new people, it isn’t the only way.

Start by focusing on something smaller that is easy to fit into your daily schedule. Try sending a message via social media to individuals who are working you in your industry. Doing this only takes a few minutes and can easily be inserted into a break throughout the day. Over time, small efforts like this do add up to get the most out of the impact of your efforts in just minutes a day.

Every Opportunity is an Opportunity to Network-

What is your perception of networking? If you have a negative mindset about networking, a simple change in your attitude is all it takes to fit more networking opportunities into your daily life. Start by keeping it basic when spending time at get-togethers with friends and family. These gatherings can be useful for networking to hone your networking skills. Ultimately starting with friends and family can help you build stronger relationships while may even leading to new job opportunities that you may have not ever thought of.

The key to most successful networkers is that they utilize a casual setting to meet new professionals. This may be as simple as getting a cup of coffee or being in an elevator with someone new – either way, these opportunities can be an excellent way for striking up conversations with new possible contacts. By making the saying the first “hello” you never know what a stranger does for a living unless you ask.

Make It a Routine-

As start seeking out small, easy ways for networking, make sure to commit yourself to those activities. Doing small, simple things every day, you will make networking a natural part of your life – establishing a pattern of positive actions that you don’t even think about.

If you’re looking for new employment opportunities, the hiring team at Award Staffing want to talk with you. Contact us today to see how our network with the best businesses in Minnesota can help you move your career forward.

Is It Okay to Turn Down a Warehouse Job Offer

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Naturally, when looking for a new warehouse job, you’ll come across a wide variety of opportunities, and not the job will be the best fit for you. Maybe there are issues with the job duties, travel time, pay, or perhaps the company itself. No matter the reason, turning down a warehouse job offer can be a smart move. How can you be sure that it’s okay to turn down a warehouse job offer? Here are some things to think about before saying “no” to a warehouse job offer.

The Pay Doesn’t Make Sense-

When a company offers you a job with significantly lower pay than what you originally expected, it’s ok to continue your job search. If you can’t survive at that income level, in most circumstances it is the right decision to continuing your search. What happens if the pay is higher then what you were initially expecting?

Being offered more money than you were hoping appears to be a great thing, right? If something seems to good to be true, it usually is. You most likely want to find out why the company’s pay is so high before you say yes. For most businesses, the pay correlates to a position’s duties or work conditions. What happens if the workplace is hazardous, maybe the tasks are more challenging than you initially expected, or the hours are much longer than you hoped? By saying yes before getting all the details may require you to make sacrifices in the long run. If you feel that the sacrifices don’t fit your career goals, feel free to turn the job down.

The Company Has a Bad Reputation-

If a company has a poor reputation with both customers or employees, you should always consider that a red flag. Check to see if the company has a high turnover. This is usually an indication that the business is dysfunctional to some extent could mean that there will be issues with long-term job security. Before taking any warehouse type job, research the company’s reputation and if it is less then impressive, consider saying “no.”

Vague Job Descriptions-

Job descriptions are crucial to letting you know what the job involves and ensures that you are fully prepared for the position. If a company can’t provide you with proper details, consider it a sign that there could be trouble ahead. If a company doesn’t fully disclose what it is you may be doing, it is possible that your job may change significantly after you start: especially in ways you may not appreciate. If you are ever left with more questions than answers, strongly consider continuing your job search.

In the long run, it’s okay to turn down a warehouse job offer if the job doesn’t seem like a good fit. While that can feel terrifying, it’s better to find the right job based on your skills, abilities, and goals.

If you would like assistance finding a new warehouse job, the hiring team at Award Staffing can help you. Contact us to see what job openings we have in your area today.

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