Tag Archive for: award staffing

3 Quick Ways to Get Ready for a New Job

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If you’ve recently graduated from high school or college, now may be the time for you to get your a new job. If you’ve been out of the job market for sometime, there are a few things you need to do in preparation. Not only do you need to make yourself employable, but you also need to take several steps to make sure you’re ready.

1. Get Your Resume Ready –

Before you start searching for jobs, you need to get your resume ready. This means you must take time to format it and update everything regarding your past work experiences and education. Make sure you have someone look over the resume to spot any mistakes or errors.

2. Secure Your References –

Before you start applying for jobs, you need to secure professional references. The easiest way to do this is to ask people you trust, such as former coaches, teachers or other professionals. Let them know they should be expecting a call from any future employers so they aren’t caught off guard and can speak professionally to your character.

3. Clear Your Schedule –

Make sure you clear your schedule! You’re going to need enough time to hunt for jobs, apply for jobs, attend interviews and start working! If you’re not used to working full-time (or even part-time), this part of the job-seeking process will likely be an adjustment for you.

Award Staffing is here to help you.  We guide you through the job-seeking process and recommend you for several different jobs for which you are a good fit. You’re on the way to your first job with Award Staffing. Contact us today.

5 Easiest Job Interview Tips + Tricks

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A great job interview is just like any other accomplishment; it won’t happen without some real planning and hard work. At Award Staffing we have highlighted 5 of the easiest job interview prep skills that can make the next interview the best.

1. 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.”

2. 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 and what they care about. Look for points of similarity and points of difference and be ready to discuss them in the interview.

3. Take The Next Step Beyond Your Resume:

When they ask about information 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.

4. Listen to The Interviewer:

Don’t be so focused on what you have to say that you don’t hear what you’re asked. A job interview is like a first date. You need to pay attention, listen closely and ask 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.

5. 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 the right person for the job opening. 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 job interview your best one ever, contact Award Staffing. We will be able to help you find a new position that lets you take advantage of your abilities and prepare you to turn the job interview into your dream job offer.

5 Ways to Boost Your Resume

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When you submit your resume to most companies, the first person who sees it is a recruiter who sees dozens of resumes a day. You have one chance to make the kind of first impression that gets you to the next step. Here are five ways to boost your resume past the first stage and move you on to more face to face interviews:

Make It Clean and Readable.

Want your resume to be read? Make it easy to read. No wall of text sections. Use short, punchy bullet points, clear, concise information and sufficient white space. This makes it easy for your resume to be scanned quickly.

Focus On Success.

You want to include your full toolbox of applicable skills and experiences. Don’t forget to show off these attributes as part of past accomplishments. Tie a skill with the way you used effectively and give specific results.

Use Relevant Keywords.

A good resume is like a good Google search: You get better results when you use the right keywords. Robin Ryan says you should “make a list of the “buzz words connected to perform your type of job. Look through employers’ job ads to uncover the major ones. Incorporate these keywords into the sentences describing your previous work experience.”

Tailor Your Resume for Each Application.

Every job post will clearly state what the company is looking for regarding skills and experiences. Make sure you include matching information using the same keywords as the job post every time you send out your resume. A short intro that has the exact info the recruiter is looking for is also a good idea.

Less Is More!

Remember your resume isn’t being read like a book, it’s being scanned like an outline. According to Nancy Collamer, “we all skim more than we read, so to reward that reading style. Also, add white space between paragraphs to provide “breathing room.”

Excessive words are just clutter. Check your word count when you write your resume and see if you can cut 20% of the words without losing any essential info. You will be surprised how much cleaner and more professional this makes your resume look.

If you’re ready to get your resume out in front of prospective employers, contact Award Staffing. We will be able to help you find a new position that lets you take advantage of your abilities to take the next step you in your career.  There are new job opportunities every single day from Award Staffing. Find your future…today!

Be Flexible in the Workplace

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In today’s market, you need be flexible and adaptable. Why? Technology is ever-changing creating a constantly evolving workplace. Being versatile and flexible will help you succeed in more than one way.

You Could Get Promoted

Employers greatly appreciate employees who are flexible in the workplace, because it makes their jobs so much easier. You might find that your flexibility and ease of adapting means that your employer ends up promoting you so that you can take on and shoulder more responsibility amongst your peers who maybe aren’t as flexible.

You Will Be Appreciated by Your Superiors

You will remove a lot of stress on behalf of your employers by being flexible. When you are cooperative and flexible, adapting to the decisions of those above you, it removes some of their stress load and results in an increased appreciation of you as an employee.

You Will Help Boost Your Company Morale

It’s great to be flexible because that means that you can direct your energy to where it is most needed. This ends up translating into you supporting your colleagues whenever one of them is assigned to a particularly grueling project or task. Overall, this will help boost your company morale, which is an excellent aspect of being more flexible!

If you’re looking for a new job, contact Award Staffing. We can help place you in a job that is a good fit for your career goals and matches up with what you’re currently seeking. There are new job opportunities every single day from Award Staffing. Find your future…today!

Standout on the Job: Show Humility at Work

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Is it worth showing humility at work? Many people will tell you the best way to advance at your current jobs is to stand out. This may be the case, but on the other hand, sometimes the best strategy is to show a little humility while letting your work speak for itself. Here are some strategies we’ve found to work that show humility at work:

Humility Starts with Being a Great Listener. 

Being a great listener is a skill that for some, takes practice. Being able to listen effectively means you’re able to better understand others. In the workplace, this means you’re more likely to learn new skills quickly, complete tasks more effectively while having constructive conversations with peers and leaders about possible areas for improvement.

Here are seemingly simple ways to practice becoming a better listener, but sometimes are actually quite difficult to do: Read more

Star Tribune’s 2018 Top Workplace in Minnesota

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Award Staffing Named One of Star Tribune’s Top Places to Work in Minnesota

Bloomington, MN June 25th, 2018—Award Staffing has been named one of the Top 150 places to work in Minnesota by the Star Tribune. A complete list of those selected is available at StarTribune.com/topworkplaces2018 and was also published in the Star Tribune Top Workplaces special section on Sunday, June 24.

Top Places to Work In Minnesota

Top Places to Work In Minnesota

Produced by the same team that compiles the 27-year-old Star Tribune 100 report of the best-performing public companies in Minnesota, Top Workplaces recognizes the most progressive companies in Minnesota based on employee opinions measuring engagement, organizational health, and satisfaction. The analysis included responses from over 71,000 employees at Minnesota public, private and nonprofit organizations.

The rankings in the Star Tribune Top 150 Workplaces are based on survey information collected by Energage, an independent company specializing in employee engagement and retention.

Award Staffing was ranked 31 of 70 on the small company list.

Star Tribune Publisher Michael J. Klingensmith said, “The companies in the Star Tribune Top 150 Workplaces deserve high praise for creating the very best work environments in the state of Minnesota. My congratulations to each of these exceptional companies.”

Why Award Staffing as a Top Place to Work in Minnesota?

Over 30 years ago Award Staffing started with only one office and a couple of team members with a signature approach; providing its clients with unsurpassed service and their associates with the clear career path, all the while serving the communities in which we work and live.

Today, Award Staffing has grown to a nationally recognized staffing agency with six locations all throughout the Twin Cities. Even though times have changed, their approach to service with a local focus has not. By using innovating technologies and processes, they have been able to grow the quality of service that has made us a premier staffing company.

To qualify for the Star Tribune Top Workplaces, a company must have more than 50 employees in Minnesota. Over 2,400 companies were invited to participate. Rankings were composite scores calculated purely on the basis of employee responses.

Resume Gaps and How to Explain Them to Employers

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If you’ve ever had a gap in your resume, chances are you might feel self-conscious about it or even stray away from applying for jobs because you think your chances might be hurt. Don’t fret, however, because you often can explain resume gaps. Consider these explainable situations.

Resume Gaps: Working Vacation.

Some people have gaps on their resume because they are taking a break to develop their career skills while not officially working for an employer. This is known as a “working vacation” and is pretty common for people who have just graduated from college or high school. Make sure to tell your employer you were working if there are resume gaps in your work history.

Resume Gaps: Change of Career.

Some people take time off because they’re looking to change careers. Whether this means they’re going back to school, taking some certification courses, or simply just taking a break before they jump into the next part of their lives, this is often considered an acceptable reason to explain to employers why you weren’t working.

Resume Gaps for Health/Personal Reasons.

Sometimes, there are unavoidable health or personal reasons that you encounter. For this reason, you may need to take time off from work. Employers are usually very amenable to these circumstances if you explain it to them honestly.

If you’re looking for a new job but are having a hard time finding one, contact Award Staffing. We can help you explain the resume gaps and will be able to recommend you for several different jobs for which you are a good fit. Find your future today!

Temp Jobs and Temping: Good – or Bad – Career Move?

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With job mobility at an all-time high and job security seemingly at an all-time low, more people are taking temp jobs than ever. Taking a temp job feels like a short-term decision, but you have to factor every step you take into your longer-term goals. Here are some impacts temp jobs can have on your career goals:

Short-Term Financial Goals of Temp Jobs.

Obviously, money is a critical factor in any job search. Temp jobs can help you maintain a steady income stream while you continue working on long-term plans. Temping isn’t just a way to pay this month’s bills. Temping can improve your career prospects while keeping your job history and income steady through life’s little twists and turns.

How Will Temping Impact Me?

So many people work temp jobs at least once in their career! Prospective employers won’t bat an eyelash at short term contracts on a resume. You can even turn them into a strength by detailing valuable skills and training you picked up at each stop.

Will Long-Term Employment Be Affected by Temp Jobs?

You can still apply for other jobs while temping. Most companies take applications online and start the interview process through introductory e-mails and phone calls. They will respect that you have current work to schedule around and rarely make that an issue.

Can Temping Be a Launchpad?

A lot of companies prefer hiring temps and transitioning them to full time after they have proved their worth. Temp jobs are also a great way to improve your network in your field or to learn new skills and gain new knowledge.

If you’re looking for a new job, contact Award Staffing. We can help place you in a temp job that is a good fit for your career goals and matches up what you’re currently seeking.