By Christiane Soto, Snelling.com

I love my smartphone…..everyone, I think, loves their smartphones. This little device has given me more flexibility than any other invention created during my lifetime.  It has become ubiquitous to our way of life, used to communicate, conduct research and stay in touch with old friends.  We can even apply for jobs with it.

However, during the job hunt, your smartphone can become your worst enemy.

During this time, you must present yourself as professionally as possible.  With all the effort you have put into creating a professional résumé, cover letter, and wardrobe, it would be an absolute shame if your smartphone represented you in a unprofessional or inappropriate way…and then cost you a job offer.

Ringback tones and notification tones

Using bits of music, dialog, or inappropriate sounds as a ringtone or notification tone is a huge mistake. The goal is to appear professional – not to annoy or offend. Remember, you do not know the person sitting in front of you; everyone is different with different tastes and opinions.  We find different things funny; we find different things offensive.   Not everyone thinks Eminem’s lyrics are literary masterpieces, and you must always assume that using a woman’s scream as a notification for a new text/email/Instagram comment/Facebook “like” will offend.   Read the rest of this entry »

The perfect job.  It is what everyone dreams of, but the path to finding it can be tough.  From stringent hiring requirements to difficult interviews to the second-guessing that consumes any attempt at follow-up, the process can be challenging.

But there are choices when it comes to the path that you should follow.  Not all people find their “best-fit” job through online advertisements, or job fairs, or even newspaper ads.

At Snelling, we focus on finding you your best-fit job – the job that, right now, fits your needs, your lifestyle and your standards. This focus is summed up in our People + tagline.  With Snelling’s People + you know that you are able to leverage a resource that focuses on who you are and what you can offer.  We work hard every day getting quality workers into quality jobs at quality companies. When you work with Snelling, you get:

People + Opportunity

We help people get to work – in the way they want to work.  We can do that for you, too.  Whether you are testing the waters with a temporary or a temp-to-hire position or are looking for full-time employment, Snelling can help.         Read the rest of this entry »

By Christiane Soto, Snelling.com

Manufacturing jobs in this country are increasingly requiring “white-collar” credentials.  Processes are becoming more high-tech, markets are becoming more international, and workers need more skills. Lasers, robotics and computer numeric-control tools are now all standard equipment on the factory floor.  In addition, applicants must show that they have

• The ability to work on teams
• The ability to communicate effectively across the entire workforce.
• The capacity to learn highly technical material and then apply that knowledge to other areas.
• The ability to adapt to change
• The capability to work with less supervisory oversight.

Low-skilled jobs are simply no longer in high demand.  Technology and low barriers of entry (most everyone can stock a shelf) have replaced manpower.       Read the rest of this entry »

By Christiane Soto, Snelling.com

Is it possible to turn a seasonal job into a full-time position?  Absolutely.  Is it easy? Not always…not every seasonal (summer or holiday) worker can transition to a full-time employee.  Remember, if the company could hire everyone, they would not have needed to bring on a seasonal staff. However, there are definite things that you can do to better ensure your chances of being the person who makes that successful transition.

The key is you.  You will not be handed a full-time work gig simply because you are “present”.  You need to show management that you are a “high value” employee.  You need to do this because (in today’s business environment) management emphasizes value when deciding who makes the transition from seasonal worker to full-time employee.  Now, this judgment is based on perception – it is subjective to a certain degree, but there are 5 things that you can do every day to increase your value and therefore your chances:      Read the rest of this entry »

By Christiane Soto, Snelling.com

As stated in yesterday’s The Snelling Blog, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) is intended to ensure that, as a member of the Armed Forces, Reserves, National Guard or other “uniformed services”, you are allowed to seamlessly return to civilian employment.

This law is not about finding you a new civilian job.  Its focus is on providing that you are reemployed in the job that you would have attained had you not been called away for military service.

It is important to note that, in order to be eligible for USERRA “protection”, you must have had 5 or less cumulative service years (with some exceptions) in the “uniformed services” while with a particular employee.

Employee Obligations

As an employee, you cannot simply show up and expect to start working within the hour.  You have certain obligations that you must meet.  These include:         Read the rest of this entry »

By Christiane Soto, Snelling.com

The job market is changing.  Companies are hiring. Résumés are being written.  Interviews are being scheduled.

Interview…the very word puts fear into many a job seeker. There is pressure to look perfect, sound perfect, and answer every question perfect.

How do you know which questions will be asked? How do you answer those questions perfectly?  Quite honestly, you don’t.

I could spend the remainder of this limited blog space giving you some examples of tough interview questions and some sample answers.  However, you will probably find that those answers will not translate to your actual interview(s).  For example, when an interviewer asks you a job and/or task-specific question, there is no generic answer that I can provide that will fit all situations.

So, instead, let’s focus on two concepts that you need to remember when you come face-to-face with the interviewer.     Read the rest of this entry »

By Christiane Soto, Snelling.com

The advice is all around you.

• How to Dress for an Interview
• Dress to Land the Job
• Dress for Success on your Next Job Interview

Catchy titles…lots of advice….are you overwhelmed yet?  If so, you are not alone.  Everyone has (at one time or another) obsessively focused on their clothing choices for certain interviews.  It is easy to do, because (let’s face it) your appearance is the one thing that you can control during this process.  You will not know which questions will be asked or what answers will be acceptable or if you are being judged.  However, you can control the color of your shirt.

Now, I do not think that any job candidate should spend 3 ½ days agonizing over whether or not to wear the blue button down or the yellow silk shirt to an interview (as I once did…many, many years ago). That level of fastidiousness is probably unwarranted.  If you are truly in doubt, ask your recruiter, staffing manager, or contact at the firm.  Within 5 minutes, you should know whether or not you have an appropriate outfit for that particular interview.

That being said…       Read the rest of this entry »

By Christiane Soto, Snelling.com

Since the beginning of the year, the issue around workplace bullying has literally jumped off the radar and into everyone’s stream of consciousness.  Questions have been raised about whether or not employees need legal protections against bullying in the workplace.

But what is workplace bullying?  The issues around bullying are well-known to educators, who have developed well-documented action plans for students to use to protect and positively assert themselves. However, the phenomenon of bullying does not simply go away because one is granted a diploma.

According to the 2010 Workplace Bullying Institute survey, 35% of workers reported being bullied at work:

• 62% of bullies are men; 38% of bullies are women
• Women bully other women in 80% of the cases
• 68% of bullying is same-gender harassment

But who is a bully?  The composite of a typical workplace bully does vary a bit from the schoolyard bully.  Remember, the workplace is a very different environment.  Here, the assumption is that that we all know how to “play well” with our peers.  The workplace is not always warm and fuzzy; it is an environment where everyone is judged based, not on our sparkling personalities, but on our ability to get our jobs done and meet goals and expectations. Read the rest of this entry »

By Christiane Soto, Snelling.com

Historically, college seniors did not start their hard-core job search until the spring semester of their senior year….and by historically, I mean 2-3 years ago.  However, that has changed.  Employers are now coming to campuses early.  By last fall, employers had already completed 68% of their college recruiting effort for the 2012-2013 school year.

This early push seems to be a by-product of the much-talked-about skills shortage.  Recruiters are showing up on campus early to try and snatch the best and brightest.

What if you have not locked in that job offer? 

What should you do if you find yourself having not even started because you thought there is still plenty of time? Here are 3 things that you can do to present yourself in the best way possible:

Read the rest of this entry »

By Christiane Soto, Snelling.com

Summer – time of pools, picnics and parades.  The scent of sunblock and bar-b-ques and chlorinated water fills the air.  These are the three months of the year when people begin to focus on their personal lives in the form of vacations, staycations, summer school breaks and general family time.

If you are a job hunter, you may think that this is most certainly the time to abandon your search and pick it back up in the fall, right?  After all, most companies scale their hiring back as their workers take vacation or time off, correct?

Summer Slowdown

Incorrect… and welcome to the 1^st big myth about the summer job search.  The season should never dictate the amount of effort you put into your job search.  If you need a job, do not stop just because the mercury reaches 90 degrees. Companies fill positions at the same rate during the summer as they do during the other months of the year.

Read the rest of this entry »