Spell Check

Always, always, ALWAYS spell and grammar check your resume. Please. It is the simplest way to make your resume seem more professional. If your resume is hard to read or understand, than your recruiter will have trouble getting the information they need from it and will likely move on to another resume. And if you’re reading this again after getting through the entire blog, thank you for following directions, and check your resume one more time to make sure everything is good to go. You don’t want to show up for your interview and find out at that moment that your name is misspelled. (It happens more often than you think!)

Add Your LinkedIn Profile

At this point, if you don’t have a LinkedIn profile yet you need to get one. For those who don’t know, LinkedIn is like Facebook for professionals. It is one of the best online resources job seekers can use to market themselves to prospective employers, and to make connections within their field of work. By adding your profile to your resume, you are opening the door to make more connections; which can lead to more job interviews down the road if the one you are currently applying for doesn’t work out. LinkedIn is an amazing social media platform, just make sure you avoid posting your weekend party pics to this website (This also happens more often than you think)

Delete Irrelevant Data

Never, ever, EVER have anything on your resume that isn’t relevant to the position you are applying for. Content space on your resume is limited and it should be filled with content that relates to your interview. If you have experience as a fry cook, but you’re interviewing for a clerical position now, maybe don’t include your burger-flipping abilities on your resume. Instead, say that you have experience in fast-paced environments. Always highlight those skills and experiences that will show your recruiter that you are qualified for the position you’re applying for.

Increase Line-Spacing

Readability is the most critical element your resume can have. Including tons of relevant experience and skills means nothing if the recruiter cannot easily find the information. One way to help separate out the sections of your resume and make it easier for your interviewer to find the info they are looking for is to increase the line-spacing. This breaks up your resume into little bite sized chunks that allow the recruiter to skim your resume more effectively. Don’t go too crazy though. Just like you don’t want your resume to be crammed full of text, you don’t want to have large sections of empty white space either.

Leave High School in the Past

Unless you JUST graduated high school, there is no real reason why you should include this level of education on your resume. Having your high school education on your resume years after you graduated makes you seem like that guy from your hometown who can’t stop bragging about a touchdown he caught during a JV football game in ’97. Was it impressive at the time? Sure. But years later, no one really cares all that much. The only education recruiters will typically care about is college level, and even then they value your skills, personality, and experience more than your GPA. You have a limited amount of space on your resume, and you don’t want to waste any of that space on information that your recruiter has no interest in. Leave high school behind.

Remove Acronyms

“So I’ve worked within several CMS’s that operated under a CPC structure, with mostly B2B objectives”. Now, raise your hand if you understood what any of that meant. Probably not, right? You don’t want to risk confusing your recruiter during an interview with acronyms they may not understand. Always take the time to write out the complete name of a position, operation, or business that you have worked with. Even if it is something as universally understood as HR, write out Human Resources. This will eliminate any chance of confusion and will make your resume easier for the recruiter to read.

Limit Distractions

Unless you are going for a creative or graphic design position, your resume should not have any photos, graphics, or unnecessary designs. The design of your resume should be, for lack of a better word, boring. The interest the recruiter has in your resume is the content of the resume, not the design surrounding it.

Keep it Recent

Remember the friend from your hometown, the one who’s probably still talking about his JV touchdown? Well, just like you want him to bring up some more recent accomplishments in conversation, your recruiter will want you to do the same on your resume. Skills can lost, especially if they aren’t utilized on a regular basis. So, if you got a Microsoft Office certification back when you had to listen to the wails of a dying phone before getting online, you should consider either getting a more recent certification or leaving it off your resume altogether. Your resume should reflect the last 10 years of relevant skills and experience.

Shorten Your Bullet Points

Bullet points are a great way to summarize your experience in an organized manner, and they should be small yet powerful: you know, like a bullet. Some people, however, decide to channel their inner Charles Dickens and turn each bullet point into a paragraph that goes into incredible detail of their day to day responsibilities at each job. Your resume is a snapshot of your most marketable skills, not a novel recounting your entire professional journey. Any other info can be relayed during the interview. Make sure your bullet points stay around 7-10 words at the most to help ensure one position doesn’t take up the entire page of your resume.

Have it Reviewed

Once you make all the changes above, give it a quick once-over. You want to make sure it has a consistent tone, accurately reflects your abilities, and that there are no spelling mistakes (return to tip No.1). Once you’re finished, hand it off to a friend or colleague and have them review it as well. The more eyes that see your resume before the recruiter, the more opportunities you will have to find and correct any mistakes.

-Tyler Geeve, Staff Source Marketing/Office Assistant

No one wants an interview to go bad, but sometimes there’s nothing we can do. You might meet with a recruiter that doesn’t mesh well with your personality or who is only asking basic questions. Regardless of what it might be, it pays to know how to adapt when you feel an interview is starting to take a turn. With these helpful tips, you should be ready to salvage any interview that’s turned sour.

Don’t Point it Out

One of the fastest ways to make an awkward situation worse is to point it out just how awkward it is. While it may be instinctual to apologize or poke fun at any awkward silence or situation in order to brush it off and make it seem better, you’re better off leaving it alone and focusing on responding better to future questions. Don’t overthink the responses you give. You want to make sure your future answers are stronger, so you don’t want to spend your time worrying about past responses.

Take the Lead

If you find yourself in an interview with a recruiter who’s only asking simple questions and not asking any follow-ups, SPEAK UP! Don’t sit and wait for a question that’s never going to come. Take the lead and steer the conversation in a direction that allows you to explain your qualifications in-depth. You will also want to elaborate on your answers, even if you are asked simple yes/no questions. While it may seem like you’re talking too much, you want to make sure your experience and skills come across clearly. It will also help to ask questions of your own. This way you can get more information about the company and respond to their answers with your own insightful comments.

Change it Up

Not liking the way things are going so far? Change your approach. While consistency is definitely something you want to aim for in an interview, there are situations where you should adapt to ensure the interview goes well. Do you usually throw a few jokes into your interview routine, but this recruiter isn’t laughing? Switch to a more serious tone for the remainder of the interview. Its better to change your approach in an interview than to continue along and allow things to continue to get worse and worse. Try to pick up on the personality of your interviewer and adapt your approach to match.

Take Inventory

Like we said earlier, you don’t want to point out when something is going wrong, but you still want to take note of it for yourself. Don’t ignore things that may be turning the recruiter off. Take a moment to assess what may be causing the interview to head south. Are you rambling in your answers? Are you not keeping good eye contact? Did you make a mistake in your last response? Whatever it may be, don’t let past mistakes bog down the rest of your interview. Before answering again, take a moment to remember to sit up straight, keep steady eye contact, speak clearly, and limit any fidgeting.

Follow Up

After a bad interview it may not seem worth it to follow up or send a thank you note. Here’s the thing:  ITS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA! Even if you had the worst interview you could ever imagine, it always pays to follow up with the recruiter. In many cases, the interview didn’t go as bad as you thought it did; and until you get an answer as to whether you got the position or not, you shouldn’t count yourself out. Always keep things professional by sending a thank you note or email regardless of how your interview went. Maintaining a professional demeanor is critical and can be the difference maker that lands you the job.

Small talk. Its an art-form that everyone uses, but few ever master. It can cause a good deal of stress when you head into an interview without knowing what to say after “Hello”, and not being aware of small talk techniques can lead to more than a few awkward silences. Not to worry, we have a few tips here to help you get the ball rolling and keep you from stumbling over your words in your next interview.

Find A Common Interest

People are most comfortable interacting with people who are similar to them, so try to find a common interest with your recruiter. Maybe you notice they have a certain sports team’s memorabilia that you are a fan of around their office, or their diploma is hanging on the wall and you notice you went to the same college. Whatever it may be, bring it up! Finding something in common with your interviewer won’t only help the interview go more smoothly and make you appear more social, but it will also help to ease any pre-interview nerves you might be experiencing. Pay attention to what they’re saying and if you notice you share an interest in a topic, steer the conversation towards it; as long as it doesn’t completely change the subject off the interview.

Use Anecdotes

Got a funny story or two in your back-pocket you’ve been waiting to break out? Feel free to share it with your recruiter, as long as its appropriate and you can steer the conversation to the topic in a natural way. You don’t want your introduction to start off sounding like “Hello, my name’s _____. So this one time I…”. It’s jarring and comes across as a little aggressive and very awkward. You want the conversation to flow naturally, and that involves a back and forth. Allow them to respond to what you have said before continuing, and if they either show or voice disinterest or appear as though they want to move on, take the hint. Remember, while sharing a story can help with small talk, you don’t want it to interfere with your interview as a whole.

Be Original

Skip the cliches! Chances are your interviewer is sick of discussing the weather with every candidate that walks through their door. Bring some originality to the conversation. Maybe you see they have an interesting desk ornament… ask about it! Everyone loves to talk about things they enjoy, and by bringing up something they have an interest in you will get them more engaged. The important thing here is to talk about something that most other candidates wouldn’t. Avoid discussing the weather or traffic. These are handy if you can’t think of anything else to talk about, but you want to strive to find something with a bit more depth.

Comment On The Company

One way to get the conversation started is to comment on the company itself. Maybe you like the decor, have recently read an article about them, or have heard about charity events they’ve held recently. Whatever it may be, bring it up as it shows your interest in the company. It also gives you a great opportunity to learn a bit more about their organization and its culture. It can also provide a good jumping off point to segway into another conversational point. For example, you comment on an interesting painting on the wall and then continue on by sharing your interests in different creative fields. Whatever you choose to discuss, be sure to listen to the response because chances are you’re going to get information about the company that not everyone knows.

Ask Questions

When in doubt ask questions… about anything! Ask about the company, their day, their interests, any photos or items you see on their desk, etc. When you ask a question, you lean on the recruiter to lead the conversation and provide you with a jumping off point for further small talk. This is a good approach for those who often find it difficult talking to people, or for those who have run of things to talk about. It allows you to comment on their answer to your question and can provide a stress-free way of starting a conversation. Just ask away and let their answer guide you to the next point in the conversation.

We all want to make the best impression we can during an interview. Its crucial to maximizing your chance of getting the position. Luckily, there are a few things that recruiters love to see that can help make that first impression a good one. While some of these tips may seem obvious, they are also widely neglected. Something as simple as presenting yourself in a positive way or arriving on time can make a big difference in how a recruiter views you. While some of the tips below may seem obvious, they are nonetheless important and are guaranteed to get you on your interviewer’s good side.

Being On Time And Prepared

If there is one thing a recruiter loves, its a candidate that comes in for their interview on time and completely prepared. They have their resume, a pen and note pad for taking notes, and anything that the interviewer asked them to bring in with them. Coming in prepared shows the recruiter your ability to think ahead and plan, and also provides an example of your organizational and active listening skills. Make sure you always pay attention when setting up your interview and take note of anything the interviewer asks you to bring with you and be sure to bring it along with your interview essentials.

Good Presentation

Whenever you are going in for interview, its important to keep in mind that this is most likely the first time you will be meeting with the recruiter, and you want to make sure you make you look your best. Always dress professionally, be courteous to anyone you interact with, give a firm handshake, maintain steady eye contact, and speak clearly and concisely during the interview. How you present yourself reflects the type of worker you will be on the job, and you want to be sure that your presentation is professional and confident.

You Articulate Value

An interview isn’t just about you finding out if the job is right for, its also about the recruiter finding out what you can add to their company. The candidates that interviewers love the most are the ones that can communicate their value clearly and provide examples of work they’ve done in the past. Your value comes from your experience and unique skill set that sets you apart from other candidates. Comprise a short list of your strengths and weaknesses and be sure to share them with your recruiter during the interview. When discussing your weaknesses, be sure to include ways in which you have successfully overcome them in the past. This shows initiative and communicates to your recruiter that you can move past your weaknesses to get the job done.

You Know Your Stuff

Walking into your interview knowing what you’re talking about not only puts your mind at ease, but also gives you an air of professionalism and confidence that is very attractive to recruiters. And we’re not just talking about knowing the ins-and-outs of your resume and experience (which is still important). No, we’re talking about going above and beyond. If you walk in with knowledge of the industry as a whole, or even better, the company you’re interviewing for, it shows the recruiter that you take this position and your career seriously; and that you have an interest in the company that goes beyond just “getting a job”. Again, interviewers are looking for you to communicate your value, and a knowledgeable and company-minded candidate definitely brings value to the table.

Sending A Thank You Note

You’d be surprised, but this is something that recruiters absolutely LOVE to see! Thank you notes not only brighten a recruiter’s day, but they also give you even more of a professional reputation. Think of it as the cherry on top of your interview sundae. It may not seem like it adds much to the whole experience, but its a nice finishing touch that brings the whole thing together. The best avenue is to compose a personalized email to send to the recruiter that interviewed you thanking them for their time, REGARDLESS OF HOW THE INTERVIEW WENT. Good or bad, you should still thank an interviewer for taking time out of their day to speak with you. While it may not seem too important, it could be the difference maker that gets you the position; especially if the competition was close and no one else thought to send a thank you.

Creating a unique professional identity is important regardless of the industry you are going into. Whether you are an industrial worker, an office clerk, a top level executive, or looking to start your own business, everyone wants to stand apart from the countless other workers in their field. The best way to do this is to create and nurture your own personal brand. Treat your professional identity as a product that you’re trying to sell to companies. You want to create a positive and original image of yourself and the work you do; and below we have a few tips on how you can get started.

Understand And Communicate Your Value

First things first, no one will be interested in your personal brand if they don’t know what value that brand has. Businesses want to know what you can bring to the table and what expertise you have that will benefit their company. Work on identifying tasks and processes you perform well; and be specific. If you don’t know exactly what it is that you want to be doing, how will a recruiter know? Once you’ve identified your strongest abilities, develop a way to effectively communicate them. Consider utilizing social media platforms, specifically LinkedIn, or try attending any local job fairs or networking events to spread the word. Any avenue that you can find to get your name out in professional circles should be explored.

Connect With Others In Your Industry

Speaking of, one of the best ways to communicate your personal brand is through networking: connecting with people within your industry. Word of mouth is still a powerful means of communicating value, and in our digital era, that word of mouth can easily spread to a massive audience online. Think about how many review sites exist that allow people to post their opinion on different businesses; the same goes for professionals, and you want to make sure that you have a positive presence in your networking channels. Once a connection is made, stay in touch with that individual. Reach out via email, phone call, or consider messaging them through a professional networking site like LinkedIn. Chances are, if they know another professional looking to bring a person with your skill set into their company, they will mention you for the position.

Put Your Work On A Pedestal

So you’ve identified your personal brand’s value and you’ve communicated that value to some new connections, but now its time to deliver on that promise. Talk is cheap; you want to show rather than tell. Find some examples of work you’ve completed that exemplifies your skills and provides a portrait of the quality of work you are capable of delivering. Once you know WHAT you want to share, its time to determine HOW you want to share it. In the professional realm, the best way to do this is to post it online on your LinkedIn account or create a small website that will serve as the center of your professional presence online. While a website might not be necessary for some professionals, it is definitely a way to differentiate your brand and add a unique flair; and its easier than you think!

Take a look at the best free-to-use sites to help you design and establish your online presence:  https://www.sitebuilderreport.com/free-website-builders

( P.S.  At this point, if you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, ITS TIME TO GET ONE!)

Focus On Authenticity

Remember, this is YOUR personal brand and you want to make sure it is definitively “You”. While its ok to draw inspiration from others in your approach and delivery, you never want to imitate someone else. You should aim to do everything regarding your personal brand in a way that oozes originality. Put a creative spin on your social media platforms, design a custom logo for your website, try out a new resume template; approach every aspect with a creative mindset. You want to establish an authentic presence that is distinctly yours. Build your brand around your strengths, expertise, and the things which make you interesting and unique.

Stay Consistent

Now you’ve got everything set-up, your LinkedIn profile is full of examples of your expertise, you’ve made some new connections, you’ve gotten your name out there, but now what? Having a personal brand should not be approached with a one-and-done attitude, its something that takes work and needs to be maintained. Its an active part of your professional identity and should be updated with any developments you make in your career, education, or qualifications. Keep your info up to date, stay in touch with your connections, and ALWAYS be networking. You also want to make sure your personal brand also remains consistent in tone and delivery. If you always have a humorous spin to your posts and introductions, keep up with it. By staying constant in tone, you appear more streamlined and organized. Once you’ve established your personal brand, nurture and maintain it, and there’s no limit as to how much it can benefit you professionally.

 

 

Everyone wants to make the best impression on their interviewer and leave the interview feeling like they rocked it. However, there are definitely some things that candidates do in their interviews that may seem harmless, but that actually annoy the recruiter to no end and can make the difference between you getting the position and looking for work elsewhere. Here are five things you will want to avoid in your next interview to make sure you make the best first impression.

 You Arrive Too Early for Your Interview

Arriving early for an interview is not a bad thing… but arriving TOO early definitely is. We all know arriving late for an interview is big a No-No, but so is arriving more than 5-10 minutes early. Doing this puts pressure on your interviewer to drop what they’re doing and see you immediately. In many cases, being 20 minutes early is more annoying for a recruiter than being 5 minutes late. You want to arrive for your interview with just enough time to check in and have 2-3 minutes to gather your thoughts before heading in.

You’re Over-Rehearsed

Being prepared to answer questions in your interview is a great idea, but rehearsing too much can provide its own problems. Having well thought out answers to interview questions shows you came prepared and are serious about the positions, but having scripted responses that you have rehearsed and plan to repeat word for word isn’t a good idea. You don’t want your interviewer feeling like they’re talking to a robot. Have a good idea of how you will answer any questions thrown your way, but then let your personality shine by answering in the moment. It gives the conversation a more natural flow. Interviews are stressful enough as it is, don’t make it worse by struggling to remember a script you tried to memorize the night before.

You Over Share

Small talk is great way to show a recruiter that you’re social and outgoing, and it can help ease those pre-interview jitters. Don’t be afraid to chat with your interviewer a little bit before and after the interview if there’s time, but be careful not to go into TMI territory. Nothing can make an interview more awkward than over-sharing about a wild vacation you took last summer or how sweaty and nervous you are right now. Stick to topics that are professional and appropriate for the situation. Its safe to say if what you’re about to say involves alcohol, partying, or anything that happened after 10pm, its best to keep it to yourself.

A “What’s In It for Me” Attitude

Arguably the fastest way to get on a recruiter’s bad side is to come into an interview only looking for information about what you will be getting from the position. While its important to make sure the job is right for you, remember that the interviewer is trying to decide if you would be right for their company. Its ok to discuss things like pay-rate, benefits, or vacation time; but don’t lead with these questions and don’t focus only on them. It makes you seem arrogant and self-centered. You don’t want to read off a list of demands when the interviewer is still deciding if you’re right for the position; because after hearing it, chances are they won’t be considering you anymore.

You Don’t Say Thank You

This is the easiest and simplest interview problem to avoid, but you wouldn’t believe how many people are guilty of it. A simple thank you goes a long way to show that you respect and value the time of your recruiter. They took a chunk of time out of their day to speak to you, the least you can do is express your gratitude with a simple thank you. The best candidates will not only say thanks in person, but will send a follow up email or thank you note. This leaves a good impression with the recruiter and makes you stand out from the crowd of all the other candidates.

One of the best resources available to job seekers are career fairs. These events offer eager job hunters the opportunity to meet with recruiters from many different companies across various industries, all under one roof. While it can be intimidating at first, once you get comfortable in the environment you can learn a lot about available positions at companies you’re interested in. While these events are more laid back than formal interviews, its important to remember that it is still a professional event; and you should be prepared to behave in a professional manner. Whether you’re an experienced job fair goer, or you’re attending your first one soon, we have a few tips to help you make the most of your experience.

Dress to Impress

When you go to a job fair, remember: your interview is happening right now! As such, you will want to make sure you’re dressed professionally and are well-groomed. Surprisingly, not many people follow this unspoken rule of career fairs (we’ve even some people wearing sweatpants in the past). Its not out of the ordinary to see people in jeans or a hoodie walking between the rows of companies, and its easy to understand why. Career fairs are noisy and crowded, and can appear a bit unofficial because of this. Regardless, you want to be sure you present yourself the best you can. Don’t wear anything you wouldn’t normally wear to an interview.

Come Prepared

Like we said before, you want to approach a job fair the same way you would an interview. This means coming prepared with all your interview essentials including: several copies of your resume, a notepad and pen, and business cards if you have any. Its also a good idea to bring a bottle of water and a snack or two. Career fairs often last several hours and you will most likely be visiting several booths during that time. That means back-to-back-to-back interviews, which can definitely leave you feeling a a bit hungry and thirsty. Bring along something light that you can quickly eat in the event you need a snack, and something to drink that won’t stain what you’re wearing in case you spill.

Don’t Just Ask Questions

Asking insightful questions at a job fair is definitely something you want to do to get as much information about each company as possible. However, you want to make sure you’re not only asking questions, but also adding comments about yourself as well. Think about it, career fairs are crowded and these recruiters are fielding thousands of questions from hundreds of different people. If all you do is ask questions, then you’re just another face in the crowd. Stand out by leading with your elevator pitch and then discussing your qualifications, experiences, and skills. You want to make yourself unforgettable, and going beyond the question phase is an easy way to stand out.  Be sure to check out our blog on building the perfect elevator pitch for more tips!

Be Seen and Heard

Career fairs are typically busy environments with many confident, eager job-seekers all vying for attention; so it can be easy to get lost in all the background noise. While you can’t control the volume of others, you can control how you adapt to it. Speak clearly and loudly enough to be heard above the noise of everyone else, but avoid shouting at the recruiter. You want to make sure they can hear and understand every word you’re saying without having to ask you to repeat yourself. Also, maintain good eye contact. If your eyes start to drift across the room, the recruiter will likely shift their focus to another person who is actively paying attention to them.

Everyone gets nervous before an interview, its totally normal. But you don’t want those nerves to get in the way of doing well in your interview. Its easy to feel overwhelmed when you’re thinking about any questions you might be asked, the best way to answer, worrying about if you brought everything you need, etc. Sometimes we need a little help to keep our nerves in check to keep us focused. We have a few different options here for you to try out for your next interview.

Get Moving

Physical activity does the body AND mind good. Even something as simple as going for a walk has been shown to help reduce stress while also contributing to a healthier lifestyle. You don’t need to run a marathon or do some power-lifting before your interview (and its probably not a good idea to), but a light workout or simply taking the stairs or parking further from the building so you can get a few more steps in can help you work out some of those jitters.

Make a Cheat Sheet

One of the biggest causes of pre-interview nerves is the fear of not knowing how to answer a question or feeling unprepared. No one wants to look like a fool, especially during an interview. An easy fix is to have a little cheat sheet written up to help with the more difficult questions. You should always take a note pad and paper in to your interview to jot down notes, but also have a page in there that you can look at if you get stumped by a question. You don’t want to lean on your cheat sheet for the entire interview, and you definitely don’t want to just read off of it; but simply having that sheet available for reference can help boost your confidence heading in to an interview.

Smile

We’re not kidding! Studies show that smiling can help boost your confidence and actually creates a sense of happiness if held for long enough. In this case, the saying “fake it till you make” actually applies! Try keeping a smile before and during your interview. It will help you feel a bit more comfortable while also giving you a pleasant and eager appearance that will make the recruiter like you even more.

Listen to Music

Music is a powerful tool for motivation that few consider for interviews. Think about it, if you work out, chances are you have a playlist that fires you up and helps you get the best out of your routine. The same approach can be taken for interviews. Maybe you have a certain song that gets you pumped up, or one that relaxes you, or maybe you listen to a podcast that helps settle your mind. Whatever it is, consider spending some time in your car rocking out to get those jitters down and your confidence up. (plus it gives you some time to practice your air guitar skills!)

Phone A Friend

Sometimes the best thing to help deal with stressful situations is the caring voice of a friend. If you know they’re not busy, spend some time chatting with them on the phone just before you head in for your interview; or if they are available, spend the morning with them doing some enjoyable activities. A few words from a good friend is sometimes all you need to motivate yourself and rock that interview. Plus, you can always call them right after and talk about how it went.

Have Plans For Later

Not looking forward to your interview? Then have plans scheduled for afterwards that you’re looking forward to. It may help to ease your nerves if you know there’s a movie date, dinner, or other activity you enjoy at the other end of your interview. This will help not only with your jitters during the interview, but can help you unwind afterwards and keep you from worrying about if you said the right things or if your recruiter noticed that stain on your shirt.

Chances are you’ve heard of staffing companies, you might have even worked for one before. These agencies are valuable resources for job seekers, regardless of career level or industry. However, few people really understand how these companies work. Being sent out to work for a staffing agency can cause some confusion, typically regarding payment, fees, and work opportunities. Many people have questions before applying, but hopefully we can help answer a few of the most common ones here:

Who do I REALLY work for?

This tends to be one of the most common points of confusion for people who begin working through a staffing agency. If you do get hired on and sent out to work, you are an employee of the staffing agency not the company you are sent out to work for. Your payroll and all of your tax forms are handled by the agency, which means your paychecks will come directly from them. You are merely contracted out to work for different client locations. The staffing agency will also handle most if not all instances of performance concerns, tardiness, and incidents. In other words, if you need to call off work or have any issues with your current position, you will need to call the staffing agency you are employed with and not the company you have been sent out to work for.

How often should I call my recruiter for work?

A recruiter’s job can be very stressful. When a client calls in with a new job order, they rely on quick responses from their candidates to fill the positions. They also depend on candidates to update them on their availability and commute limits in order to save themselves time and avoid calling you for a position you won’t be able to work. Your ability to respond quickly to any new position updates as well as keeping your recruiter informed on when and where you can work will ensure that you are considered first for any employment opportunities. Try to update your recruiter at least once a week to let them know when you can work. Remember: communication is key!

Is there an application/sign-up fee?

Any reputable staffing company WILL NOT charge applicants for their services. Instead, they charge their clients a mark-up on the hourly rate of pay the candidates receive for working at any location. This mark-up covers the cost of any necessary testing or paperwork (i.e. drug tests, background checks, etc), as well as business expenses for the agency. While some workers may find it hard to understand why the staffing company is being paid more per hour than they are, what they don’t realize is that this business model makes it possible for them to use the staffing services free of charge. The only time a staffing agency should charge a candidate is if they provide any non-returnable protective equipment like safety glasses or helmets, and/or rent out equipment for a position that is not returned to them.

How do I get more work?

Chances are, once you’re hired on at a staffing company, if you continue to do quality work for their clients you will likely be sent out for more positions. A recruiter’s reputation is built on the quality of work that their candidates can perform, and if you remain one of the best performing workers they will consider you first for new positions. Don’t assume that just by showing up you will be in good graces with the agency. You will need to demonstrate your value to the client and the agency in order to find longer term positions.

Are there any long-term work opportunities?

Some temporary positions have the opportunity to become long-term or full time positions. These are often called Temp-to-Hire positions. In these types of positions, a client will have the option to hire on a temporary employee for a full-time position within their company. The best way to become eligible for these types of positions is to do consistently good work for any client you are sent out to work for. Recruiters will often let you know if the position they are sending you out for is Temp-to-Hire. If you are sent out to one, be on your best behavior and be sure to do your best quality work. This will maximize your chances of being hired on full-time.

Am I guaranteed to get sent out to work?

It is common for people to think that because they have applied with a temp agency, they are guaranteed to get work. This isn’t true. Staffing agencies work with a multitude of clients, all of which may have different requirements for their positions. Recruiters schedule interviews with applicants in order to assess their skills and career aspirations, and to judge if they would be a good fit for their clients. If you don’t meet the requirements of their clients, it is likely you won’t be sent out for work. Recruiters are not obligated to give you the first position that comes available, rather they have a responsibility that you not only get out to work, but that the client receives a candidate that can effectively complete the work they are assigned. New job orders are also typically filled on a “first come, first served” basis. Don’t expect a recruiter to hold a position for you. They are trying to fill positions for their clients as quickly as possible, so its best to respond to any new position update ASAP.