Month: March 2016

9 Important (and Scary) Facts About Youth Employment

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1. Still too high: Youth unemployment is at 15%, meaning nearly 6 million of America’s workers from ages 16 to 24 are not working and not in school.

2. Declaration of dependence: High youth unemployment leads to delayed marriages, depressed home ownership rates and an increased inability to move out of parental homes and establishing independence.

3. So why’d I even go to college?: The number of young people with college degrees who work minimum wage jobs has more than doubled in the past five years.

4. Seriously, China?: According to Dow Jones reporter Riva Froymovich, millennial workers should expect lower wages, less job security and a higher cost of living when compared to similar workers in China and Brazil.

5. I’d work more if I could: The number of 20- to 24-year-olds working part-time because full-time work isn’t available to them has doubled in the past decade.

6. Who pays for all of this?: Higher rates of youth unemployment lead to increased tax burdens for other workers, as governments forgo income tax revenue, Social Security and Medicare taxes and have to pay out more in welfare and unemployment insurance costs. It is estimated that high youth unemployment costs various governments $25 billion a year.

7. Sorry, we’re not hiring right now: Youth unemployment grew much faster during the recession for African Americans and Latinos.

8. Home, but not alone: The percentage of adults 24 and under who live with their parents rose 10% in the past five years.

9. HigherEdNotDebt: Student loan debt tripled over the past decade and is now more than $1 trillion.

6 Interesting Facts About Staffing Agencies

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1)  In the current marketplace 13% of all labor is placed by staffing companies.

 

2)  80% of staffing clients say staffing firms offer a good way to find people who can become permanent employees.

 

3)  More than 10 million people worked for U.S. Staffing companies in 2015.

 

4)  Over 2 million people per day are employed by staffing companies.

 

5)  Staffing agencies are constantly hiring employees and doing the interview process even if they have no open positions.

 

6)  79% of staffing agency employees work full time, virtually the same as the rest of the work force.

 

Call BarryStaff today to see how we can help with your hiring needs!

5 Tips for Instant Interview Success

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How to make a fantastic first impression.

When it comes to creating a list of favorite things to do, rest assured that interviewing (and maybe negotiating to buy a car) has never made the list. However, few things have as much impact on your career options as your ability to interview well. Like it or not, acing the interview is a must if you want to get hired. Here are five tips for interview success:

1. Show up in the office five minutes before your appointment time. Although that sentence looks simple enough, it has two powerful and often overlooked components: “in the office” and “five minutes.” This does not mean park five minutes before the interview or get in the building security line with five minutes to spare. It means walk through the office or suite door five minutes before your appointment.

While it is crystal clear why running late or cutting it close are not good strategies, the same goes for walking into the office more than five minutes early. Not every company has a huge lobby or waiting area. Arriving too early may mean that you are staring at the person who will interview you and have now obligated him or her to start your meeting earlier than planned.

If you arrive earlier than intended, hang outside the building or even in the bathroom before your ideal time. The extra few minutes will give you time to prepare and ensure that you don’t impose on your interviewer.

2. Do not, under any circumstances, bring a coffee beverage to the interview. I know it is increasingly common to walk everywhere with some sort of coffee drink in hand, but never bring one to an interview. While you may get lucky and the interviewer or receptionist may offer you a coffee or water at the office, do not bring your own beverage.

It is, however, totally OK to have a small bottle of water neatly stashed in a briefcase or bag out of sight. Interviewing is nerve-wracking, and a well-timed sip of water can work wonders for dry, pasty interview mouth.

3. Look great. For you well-dressed people, I’m sure you’re rolling your eyes at those two words, because you assume everyone knows that. However, after interviewing thousands of people for more than 20 years, I can assure you that the majority of job seekers are not fully aware of the impact of their image.

Having a great image does not require expensive outfits. It means selecting clothing, accessories, makeup and a hairstyle that command respect in your targeted industry. To portray this image, you have to think about the fit of the clothes, make sure they are wrinkle- and stain-free, look modern and are both age- and profession-appropriate.

Also consider fragrance, or lack thereof. A very light neutral scent, like baby powder or vanilla, can work well, but anything stronger could be an issue if the interviewer doesn’t have the same preferences as you.

4. Arrive prepared. Bring a pen, notebook or portfolio with paper, several résumé copies and a list of questions you would like to ask the interviewer. Many interviews start first with a request for your résumé. Removing a neat, unfolded version from your notebook is an excellent first step.

Next, all interviewers like to know that they have said something useful enough for you to write it down. Jot notes throughout the meeting, no matter how positive you are that you will remember everything. Writing not only tells the interviewer you value her input, but it also gives both of you a break from staring at one another. Furthermore, it can give you a chance to glance at the notes you prepared before the meeting regarding key strengths you want to reference or questions you want to ask.

Finally, remember to look up at least as much as you look at the paper. Writing notes is important, but active eye contact tells the hiring authority you are paying attention.

5. Have a conversation. The best interviews are a give and take. Come prepared to discuss the company, the role, your background, current trends in the industry, the reason for the opening and any recent business events that may impact the interviewer, role, company or industry. Companies want to hire engaged employees who have taken the time to learn about themselves and the roles for which they are applying.

Without this critical preparation, most interviews are merely one-sided exchanges in which the interviewer asks questions and the candidate responds to the question but cannot expand beyond it. The ability to have fluid conversation conveys preparation, intelligence, people skills, active listening and a commitment to your career. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to display these traits in the meeting.

Interview selection is more about how the interviewer feels about you than about how well you can do the job. That is not to say that you don’t need to be qualified – you do need to be in the ballpark. However, many highly qualified people get rejected because they do not clearly convey how they are an ideal (and likeable) match for the role. While it is important to display your business qualifications, it is even more important to create the right impression.

Securing an interview is a significant accomplishment. Make the most of the opportunity by factoring in these tips for an instant boost in your next interview.

Top 10 Myths About Searching For A Job

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1. Myth: You need connections in order to get a job.

Fact: Connections are helpful, but plenty of people get jobs by spotting an ad, sending in a resume, and interviewing. Sometimes it might not feel that way, because there are so many job-seekers competing for a limited number of jobs, which means most people are getting fewer interviews (and even fewer job offers). But plenty of jobs still go to people without connections at the company.

2. Myth: No one reads cover letters.

Fact: A well-written cover letter with personality can get you an interview when your resume alone wouldn’t have. Sure, there are some hiring managers out there who don’t bother with cover letters, but there are many who do, and you have no way of knowing which type you’re dealing with. With so many stories of cover letters opening doors that otherwise would have stayed shut, it would be foolish to pass up this incredibly effective way of standing out.

3. Myth: Employers will respond to you right away if they’re interested.

Fact: Some employers take weeks or even months to respond to candidates. Sometimes this is because they’re waiting until the end of the application period before they contact any candidates, and sometimes it’s because higher-priority work gets in the way. (Of course, sometimes it can also be because the company is disorganized.) Regardless of the reasons, job seekers shouldn’t jump to any conclusions if they don’t hear back right away.

4. Myth: In a crowded field, job seekers need to find creative ways to stand out.

Fact: If you want to stand out, write a great cover letter and build a resume that demonstrates a track record of success in the area the employer is hiring for. Fancy designs, having your resume delivered by overnight mail, video resumes, and other gimmicks don’t make up for a lack of qualifications.

5. Myth: Don’t bother job hunting around the holidays.

Fact: Lots of hiring gets done in December! In fact, some hiring managers are scrambling to fill positions before the new year. And you may even have less competition, since other job seekers may have slowed down their search at this time of year.

6. Myth: Your resume should only be one page.

Fact: At some point in the past, resumes were supposed to be limited to one page. But times have changed, and two-page resumes are common now. People with only a few years of experience should still stick to one page, but two pages are fine for everyone else.

7. Myth: Lowering your salary expectations will make you a more attractive candidate.

Fact: Employers are going to hire the best person for the job, within the limits of what they can afford. They aren’t likely to prefer someone else just because he or she comes cheaper.

8. Myth: Your interviewer knows what he or she is doing.

Fact: While interviewers should all be trained in how to interview effectively, the reality is that many are inexperienced, unskilled, or otherwise unable to conduct strong interviews. They may be unprepared, ask bad questions, or simply be rude.

9. Myth: If you want to stand out, you need to call to follow up on your application.

Fact: Most employers will tell you that these calls don’t help and sometimes hurt. These days, with hundreds of applicants for every opening, if every applicant called to follow up, employers would spend all day fielding these calls. Believe me, they don’t want to.

10. Myth: Employers will only call the references on the list you gave them.

Fact: Employers can call anyone you’ve worked for or who might know you, and good reference-checkers won’t limit themselves to the formal list of references you provide. They’ll call former managers, listed or not—and sometimes, especially those not listed, since they know the omission may have been intentional and thus notable. After all, the list you hand over is, of course, the people likely to present you in the most flattering light, and they want to see you in brighter lighting. The only thing typically considered off-limits in reference-checking is calling your current employer. Everyone else is fair game.