Job Search Archives - Green Country Staffing

What You Should Know About Finding Work With a Criminal Record

You might have gotten in trouble with the law at some point in your life and been convicted of a crime. While a criminal record can sometimes make finding a job more challenging, you may increase your chances of getting hired if you know what to expect when you’re searching for a job with a criminal history. The Importance of Honesty Honesty is key when it comes to finding a job with a criminal record, and you should expect to be asked about your criminal history on job applications and in interviews. If you are dishonest and try to hide your criminal past, potential employers might learn about your criminal record when performing background checks and no longer consider you for a position. However, not all employers conduct criminal background checks on potential candidates, and your conviction might not show up on a criminal history report if you were charged with a misdemeanor more than seven years ago. It’s still important to be honest about your criminal background since you don’t know who might pull up your criminal history. Some hiring managers give applicants with criminal records chances to explain the circumstances of their crimes to determine if these individuals are still suitable for certain positions. If you give a detailed explanation of your crime and how you’ve amended your ways and moved on from your past, the hiring manager may feel confident enough to pick you for the job. The Decision to Rule Out Certain Industries With a criminal record, some industries are easier to find jobs in than others. Some of these fields often require employees to deal with money and confidential information regularly, and employers might not feel comfortable assigning these tasks to you because of your prior criminal conviction. If you don’t want to waste a lot of time searching for jobs in fields where you likely won’t be hired, you should consider ruling out industries like finance and real estate. You may also have a tougher time finding a job as a healthcare worker or childcare provider if you have a criminal history. You may have better luck finding a job in the construction or retail industry, as employers in these fields are often more likely to hire people with criminal histories as long as they don’t pose a threat to anyone on the job. If you’re interested in a job in one of these fields, a staffing

The Stay-at-Home Parent’s Guide to Returning to the Workplace

Are you ready to return to the workforce after years at home caring for your children? You had a thriving career that you put on hold to spend more time with your family and save on childcare costs. Now that you want to work again, you’re not sure where to start. Look at what you need to know about going from a stay-at-home parent to a new employee. Should You Go Back to Work? Before you go from full-time stay-at-home parent to full-time job seeker, make sure you are ready to return to the workforce. According to the Pew Research Center, one out of every five parents in the United States are stay-at-home parents. This means you aren’t alone in your choice to stay home — and you aren’t the first or the only parent who has made the transition from parenting to the workplace. Whether you chose to stay at home for social, emotional, or financial reasons, you may need to think about the goals you have for yourself and your career before you take the next step. Not only can this help you to decide on a time to return to the workforce, it can help you to clarify what you expect from your job. The more you know about your expectations, motivations, and goals, the better you will be able to find a job that meets your needs. How Should You Update Your Resume? There’s a gap in your resume. The years you spent caring for your children at home left a space in between your last work experience and now. What should you do about this employment gap? Again, you aren’t the only parent who chose to stay at home and later decided to return to their career path. Many employers have seen this type of

Avoid These Mistakes That Could Derail Your Job Search

The job search period is probably the hardest time for most people’s careers. The market is highly competitive and requires you to conduct extensive research, prepare multiple resumes and cover letters, perfect your interviewing skills, and put in a lot of hard work to get an edge over the competition. Despite all the effort into the job search process, if you are not careful enough, you are bound to make avoidable mistakes that could ruin your chances of landing your dream job. Discover some common mistakes that job seekers make and how to avoid the issues for a successful job search. Putting Off Your Job Search One of the biggest mistakes that job seekers make is procrastinating in their job search. While taking some time off to plan your job search strategy is recommended, you risk missing out on valuable opportunities if you wait too long. Every day that passes extends the gap in your resume and can create a negative impression about you. For example, potential employers may feel like you are not a driven individual and not invested in finding a job. As such, whether you plan to return to the job market after a break or if you have just graduated, start your job search as soon as possible. Utilize the resources available to ensure that you are informed of current openings in the market and don’t miss out on any opportunities. Being Too Broad As much as you want to try your luck and apply to various roles and companies, try to narrow down your job search. Think of what you can bring to the table and apply for positions that align with your skills and qualifications. Before you apply for a job, check if you have at least 70% of the qualifications. For example, suppose

Avoid These Job Reference Mistakes To Avoid To Increase Chances Of Landing Your Dream Job

Including job references in your resume puts you ahead in the job application process. Your references are a way to vouch for your experience, qualifications, and professional achievements. However, despite the power behind this resume section, most job seekers tend to give references little to no thought. Even the slightest mistake in your references can jeopardize your chances of getting hired. Avoid these common mistakes to ensure your references don’t end up doing more harm than good. Not Asking for Permission from Your References Before you list anyone as a reference, get permission first. This way, your references will be ready with an elevator pitch about you and your professional accomplishments. Furthermore, many employers will try to contact references without prior notice. By getting permission in advance, you can give your references a heads-up to expect a call and be prepared to speak on your behalf. Listing Inappropriate People as References When choosing who will serve as your references, only select those who can speak to your qualifications for the job you’re applying for. For example, listing a personal reference like parents or relatives is generally not a good idea. The same goes for someone you haven’t worked with in years or who doesn’t have much good to say about you. The primary purpose of the references is to help potential employers learn more about your professional accomplishments and qualifications. Therefore, only include those who can vouch for your skills and work ethic. Not Providing Enough Information about Your References When listing your references on your resume or job application, always include the reference’s full name, title, company name, and contact details. The information will make it easy for potential employers to contact your references when they’re ready. Including too little information about your references can make it difficult for

5 Ways to Boost Your Confidence Before Interviews

Most Americans find interviews challenging. If you haven’t interviewed in a while or you haven’t done many interviews, this challenge only becomes harder. One thing that can help you find success in your upcoming interviews is to develop the right amount of confidence in yourself, in what you have to offer, and in being the best candidate. How can you develop this confidence before interviews? Here are five steps anyone can take. 1. Research Common Questions One of the biggest worries for many interviewees is knowing how to answer the interviewer’s questions. The good news for today’s workers is that you can find lists of common interview questions online and through staffing agency personnel. Write down some of these questions and make a plan to answer them. Avoid making complete scripts, though, and instead write down and review main ideas or bullet points. 2. Have Practice Sessions Recruit a family member or friend to help you with some role-playing. This may at first seem uncomfortable or unnecessary, but you’ll get a lot out of having to verbalize your thoughts out loud. Give your mock interviewer a list of common interview questions and have them pick and choose from these — and add some of their own follow-up questions. If possible, do more than one mock interview with different interviewers, or even with more than one interviewer. The more you go over your own thoughts in advance, the more confident you’ll feel during the actual interview. 3. Learn About the Company Can you research the company you’re going to interview with? If you haven’t done so already, look for information about them online, through the staffing service, or through your network of contacts. Learn what they do or make, what the company culture is like, what their mottos are, how large

5 Ways Temporary Staffing Helps Older Workers at a Crossroads

As you age, your role in the workforce may become more confusing. While some workers reach the pinnacle of career success in their 50s and 60s, others find their career has languished and they want (or need) something new. You may have reached an obstacle to further growth or grown tired of doing the same thing for so many years. You may even wonder if you’re still relevant alongside younger workers. How can you beat these challenges and find new inspiration during this crossroads in your career? One way is to use a temporary staffing service. Discover five ways you can use this resource to find new direction. 1. Learn New Skills Keep yourself relevant and valuable to employers by continually updating and improving your skill set. While you can do this in several ways, such as returning for more education, one of the most effective methods is to try new things first-hand on new jobs. When you take a different position, you’re organically introduced to new ways, new techniques, and different technology. You might learn something completely new and find you take to it immediately. Or you might be able to put to work a skill you previously only learned about in theory. Temporary agencies offer a wide variety of learning opportunities because they work with many different employers. 2. Try New Industries Job doldrums may not be the fault of your type of work but rather issues within the industry. Many mature workers who have spent years in various fields have accumulated many transferrable skills and talents. If you’re a financial professional fed up with a punishing corporate office culture, for instance, you might consider taking those financial skills to the construction industry, nonprofits, or startups. 3. Widen Your Network Networking is important for all workers but is

6 Tips for Finding a New Job

Finding a new job can be daunting and overwhelming in the increasingly competitive labor market. However, preparing adequately for a job search can make the process less challenging and strenuous. Whether you are hunting for a new job, looking for a side hustle, or changing your career to get a better fit, these six tips will make the job search more effortless and fun.

Retiring Early? How to Decide If You Should Work Part-Time

If you plan to retire fairly early, you face the decision about what you will do with your time afterward. Most Americans rightly look at their retirement as their big chance to travel, to enjoy leisure time, and to spend more time with friends and family. But should your retirement plans include working part-time? The answer may be yes, and for a variety of reasons. And if so, how should you approach work after retiring? Here are some answers to your questions.

Looking for a Truck Driver Job? 5 Qualities You Should Have

With the ongoing truck driver shortage in the country, you have a good chance to work in the freight and shipping industry. Before you apply for any job, however, recruiters advise applicants to research the main qualities an employer expects.

Remember These 5 Things on Your Job Search

Unemployment can be stressful and uncertain. If you have bills to pay and people to provide for, you’ll need to get back into the workforce as soon as possible so life can get back to normal. On your search for new employment, remember these tips to find a job that will not only pay your bills but give you work in which you can take pride. 1. Know What You Want You won’t find a better time than your period of unemployment to evaluate what you know how to do, what you enjoy doing, and what you’re capable of pursuing in the future. Being jobless allows you to reset and determine the kind of job you want to do for the foreseeable future. You will find it much easier to narrow down where to apply and what companies to work for if you have a grasp of the kind of job you want. 2. Research and Specify Once you know the kind of work you’d like to do, find the companies that want to hire in that area. If your resume and interview seem tailor-made for the spot they need to fill, you’ll make a good impression on the recruiters and people in charge of hiring. Your task is to make sure that’s what they see. Look into the company before you send in your application, and reword your resume as necessary to present yourself as the perfect fit. If you make it to the interview stage, you’ll need to do more research before you go in. The more you know about the company and the position you want to take, the more you’ll show your interviewer that you’re ready and able to fill it. Prepare yourself for the questions they may ask, and have a few of your own

3 Ways to Prepare Yourself to Return to the Workforce

Are you planning to return to the workforce after a hiatus? No matter what took you out of the job market — raising kids, managing a personal challenge, or not needing to earn — getting back in can be daunting. So before you start to head out for interviews, take the time now to prepare yourself to be in the best place possible for this new chapter. Here are three ways you can do just that. 1. Get Into Good Routines When you don’t work a full schedule, you may find yourself falling into different routines and habits. These aren’t necessarily bad habits, but they may not be conducive to regularly going to a workplace. And that can make your transition to working again more difficult than it needs to be. Instead of waiting to change your lifestyle until you actually get a job, start now. Set your alarm and wake up reasonably early. Go to bed early. Make to-do lists and get them done each day so you remain productive. Rearrange your chores to accommodate a schedule similar to when you expect to be at the office. If you make the meals for your family, practice meal prepping. Begin to eat properly, exercise, hydrate, and sleep properly. Establishing or returning to good habits can take some time. So start now,and work on these positive developments one at a time. 2. Update Your Skills Updating work-related skills serves dual purposes. First, it helps you find and land a good job because you can do what today’s employers are looking for. Secondly, it gives you confidence as you return to your career. Confidence is a boost for better performance at interviews and adds motivation to get back into the workforce. What type of updating you should take on depends on how