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Trick Or Treat Yourself To A New Job

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If you are one of the millions of Americans considering joining “The Great Resignation,” you are certainly not alone. Approximately four million people quit their jobs in July 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Additionally, LinkedIn noted that 176 million U.S. members added new employers to their profiles in September alone. Due to job uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, many people stayed put throughout 2020, drastically decreasing quit rates. But now that hiring has increased, employees are recognizing burnout and seizing new opportunities. If this sounds like you, October is a great month to kick off your job search. But you don’t want to run into any tricks along the way! We’re breaking down of few of the tricks and treats you might encounter if you’re looking for a new job this fall.

Trick: COVID-Related Questions

No matter what you have encountered in your professional life over the last two years, you will be asked COVID-related interview questions. These questions can range from addressing layoffs or why you’re leaving your current position, to skills you added during lockdowns, to how you think your company handled the pandemic.

When these questions come up, try to avoid getting bogged down in negativity. Give a brief and direct answer, and then pivot the question into your excitement for this opportunity. Highlight the skills you gained, the lessons you learned, and the goals you established for your next job.

Treat: More Remote Openings

One of the few upsides to the pandemic is that it forced companies to get familiar with flexible work environments. On LinkedIn alone, there are over 480,000 remote job openings currently. This is in stark comparison to a mere 7,000 remote job opportunities listed online in March of 2020.

While these openings are remote, it can give you a leg up to look for companies hiring remote positions in your city. Eventually, these companies may go back to in-person or a hybrid work model. Thus, they will see value in having someone local who can join meetings face-to-face or even meet for the occasional happy hour.

Trick: Navigating Virtual Interviews

No matter how many tools we have at our disposal, virtual interviews will always be tricky. They are challenging to navigate between connection issues, missed social cues, background distractions, and the inevitable “what do I do with my hands?” they are challenging to navigate.

When preparing for a virtual interview, it’s essential to do a trial run (or two.) Make sure your background is clean and clutter-free, your notes don’t make too much rustling noise, and your wifi connection is strong. Right as you kick off the interview, share any potential distractions with your interviewer. Luckily, most employers are understanding of a pup warding off the mailman or a toddler looking for an extra hug.

Treat: Flexible Interview Situations

One of the upsides of interviewing in a virtual professional world is that it’s typically easier to squeeze an interview into your schedule. If you’re currently working remotely, you can avoid the awkward excuses or sneaking around that usually accompany interviewing for a new role.

Even though it’s easier to schedule an interview, remember to stay respectful of your current employer. Take a late lunch and block it off on your calendar or let your manager know you will have to step out for an appointment.

Trick: Competitive Market

With so many remote openings, lots of people are putting feelers out there. This is especially true for mid-career employees between the ages of 30 and 45. If you’re in one of the more competitive age groups or industries, you could be going up against dozens of highly qualified applicants.

To stand out from the crowd, do something that goes above and beyond. If the job requests an optional cover letter, submit one! Create a mockup of what you could do for the company. Highlight a personal connection to the mission. To top it off, send a thank you note immediately after your interview. These little things will make a big difference when it comes to landing a job during a uniquely competitive market.

Treat: A Renewed Focus On Diversity & Inclusion

Many companies have experienced tremendous growth over the past two years, and we aren’t talking about headcount. As a result of major social movements and leaderships committed to change, organizations are boosting their diversity and inclusion programs.

Don’t be afraid to ask about diversity and inclusion during the interview. In a candidate’s market, you should feel empowered to hold companies accountable. And ultimately, you want to work for a team that shares the same values as you!

Hopefully, your job search is more treats than tricks! But for all the advice you need to make it through, explore our candidate resources here.

3 Reasons Why You’re Being Ghosted By Candidates

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With an unemployment rate of 3.5 percent, almost every employer out there has been ghosted recently. Job seekers are optimistic about today’s job market and are taking risks when committing to job offers. So much so that 28 percent of candidates have backed out of a job offer after accepting it. And nearly half of those “ghosts” (44 percent) did so because they accepted a more lucrative opportunity. If you don’t want to join the 83 percent of employers that have been ghosted by candidates, here are three reasons why candidates are ghosting you.

The job market is scary good

With 7.1 million job openings throughout the country, there are literally millions of different opportunities out there. And with a 6.26 percent decrease in unemployment claims year-over-year, there isn’t an abundance of available workers. In other words, the labor market is a frightening place for employers. With so many job opportunities to pick from and a rapidly shrinking talent pool, job seekers have the luxury of being selective.

Your hiring process is driving candidates batty

If your process is too slow, you are more likely to be ghosted by your candidates. If it’s taking you weeks to reach out to candidates for a phone screening or an initial interview, you’re likely too late. Hiring managers are currently filling jobs in less than four weeks. So, if your process is taking much longer than that, you are probably going to miss out on candidates. Try to find bottlenecks in your process that are taking too long. Once you’ve identified hiccups, you can adjust your hiring process relatively painlessly to scare off the ghosts.

Your offer letters are full of cobwebs

In today’s market, you have to present candidates with a strong offer from the get-go. If you’re not competitive with your compensation or other benefits, you may be scaring job-seekers away. Many candidates are receiving multiple offers, so if you don’t provide a desirable offer quickly, they will join the 44 percent of job seekers that back out for more lucrative offers.

If your team is struggling to combat all of the job-seeking ghosts out there, reach out to a professional recruiting firm that specializes in your industry. We have all the tools your team needs to fight off the job seeking ghouls and goblins. Contact us today!

Five Things That Will Haunt Your Job Search

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Did you know that October is the hottest month for hiring? If you’re interested in taking advantage of today’s 3.5 percent unemployment rate, there are millions of opportunities across the country. However, regardless of the condition of today’s labor market, you still have to be conscious of how you pursue your job search. Here are five things that will haunt your job search, even in today’s tight market.

Not doing your homework

Whether it’s writing your resume or preparing for an interview, you must do your homework on the company. When drafting your resume, take a close look at what’s on the job description. You essentially want your resume to mirror their job description to demonstrate that you’re qualified for the position. And for an interview, you want to take a deep dive online to prepare. Check out their website, social media accounts, and do a quick Google search. Try to gather an idea of their company culture, mission and values, and recent news about the company. These will all help you create talking points during your interview. More and more companies are beginning to ask candidates what they know about their company to see if they came prepared and to evaluate how serious they are about the position.

Apply for too many jobs at the same company

Be careful where you apply. It’s never a good idea to apply for numerous positions at the same company during the same period. It comes across as desperate to hiring managers and human resources professionals. Sure, applying for a couple of jobs is fine if you’re qualified for each of them. However, if you go down the list of open positions and apply for a handful of them, it can spook the company. And if you’re applying for a bunch of jobs, be cautious; it’s easier than you think to apply to the same company multiple times without realizing it. So, don’t scare away your chances of receiving a job before you even get a shot at an interview.

Not dressing appropriately for your interview

If you’re heading into an interview, make sure you dress appropriately. And that doesn’t always mean wearing a suit and tie. If it’s an onsite interview at a manufacturing plant or mining facility, bring your steel-toed boots. If it’s an office setting, you’ll want to dress at least business casual. The key is to dress one step above the company’s typical office attire. If you’re not sure what to wear, ask HR. But when in doubt, always dress for success.

Poor communication

In this candidate-driven market, hiring managers are struggling with being ghosted – candidates who suddenly drop out of the interviewing process. If you stop communicating with hiring managers or HR, they’ll probably assume you’re no longer interested. Strong and clear communication is vital throughout the entire process. If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to ask them. But when a hiring manager reaches out to you, respond appropriately, or they may assume you’re dropping your name out of the race.

Not working with a recruiter

Have you worked with a recruiter before? If you really want to step up your job search game, then team up with a professional recruiter, like one from JSG. We have a talented team of recruiters that specialize in a wide array of industries. We build strong relationships with hiring managers and will help get your resume on the top of their desks instead of it just sitting in a pile on their computer. We’ll walk you through every step to ensure your job search isn’t haunted. Ready to take your career to the next level? Reach out to us today, and we’ll help you find your next opportunity!

How to Prevent Getting Ghosted By Your Candidates

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If you’re a hiring manager, you’ve probably been ghosted by a candidate or two. Haven’t heard of that term yet? Ghosting is when a candidate drops off the face of the earth at some point during the hiring process. It can be for just a phone screening or as extreme as failing to show up for their first day of work. With an all-time low unemployment rate of 3.5 percent, candidates have a lot of job opportunities in front of them. In other words, they may drop out of the interviewing process at any moment without as much as an email.

If you’re worried about finding the talent you need before the end of the year, here are a few tips on how to prevent getting ghosted by your candidates.

Strong communication with candidates

Clear communication is essential if you want to avoid getting ghosted by your candidates. Keep candidates in the loop by letting them know what steps are next and what is to be expected each step through your process. Provide clear and real expectations, so everyone is on the same page. The best thing you can do is be upfront with your candidates from the very beginning, as communication is vital for a successful hire. Basically, you want to create a roadmap for them from the first communication to the hiring decision. If candidates know what is to come, they will be less likely to be spooked and ghost you during the hiring process.

Efficient hiring process

Every organizations’ hiring process is different. However, every hiring manager can identify ways to streamline the process for your candidates. Take a 10,000-foot view of your hiring process and try to identify inefficiencies. Are you taking too long to make hiring decisions? Does it take your team days and says to schedule interviews? Write these things down and try to find ways to reduce them. The longer your hiring process takes, the more likely it is that you will scare off candidates. If it takes you weeks or even months to make a hiring decision, you will likely miss out on top candidates. If you take too long, candidates will drop like flies and head to competitors that have a quicker hiring process.

Smooth onboarding process

The best thing you can do to mitigate ghosting is to have a seamless onboarding process. Once you extend an offer to a candidate, set a start date, and stick with it. Don’t move it around to try and accommodate your schedule. It’s a candidate-driven market, and hiring managers must act with a sense of urgency. Don’t take months to onboard a candidate. The longer it takes for them to start, the more likely they will bail and pursue other opportunities. And in today’s market, many candidates are entertaining multiple job offers, so a quick onboarding process will help eliminate the odds of your candidates backing out of your offer and accepting another.

Hire the candidate “ghostbusters”

If you still find yourself being ghosted by candidates, it may be time to hire some pros known as candidate ghostbusters. Partner with a recruiter that specializes in your industry. We’ll help you identify and eliminate inefficiencies in your process so you can worry less about getting ghosted by your candidates.

Happy Halloween from JSG

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This year, JSG offices around the nation were feeling very spirited! Thank you to those who shared their fun Halloween pictures. Check out some of the spooky costumes and decorations from the JSG team!

Spokane, WA

Spokane Halloween

Irvine, CA Office

Irvine Halloween

San Jose, CA Office

San Jose Halloween

Onsite Tesla Team

Tesla Halloween

Calabasas, CA Office

Calabasas Halloween

Halloween Fun In California

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Our California offices got into the Halloween spirit this year! Who wore it best?

JSG San Jose

JSG Calabasas

JSG Irvine

The 5 Scariest Resume Mistakes We’ve Ever Seen

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The 5 Scariest Resume Mistakes We've Ever Seen

As a recruiting company, we see a lot of resumes come across our desks. No matter how experienced a candidate is, we have seen some truly frightening mistakes. Have you fallen victim to these common resume trip-ups?

Lack Of Personality

When applying for a job, many people end up using dozens of cliché resume words like “motivated, responsible, team player…” etc. These tend to just make the hiring managers roll their eyes and are seen as “fluff.” Instead, use action words paired with results. For example: “Implemented a newsletter campaign that reached 40,000 customers per month.”

While a robot makes a great Halloween costume, it’s not a great look for your resume. In an effort to portray yourself as professional on paper, it’s easy to come across as robotic. Make sure to insert a little personality here and there so the reader can get a sense of who you actually are.

No Proofreading!

Understand your flaws so you can catch them right away. I know I have a problem using consistent verb tenses, so this is the first thing that I always check on my documents!

Use the buddy system (for trick or treating AND proofreading!) Have a friend/colleague/mentor review your resume. Have them check not only for typos but also formatting and clarity.

Too Long

Your resume does not have to chronicle your entire work history! Try to stick with the most relevant skills and experiences (or you’ll bore your reader to death.) Keep the focus on what matters most and cut everything else. Try to keep it on one page, two pages max if you have a significant amount of related experience.

No Keywords

This resume mistake might actually be the scariest – because it makes your resume virtually invisible to hiring managers (especially if you’re submitting it through an online portal!) Be sure to include all of the keywords listed on the job description and then some. (Pro tip: if you list any certifications or other abbreviations, include the abbreviated version AND the long-hand version. Ex: Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Not Customizing

This one makes recruiters (and marketing professionals like myself) scream with terror. When you are viewing a job description, you are given a golden ticket full of every detail you need to create a perfect resume. Mimic the verbiage and style of each job description to highlight how qualified you are. I know it sounds like a pain, but do you want a quick job application with no interview or a more labor-intensive process that leads to landing your dream job?