INFO AND RESOURCES FOR JOB SEEKERS Archives

How to Include Temp Work on Your Resume

by Jeanne Knutzen | October 29, 2013

0 Blog, Human Resource Roles, INFO AND RESOURCES FOR JOB SEEKERS temp agencies in seattle, temp agencies seattle, temporary employment agencies in seattle, Temporary Employment Agencies Seattle, temporary employment agencies seattle wa

As some job seekers look for a long term position in their chosen industry, they tend to reach the “work history” section of their resumes-in-progress and pause to consider a nearly-universal question: What’s the best way to address a period of temp work? How can you use your resume to frame your short term job and clarify the relevance of your temporary responsibilities to the position you’re currently pursuing? Some job seekers are tempted to gloss over this period as a necessary, but not very noteworthy, place holder. Some even omit this entire chapter from their resumes. But there’s no need to take this step if you can describe your temporary work accurately and stay on message. Keep these tips in mind. 1. Include the name of the staffing firm that placed you in the position. Some staffing firms are known for their specific focus on IT work, financial clients, or medical positions, and some have a reputation for working with clients in every industry. Listing the name of your firm can help employers understand a bit more about your focus area and the kind of work you’re looking for. 2. Include the length of your assignment or assignments. Just add start and end dates to each temporary position you held while you worked with a given staffing firm. This can give employers a sense of your versatility and your ability to handle different types of responsibilities. It can also show how adept you are at learning new procedures quickly and staying flexible. 3. Include specific detail about the responsibilities you handled during your longest, proudest, or most relevant position. Feel free to describe the professional teams you joined or supported, the larger goals of your projects, and the ways in which your work contributed to company success. Even if you weren’t there during a project’s inception and didn't stay to see the ultimate outcome, you still invested heavily in the company during your tenure. Share your level of commitment and document what you accomplished. 4. Explain how your temporary accomplishments and responsibilities contributed to your growth as an employee, and discuss how this work prepared you for the job at hand. Employers will want to know how your three months as an admin or technician helped you learn the finer points of customer service, sales, public speaking, horizontal management, etc, etc. For general job search guidance and more on how to use the details of your temp position to help your resume stand out, contact the Seattle staffing pros at Pace. If you are looking for temporary employment agencies in Seattle, contact us today.

Seattle Accounting Career Options

by Jeanne Knutzen | October 22, 2013

0 Blog, Finance/Accounting Roles, INFO AND RESOURCES FOR JOB SEEKERS accounting jobs in seattle wa, jobs in seattle, Jobs In Seattle WA, jobs seattle, jobs seattle wa

Are your about to complete your degree in accounting or finance and start searching for accounting positions in the Seattle area? Maybe you’re in the midst of a career transition and you’re on the verge of completing your CPA exams and taking a full time position in field of public accounting or private financial management. In either case, now is the time—if you haven’t done so already—to explore your options in three different areas of the accounting field. Seattle positions in all three of these focus areas are widely available, but each field varies widely in terms of growth, responsibilities, and continuing education options. So you’ll need to conduct some research and choose the path that best fits your personality and long term goals. Tax Accounting As a tax accountant, it will be your responsibility to make sure your clients are following applicable tax laws and making accurate payments based on current state and federal requirements. Available exemptions, payroll taxes, taxes on investments and dividends, and taxes on imported and exported products will all fall under your purview. Financial Accounting Financial accountants also help clients stay compliant with financial reporting requirements, including accurate communication with shareholders. As a financial accountant, you may be reviewing quarterly reports before they’re disseminated and helping shareholder boards make financial decisions that keep them in line with their fiduciary responsibilities. Financial accountants also help companies monitor expenses and track revenue streams in order to use financial resources efficiently. Management Accounting Management accounts focus on helping the company cut expenses and increase its revenue by making intelligent decisions based on cost-benefit ratios and customer demand. If you pursue this type of accounting career, you’ll be employed by one company, and you’ll play a crucial role in helping the company pursue a strategy that leads to growth and long term financial health. This position may require some management training and a CMA certification. For more information about the specific responsibilities and training required for each of these areas of public and private accounting, arrange an appointment with the Seattle financial staffing experts at Pace. If you are looking for accounting jobs in Seattle WA, contact us today.

The Benefits of a Temp Job in Seattle

by Jeanne Knutzen | September 26, 2013

0 Blog, INFO AND RESOURCES FOR JOB SEEKERS temp jobs in seattle, temp jobs in seattle wa, temp jobs seattle, temp jobs seattle wa, temp jobs seattle washington

If you've been on the job market for a while and you haven’t yet secured the permanent, full time position you’re looking for, you may be thinking about taking a closer look at your options, revising your search strategy, or starting to reach out for professional career guidance. These are all wise moves, especially if you haven’t received any viable offers for six months or more. While you’re turning outward for resume assistance and job search tips (the experts at Pace are a great resource!), it’s also a great idea to consider stepping into a temporary job. If you've never considered this option or you think temp jobs aren't right for you, take a closer look. Decades ago, temporary employment provided a transitional option for those involved in secretarial or administrative work, but at this point, temp agencies have come a long way. These services now provide support to almost every profession, from food service to engineering, healthcare, manufacturing, and marketing. Regardless of your skill area or level of expertise, a professional staffing agency can connect you to the employer client you need. Here are a few ways a staffing firm can support your career. A Temp Job Keeps Your Resume Active Stop worrying about the growing gap in your resume. Even if the temp job you step into isn’t what you want to be doing from now until the day you retire, this position can keep your resume fresh, updated, and active. It feels nice to list a “current employer” at the top of your work history section when you send your resume off to a hiring manager. New Experience and Skill Sets No matter where your next temp job takes you, this position will provide you with exposure to a new aspect of your current business, or a new business altogether. And with new experience coms new skill sets. Learn how to handle a new content database or customer relationship management system and you can add this to your career toolkit (and your resume as well). A temporary position can also keep you immersed in your own field and allow you to stay on top of industry trends and changes. New Names and Faces Along with new skill sets and exposure, a temp job can introduce you to new people and keep your network active and growing. The more people you meet and contacts you establish, the stronger your foothold will become in a job market where no position is entirely secure. If you are looking for a temp agency in Seattle WA, contact PACE today.

75% of Your Workforce is “Always Looking”

by Jeanne Knutzen | March 12, 2013

0 Blog, INFO AND RESOURCES FOR JOB SEEKERS, What's New in Staffing? American Staffing Association, American Workforce, Facebook, Job Seekers, Jobvite, LinkedIn, Seattle Staffing, Seattle Staffing Agency, Seattle Temp Staffing, Social Media Recruiting seattle, Twitter

According to social media thought leader, Jobvite, in their 2012 Social Job Seeker Survey, 75% of US workers are constantly looking for work—a number that is up six percentage points over the comparable count in 2011. While 1/3 of these job seekers feel less optimistic about finding a job today than they did a year ago, 41% of employed job seekers believe they are overqualified for the jobs they currently hold. Jobvite's Social Job Seeker Survey 2012 polled over 2,100 adults, 1300 of that number were either currently employed or unemployed and considered themselves actively looking for work. According to the Jobvite survey, Facebook is the leading social network in the American workforce with 83% participating at some level in Facebook activity. Both Twitter and LinkedIn enjoyed major increases in 2012 compared to 2011 with Twitter now being used by 46% of the workforce; LinkedIn used by 41%. Not surprising, those people considered job seekers were shown to be more social than the overall workforce—88% had at least one social networking profile; 64% had accounts with at least two networks and 44% using three or more. With 1 in 4 job seekers (24%) indicating that they were asked for their social media profiles as part of an application process, more workers reported they had updated their profile content with professional information in 2012 than they had in the year prior. In previous studies, Jobvite has found that 86% of recruiters occasionally look at social profiles for candidates they interview, with 48% reporting they always do so. According to press releases by Jobvite, Dan Finnigan, President and CEO said that “maintaining an online presence and keeping employment top-of-mind at all times are vital to professional success.” Facebook Stats

52% of job seekers use Facebook to help find work, up from 48% in 2011
14% searched for jobs on Facebook
17% provided their Facebook profile on a job application or during an interview
70% of Facebook-using job seekers are male, 63% are under the age of 40, 40% earn more than $75,000 and 36% are college graduates

LinkedIn Stats

38% of job seekers use LinkedIn to help find work; up from 30% in 2011
19% had a contact share a job on LinkedIn (vs. 8% in 2011)
11% searched for jobs on LinkedIn
9% provided their LinkedIn profile on a job application or during an interview
60% of LinkedIn-using job seekers are male, 62% are under the age of 40, 51% earn more than $75,000 and 50% are college graduates

Twitter Stats

34% of job seekers use Twitter to help find work; up from 26% in 2011
11% had a contact share a job on Twitter (vs. 7% in 2011)
10% searched for jobs on Twitter
10% provided their Twitter profile on a job application or during an interview
67% of Twitter-using job seekers are male, 69% are under the age of 40, 46% earn more than $75,000 and 44% are college graduates

Jobvite is a leading recruiting platform for the social web, providing companies with applicant tracking, recruiter CRM and social recruiting software. Information on their press release was provided by the American Staffing Association. For more information on Jobvite and their 2012 Social Media Survey, visit www.jobvite.com.

Ask What You can Do for the Company

by Jeanne Knutzen | February 7, 2013

0 Blog, INFO AND RESOURCES FOR JOB SEEKERS employment in Seattle, employment in seattle wa, employment seattle wa, employment services seattle, employment services seattle wa, staffing services in seattle wa, staffing services seattle

Here at the Pace Staffing Network, we often hear the same lament from job seekers over and over again: “I was turned down for a position I really wanted…What did I do wrong?” Nine times out of ten, a closer look at the applicant’s resume and cover letter will reveal a similar problem, and that problem has to do with what the marketing world calls a “value proposition.” Your resume is a proposal of sorts, or a request, and all effective requests and proposals can be summarized in ten words or less. For example, a company selling a car will research its target audience and present a simple message that appeals to that specific audience, as in “This car will keep you safe”, or “This car will make you look cool in front of your friends.” Your resume needs a value proposition. And as you put your simple message together, you’ll need to focus on your target audience. Ask yourself what your customer wants, NOT what you want. Don’t think of this as a two-way dialogue, or a negotiation in which you both gain something you need (in reality, that’s what it is—after all, you’ll work hard in exchange for your pay, and you’re not asking for a favor. But before you negotiate the terms of this agreement, you’ll have to edge out twenty other candidates in order to receive an offer.) Instead, figure out exactly what your potential employer wants and make it clear that you can offer this specific service, skill, talent, or attitude. Focus on Your Value Proposition: What do you have to Offer? Before you sit down and start typing, think. Read the job posting very carefully, then read it again. Visit the company website and think like a detective. Use your instincts, study the way this company’s business model works, and put yourself in the shoes of the hiring manager who will review your application. If you were in her position, what would you be looking for above all else? Remember these four truths that are very likely to apply to her situation: 1. She’s busy. She’s not going to spend an hour trying to figure out why you’ve suddenly decided to give up your retail career in order to pursue a job in IT. If you’re making this switch, clearly tell her why, and do so within the first three sentences of your cover letter and resume summary section. 2. She has a pile of resumes on her desk from candidates just as qualified as you are. 3. She needs something done that she can’t do herself. That’s why she’s in hiring mode. 4. Her reputation is on the line. If her chosen candidate does well, then she’s done well. Keep these things in mind as you formulate your value proposition. This simple, short, elegant statement should provide the central framework that supports your entire application. For more guidance on assembling and fleshing out this framework, turn to the Seattle job search experts at Pace.

Accountants: How to Polish Your Job Search Strategy

by Jeanne Knutzen | January 23, 2013

0 Blog, Finance/Accounting Roles, INFO AND RESOURCES FOR JOB SEEKERS accounting jobs in seattle, accounting staffing agencies in seattle, accounting staffing agency in seattle, accounting staffing agency seattle, staffing agencies in seattle

While accountants have suffered from the recent economic slowdown just as much as professionals in other fields, laid-off accountants with great job search strategies don’t tend to stay on the market for very long. If you’ve recently been turned loose by your employer, dust yourself off and get back in the game as quickly as possible by keeping these considerations in mind.

Job Search Tips

1. Take on private work. If you specialize in tax management or any other aspect of the field that you carry with you, reach out to potential private clients while you search for a new employer in order to keep your track record current. Licensed CPAs are always in demand, so stay busy until you find a new full time position.

2. Don’t gather moss. If you need to take a few days to decompress and deal with the emotional aspects of your transition, do so, but don’t let your wheels start to spin. As soon as you feel up to it, start scanning your list of contacts on LinkedIn, Facebook and your private address book. When you see the name of someone who can offer you guidance and advice, pick up the phone and make a lunch date.

3. Get resume help. Of course you’ll need to update and polish your resume, but this time, get some real outside assistance. A professional resume editor can take you through the process, clean up the mistakes you can’t see, and provide vital perspective.

4. Think about expanding your range of options. If you see a job posting in another state, are you in a position to move? Make these kinds of decisions now, so you can buckle down later and keep your eyes and typing fingers aimed only at the realistic jobs you really want.

5. Get face time. A flawless resume might get your foot in the door, but even better, try to show up at the conferences and networking events where your potential employers may be making an appearance.

6. Reach out to others in the same position. Were you laid off with a large group of peers? If so, stay in touch and find ways to help each other. Share leads, ask for leads, and turn to one another for conversation and support when the going gets rough.

A layoff isn’t the end of the world, especially for finance professionals and certified CPAs, who are still in demand in many areas of the country. Just stay positive and keep moving and you’ll put this chapter behind you as fast as possible. If you are looking for accounting staffing agencies in Seattle, contact Pace for job search tips and a list of available accounting positions in your area.