Who Should Use an Employment Agency

Who Should Use an Employment AgencyWho Should Use an Employment AgencyIf youve ever been in need of a job STAT youve probably used or looked into using the services of an employment agency. These companies provide a valuable interface between employers looking for immediate, typically temporary work and skilled labor who are in between positions or otherwise unable to find permanent, long term positions. Employment agencies accept a payment or premium, typically from employers, in return for finding the perfect candidate to step in and step up to immediate work.As a kompetenz employment candidate, you may be wondering whether using an employment agency is right for your employment goals. If this sounds like a familiar query, youre in luck. We break down the pros, minuses and whether your particular circumstances fit with the employment agency model.Do You Have Skills that are in High Demand?If youre a candidate with a skill set that many employers are searching for, you may benefit f rom consistent work and high pay offered by the broker services of an employment agency. Many smaller companies are in need of highly skilled professionals with niche job titles, but many not always have the consistent need dictated by hiring someone full time. This leads to an incredible supply and demand opportunity that could see you earning big returns with an agency that can place you in the right role.Get Help Testing Out the Job MarketFor candidates that are inexperienced in hunting down potential positions, employment agencies can provide expert assistance in matching your skills with just the right position. This can be a highly valuable service for those transitioning career paths or that may be facing outsourced or changing roles due to shifts in the employment market. Employment agencies can also offer help to candidates without a great absprache of interviewing or job searching experience taking the uncertainty out of locating or applying for a job in the first place.A Chance to Get Your Foot in the DoorWhile typically an opportunity for temporary work, some larger companies are increasingly using employment agencies to hire for both short and long term staffing. If you locate your dream company, check to see if they hire mainly or even exclusively through a given staffing agency. If thats the case, you may want to take a short term agency position to get your proverbial and physical foot in the door. Once you have the position, itll be your job to impress and convince the company to keep you for the long term.Fill Out The Experience Portion of Your ResumeEmployment agency positions are an especially excellent resource for those in need of adding experience to their resume. Weve covered in the past how the job market is increasingly competitive meaning that employers are expecting relevant skills and experience for even entry level positions. Employment agencies can place candidates that may have practical abilities but lack past positions. Agency roles have no less of value on a resume than a traditional job role meaning that otherwise qualified candidates can benefit greatly from adding substance to their CVs.Networking is (Career) LifeTemporary positions that you may accept through an employment agency provide the same kind of networking opportunities as do traditional job placements. Even if you dont end up scoring a long term position with your employer, job seekers can use the chance to network with other professionals in their field. These contact can become valuable references, resources and more as you progress along your career path or transition into a search for long-term, permanent work.Employment Agencies Arent for EveryoneWhile there are numerous benefits to using an employment agency to snag temporary, short-term work, there are inevitably going to be job-seekers that should steer away from these types of job placement operation. Employment agencies are usually poor options for those seeking long term work. I f youre an experienced candidate with prospects for traditional interviews, employment agencies may offer less total income in the long run as well. Additionally, when you accept a position with an agency you limit the time you have for searching for permanent work. Finally, candidates should be aware that some companies have policies in place that prohibit hiring agency workers for available long term work which could undermine your ability to get in with that company of your dreams.Overall, employment agencies provide a valuable resource for candidates in need of work on the go. While some individuals may benefit more than others, those in need of work on an ASAP basis cant go wrong utilizing the services of a respectable placement firm. If youre looking for work and fall into one of the categories above, give an agency a try and see how you can build career success on a short term basis.

13 Social Media Changes Thatll Boost Your Career - The Muse

13 Social Media Changes Thatll Boost Your Career - The Muse13 Social Media Changes Thatll Boost Your CareerYou use social media right? I bet youre on it now, scrolling between this article and your Facebook feed while simultaneously tilting your screen away from your boss eyesight. (I see you there.)Well, while youre on it, why bedrngnis make some moves in the right direction? Yes, theres such a thing as using social media to boost your career- and I have 13 things you can do today thatll make you a better candidate, employee, and manager.1. Follow Publications in Your IndustryThis is the easiest way to bring industry news, trends, and updates right to you- just like their pages and watch your newsfeed fill with articles, videos, and discussions. Then you can use that knowledge to impress your boss, co-workers, or an interviewer.2. Follow Influencers in Your IndustryGet some daily doses of advice and guidance (and even expand your professional network) by following big guys in your f ield.Or, check out these important peeps on Twitter and LinkedIn for some general career tips.3. Then Share Their StuffWhen you share, comment, or like something, people see it. Which means you can abflug to build your personal brand and become a thought leader in your space with the click of a button. Find articles or posts that inspire you, express your thoughts (better than you can), or make you ask questions. Share them, comment with your thoughts, or tag people who might also like them. The mora good stuff you attach to your name, the more reputable youll look.4. Get a Professional PhotoIs your LinkedIn photo a blurry zoom-in of your face in a crowd of people? Trade it out with a clear image of you in front a simple background. Does your Facebook profile pic feature one too many drinks? Swap it out with something more daytime appropriate. Does your Twitter lack a photo of you? Add one- it means all the difference when hiring managers see your face.5. Go All OutJust because you have to professionalize your profiles doesnt mean they have to be bland. Add a fun yet polished background photo to both Twitter and LinkedIn. 6. Write a Personal BioYes, this is super important to putting on a good online face. Luckily, we have plenty of useful templates for LinkedIn and Twitter so you dont have to spend hours crafting the perfect one.7. Like Other Peoples StuffDid your colleague write an article on Pulse? Share it and tag him or her. Did your boss just get married? Comment with a Congrats, Im so excited for you two Impressed by a co-worker? Throw some endorsements their way on LinkedIn.These little things keep your network warm, get your name out there, and encourage people to do the same. Speaking of8. Ask for Likes in ReturnCompleted a project you want to spread the word on? Share it and then add a comment asking followers to share if it inspires them or add their own opinions and thoughts. Another idea to enhance your LinkedIn profile is to get a recommendation . How do you make the ask? Heres a quick step-by-step guide.As long as youre not begging, people will most likely be willing to go that extra mile to help you out (because, you guessed it, it makes them look good, too).9. Join a GroupThere are tons of awesome groups on Facebook and LinkedIn where you can participate in interesting conversations, get advice on just about any work situation, or even network your way to a job. All you have to do is find one you like and join in10. Connect With Your Extended NetworkThis sounds super obvious, but Id bet there are plenty of people you know who youre not actually connected with on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter. Find alumni in your desired field, friends from high school, or past co-workers and send them a short, personalized message asking to connect. You never know what they can offer you.11. StalkAdmit it, you do this already. Im just suggesting you do it for more work-related reasons. Say, stalking a companys Instagram so yo u have something to talk about in an interview. Or, going through an influencers Twitter feed to get a feel for how they manage their office (and how you can, too). Or, checking out someones Pinterest so you have an anecdote to include in your cold email. Its not creepy- its research.12. EditMaybe you made your professional bio months ago and dont want to rewrite it. Fine- but how about editing it? Cut out unnecessary buzzwords, cliches, or jargon, as well as long-winded stories about your love for hiking and fresh air. Add bullet points to your most important previous experiences, or remove old and irrelevant ones.Not sure if your contents 100% HR-approved, but not willing to change it? Well then consider changing your privacy settings.13. Google YourselfOK, so this isnt something you do on social media, but its very much related. Hiring managers Google you. They just do. So type in your name and see what comes up. Is it a really old profile you forgot making on some outdated, forg otten platform? Get rid of it.Then, figure out how you can make the good things more visible (and the bad things less). Hint This guide might help.We always think boosting our careers requires us to put everything down and start from scratch. The thing is, all the stuff you do now on social media is just as key to succeeding in the job search or moving up in your company. You just need to rethink how you use it. And if youre still worried youre not making the best impression online, these six rules of social media should get you on the right path.Photo of person on phone courtesy of Hero Images/Getty Images.

What can I do to create a better work-life balance

What can I do to create a better work-life balanceWhat can I do to create a better work-life balanceHow do I balance work and family?You dont At least not if you want to have a truly successful career/business and a budding family life.Let me explain.When people talk about work/life balance they are suggesting that somehow work, hobbies, family life, and social life are all weighted and created equal.But they arent.Theres no world where it makes sense to spend 8 hours of your day sleeping, 8 hours on work, and another 8 with your family.You have other responsibilities too.You have your physical health, need for personal time, self-education, travel, commuting, and a myriad of other tasks that fill your day.There are simply too many other things that need to be done to balance work and family.So what should you do instead?Simple Cycle them.Let me explain 1. Life as a spinning plateHave you ever seen someone at a circus (or more likely on YouTube) spinning a plate?If so, then you proba bly noticed that the hardest part of spinning a plate isnt balancing it Its getting it spinning fast enough that its easy to balance.Your life is the same way.When it comes to your work and family life, getting the plate spinning is the hardest part.Once you have a cash flow positive business that more or less runs itself, its easy to keep that going.Once your career has taken off and you have systems in place and people to help you succeed, its not that difficult to keep it going.Once you have cultivated deep intimacy with your wife or a close bond with your children, its easier to maintain that even during times of higher work responsibilities.So your job is to pick the ONE area of your life that needs the fruchtwein improvement and focus on that until its spinning.For example, if you have a great relationship with your wife and kids but are only making $50,000 a year and struggling financially, then sit down with your family and explain that youre going to take the next 6 months to build a side hustle that will give you AND your family more freedom and options.Then, spend those 6 months building a $3,000/month side hustle and then let it run itself while you refocus on family.Or maybe youre already making 6 or multiple 6-figures but you havent spent any time with your children and cant remember the last time you went on a date night.If this is the case, then take your foot off the pedal at work for a little bit and focus all of your attention on rekindling that spark with your wife and that connection with your kids.Focus on the area that needs the most work.Bring it up to speed, then refocus, and shift gears.2. Focus on the big rocksWhile the spinning plate analogy is helpful for you to understand why the traditional idea of work/life balance doesnt work, equally as important is understanding that NO MATTER what youre focusing on, you cant put ALL of your attention into one area of life without serious repercussions.So no matter which plate youre trying to spin you need to make sure that you always take care of the BIG rocks each week.Specifically, no matter what your 1 priority is right now you shouldCommit to one weekly date night with your partner NO MATTER WHATSpend the first 3 hours of your workday focused on DEEP work every dayExercise for at least 3 hours a weekSpend at least 60 minutes of quality time with your kids every dayBy making sure that you have your big rocks taken care of each week, youll ensure that no one area starts to regress while you attempt to make progredienz in another.Every area of your life should be moving forward at all times.Some areas will move faster than others, but they should all be moving.3. Create clear separation between work and family timeOne of the biggest reasons that people struggle to balance work and family life is that they have no boundaries between them.They talk to their wife while theyre at the office. They check work email while playing with their kids. They plan family vacations w hile trying to write a memo for work. They take calls from clients while theyre out to dinner with their spouses.If you want to create more balance in your life, start by setting better boundaries between your work and family life.Leave your computer at the office and turn your phone off when you leave.Tell your family that you cant be interrupted while working.Set clear delineations between work time and family time and both of them will improve.Hope this helps.Stay Grounded,AndrewThis post first appeared on Quora.