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Whether you're just starting out in life, looking to make a career change or (lucky you!) trying to decide between multiple job offers, you may find the possibilities overwhelming. How do you figure out which job will best fit your skills, passion and personality? What if you aren't fully qualified for the job you want?   Here are some methods that may help you identify — and land — your perfect job.   Describe Your Ideal Job and Employer This is about more than your work duties. Write down a complete profile of the role and the corporate culture that will best fulfill your dreams.   Think about what you liked or didn't like about past jobs. What types of activities do you like best — group/team efforts or working by yourself; a structured routine or planning your own workflow; a hands-off boss or one that keeps an eye on everything; high pressure deadlines or a relaxed pace; tons of overtime or work-life balance? What duties did you most enjoy that you would like...

  If you’ve been on the internet in the past week, month, day, or half-hour, you’ve most likely seen some version of the headline, “How COVID-19 Will Permanently Alter [Insert Industry Here].”   And for a good reason. The pandemic has shined a light on the lack of a business continuity plan in many industries — including recruiting. The process of building teams is quickly evolving for countless companies, and this change is especially daunting for organizations that lack a flexible staffing strategy.   Whether trying to find temp workersor something a bit more permanent, recruiting and staffing won’t be the same once the pandemic subsides. What will it look like then?   1. It’ll be from a distance. Social distancing won’t just be a solution for decluttering restaurants and bars. Recruiting from a distance — and with the help of virtual technology — will be essential to any business continuity plan.   Much of the recruiting cycle (e.g., sourcing, interviewing, etc.)...

Many businesses haven't operated "normally" — if at all — for months. As we step out of lockdown and back into the workplace, what will be our new reality? What changes will be permanent? How can we smooth the transition for companies and workers alike?   Safety Practices The most visible changes will be to the physical space. New barriers, equipment, workflows and cleaning protocols will confront the returning worker. Businesses must keep up to date on the latest health and safety recommendations to help employees feel comfortable about being in the workplace.   Phasing In Employees may also have to get used to not seeing the usual crew. In order to limit the number of employees present at the same time, many companies are bringing workers back gradually, with the most essential (or those who volunteered) returning first.   Alternatively, some businesses are establishing staggered work times, or a weekly in/out rotation where some teams are in the office while other...

Hospital and doctor’s office visits are a necessary evil. While they are for our own good, these sessions can be time-consuming, uncomfortable, and inconvenient. The emergence of telemedicine has helped ease those potential worries by providing an immediate and user-friendly option for patient care. For the companies that employ these patients, telemedicine can be a game-changer for business continuity plans. And when it’s implemented as one of the primary health and safety measures in the workplace, telemedicine gives employees added peace of mind. Why Your Business Continuity Plan Needs Telemedicine While telemedicine isn’t new, relatively few companies have included it in their employee benefits packages. But as companies look for new and efficient ways to keep their workforce well, it’s a forward-thinking way of investing in employee health. Now more than ever, employee safety and well-being are top of mind. Employees returning to the office amid the ongoing COVID-19...

The first thing to plant firmly in your brain is that it's OK. Rejection happens to everyone, and for all sorts of reasons, justified or not.   Oprah Winfrey was fired from her TV news reporter job because she wasn't "suitable for TV." J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter books, was rejected by 12 publishers before she made it big. Walt Disney lost his first job at a newspaper because the editor thought he "lacked imagination and had no good ideas."   The key takeaway is not only that you have plenty of excellent company, but that you don't give up. Rather, you use the rejection experience to become a success.   Bill Gates' first business, Traf-O-Data, failed. His next try was Microsoft. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. He said, "I have failed over and over in my life. And that is why I succeed."   Here's how to turn your rejection experience into a learning opportunity.   Focus on Areas of Improvement It's possible...

You never get a second chance to make a first impression, says the old-but-still-true adage. Your resume is the first impression hiring managers have of you. Is it saying everything you want it to say? Does it stand out from the crowd — in a good way?   At Integrity Staffing Solutions, we see tens of thousands of job applications per month, and resumes from all levels of experience, first-job-seeking newbies to seasoned professionals. Now we're going to share our insider secrets about the resumes that get our attention.   Highlight Skills Pertinent to the Job Your generic resume should be only the starting point. From there, create a custom variation for each job you're applying to.   Give more space to describing your most relevant experience and skills. Also, cut down on the details that aren't applicable to this specific job.   For example, an accountant might apply for positions at a medical billing company, a business bookkeeping firm and a tax specialist. The...

What will they find when they check out your FaceBook, Instagram and other social media pages? And yes, you can bet they will — 92% of companies now routinely search applicants' social media (and not just the ones you tell them about). That's up from 80% just 5 years ago.   Clearly, making social media part of your job seeking strategy is super important, and will be even more so in the future. Here's what else hiring managers say: 91% of recruiters use LinkedIn; 74% use FaceBook; and 66% use Twitter 73% have hired successfully with social media 33% have rejected a candidate based on something found in social profiles   Build Your Brand In the same way that a company markets its products to customers, you can market yourself to potential employers. Think about what skills and aptitudes you wish to convey, and how they are an asset for your desired job. For example, a salesperson needs to be persuasive, self-confident and enjoy interacting with many people. An...

For LGBT+ individuals, revealing their true identity to co-workers, supervisors and clients comes with both risks and rewards. Your decision will depend on many factors — in both your own situation and the work environment — so there's no one right answer for everybody. However, as a LGBT-owned business, we'd like to share our insights and tips on making the process more successful.   Pros and Cons Workers who feel free to be their authentic selves at work report that they feel happier and more engaged. And studies show that they are more productive, which should please employers.   On the other side of the coin, many LGBT+ people are still in the closet due to fears of damage to their careers and workplace relationships. In a Harvard Business Review survey, nearly half (46%) of American respondents said they are not out to everyone at work.   Assess Your Workplace Atmosphere Get answers to these questions to help you decide whether it's a good idea to come out, or if...

As an LGBT-owned business, Integrity is wholeheartedly dedicated to providing a diverse and fair working environment for all individuals. We've demonstrated over and over again that the keys to success for employer and employee alike are character, values and professional skills — not statistics on a piece of paper like gender or ethnicity.   In this post, we'll share our top tips for the transgender individual at work. While there is a trend towards greater acceptance of transgender rights in our society (and in the law courts), we still sadly see cases of harassment, prevention of use of the correct restroom, refusal to change names on employer documentation, denial of coverage for medically necessary procedures, etc.   The consequences of these actions may be more far-reaching than damages to one person. Companies who get a reputation for hostility to LGBT workers will alienate not just this group from their talent hiring options, but also the much larger pool of people who...

  The fight for LGBT employment rights has come a long way, thanks to support from the U.S. courts and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), among others. But we still have a ways to go before every company provides a diverse and welcoming workplace for all, regardless of gender identity and sexual orientation.   Here's how to recognize those employers who provide fair treatment to LGBT (and all other minority) individuals, before you decide to submit a job application.   Check Out Their Public Brand. Companies who are proud of their inclusive principles will let everyone know about it in mission and value statements, marketing campaigns, etc. Places to look include: Company website Company's social media pages (e.g. LinkedIn, FaceBook) Trade publications and forums LGBT Chamber of Commerce websites Employer rating websites such as GlassDoor Job postings — should include mention of being an equal opportunity employer   Research Their Track...