Blog

There's no question that increasing your knowledge and skills increases your income. But how can you acquire this education if you're already working, and don't have the time or money to go to full-time school?   In this blog, we'll discuss some practical ways to get you onto a more lucrative career path.   Take advantage of employer sponsored formal education. Many large companies offer opportunities to take courses that will make you a more valuable employee, paying some or all of the costs. In some cases, you enroll with a local school and make arrangements through HR for paying the tuition. In others, the courses are provided by the employer.   At Integrity, our Next Step U online training programs are free to all associates and employees (and can even be accessed on their mobile phones). In partnership with Penn Foster, an accredited educational institution, our course offerings range from bookkeeping and computer skills to administration and basic English — all...

Technical qualifications aren't the only things employers look for when deciding which candidate to hire. They know it takes more than that to be the kind of employee who will contribute to their company's success.   So, you may not be the candidate with the most education or experience in the job you're applying for, but as long as you have a basic foundation you can still win out — if you have the right soft skills.   What are soft skills and why are they important?   Soft skills are what make you a good worker — an asset to the team. A person can have decades of education and experience, but if they're lazy, disorganized, close-minded or otherwise counterproductive, companies would prefer not to bring them on board. They'd much rather hire someone who has more to learn, but the right attitude and ability to make that learning happen.   Another great thing about soft skills is that they're transferrable — they apply to just about any job in any field. So it's...

Growth is what every business wants, but too much of a good thing can be a problem. Figuring out how to handle sudden business growth is a challenge for many companies — especially essential startups and smaller organizations that need to hire quickly to keep pace with the heightened demand their growth has created. Staffing issues for businesses during times of growth don’t have to slow things down or interfere with business continuity plans, though. All it takes is putting the right steps in place to build a team that can help manage the uptick. Here are a few tips for putting your own process in place: 1. Partner with a seasoned, well-rounded staffing agency. You don’t need to create and execute a business continuity staffing plan in solitude. Linking up with a staffing partner can be a valuable resource for learning how to manage business growth. These partners can navigate a litany of staffing issues for businesses of all sizes; they also have the knowledge and expertise...

It may be "only temporary," but it can lead to great things. We've had hundreds of our associates who made a great impression get offered a full-time job with our client. So if that's your goal — or you want to get known as a top associate for future assignments — read on!   Ask for help whenever you need it.   As a new team member, you will have a great deal of information thrown at you very fast. Nobody expects you to remember it all on the first day — but you do need to know it all if you're going to do a good job. So don't hesitate to ask for something to be explained or repeated. Team members and leaders will be delighted to help, because when you succeed at your new tasks you make them look good too.   Get to work on time, every time.   You don't want the client writing you off as unreliable or unambitious. It's a good idea to actually aim for being 10 or 15 minutes early, at least while you're getting familiar with the commute. That way, if something does go...

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...

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...

In the current economic uncertainty — what with employers furloughing, laying off and not knowing when/if they can reopen — recruiters with open roles have an unprecedented number of candidates to review. It’s up to you to ensure that you are noticed and make a great impression on them.   Integrity interviews thousands of applicants per year — sometimes even per month. Check out these insider tips from our Director of Talent Acquisition.   Your Resume   File Name – Don’t save your resume with any of the following: MYRESUME, FINALDRAFT or a date that is not the current date. When I see a resume file named with a previous year, I question why this person has been in the job market for so long, as well as their attention to detail. Contact Information – Triple check that your phone # and email address are complete and correct on your resume document. Email address – Should be professional. In other words, nothing like partyanimal666@emailhost.com. If necessary, create a...

  The current pandemic didn't start this trend, but it has definitely accelerated it. Even before COVID-19 came on the horizon, Gallup research showed that 43% of U.S. employees work remotely some or all of the time. And some predictions have the traditional 9-to-5 job being pretty much history by 2030.   Now, thousands of businesses all over the world — beginning with the financial centers in Shanghai and Hong Kong — have practically shuttered their physical offices and converted to the new virtual reality of remote workers.   Here's how to join what Time Magazine calls the "World's Largest Work-from-Home Experiment" with minimal friction and maximum productivity. What you learn now by necessity will likely benefit your company even when the need is past.   Establish Expectations from the Start Workers should know exactly what they need to produce and on what timetable. Make instructions as detailed as possible.   Communication is Key Teams should hold regular...

In our white paper "Are You Ready for Generation Z?" you will discover the impacts this new generation will have on the way we recruit, train and retain employees. In this article, we'll discuss the generation's strengths and weaknesses which may require you to make some changes in your training protocols.    Generation Z (born 1998 – 2005) is both more independent and more in need of skill-building than previous generations. Here are some of the factors you're likely to encounter.     BE ready to help them build their soft skills  As the first generation of true digital natives, Generation Z brings the technological skills that are in high demand, even in entry-level positions. At the same time, 92% of HR leaders believe that having emotional and social skills is increasingly important. However, a side-effect of their constant online interaction is that many of them are deficient in soft skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking and interpersonal relationships. Most...