Why do you want this job? While the question is simple, the answer may not be. Our first instinct is to be transparent, regardless of what that means. Of course the underlying reason for the majority of us trying to get a job is the money. However, as this is a very obvious answer, employers also want to make sure that there is more to your motivation than bringing in a pay check. In addition, your next thought may be to flatter the company you are applying for by listing out all of the reasons why this is the company for you. This is also not the best route to go as the hiring manager typically already understands their company’s’ perks. What you want to do is outline how you feel this job may help to better yourself professionally and how your skill set will bring something special to the table. An employer will appreciate the idea that you are striving to improve your skill set through work at their company. The idea of self motivation and growth is huge in the eyes of an employer.

What type of questions do you have for me in regards to the job or our company as a whole? This particular question may appear in a number of different forms but the reason behind all of them remains the same. The employer is trying to gauge your eagerness to know about their company and the position and your willingness to do some research regarding what they offer. Regardless of where you are interviewing, you should always be prepared with at least a couple of questions regarding either the role itself or the company. Ask for clarification regarding benefits offered, job duties, company mission, etc., but make sure to use this time wisely. Most hiring managers are on a schedule and you don’t want to eat into their time too much with too many questions, at least initially. You can always save additional questions for a follow-up email after the initial interview. As long as you are focused on questions that pertain to the position specifically or better help you understand the role and how your skills may fit, the employer will will be more than accommodating.

The bottom line here is that we should all go to an interview prepared, regardless of the industry or position. However, it sometimes can come down to the quality of your responses and how they pertain to your skills rather than the length of your employment history or overall years of experience.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, and Trillium Techs. With approximately 90 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2015 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

Especially now, in a job market where true, available talent is becoming harder and harder to come by, Recruiters and Hiring Managers may need to change their focus. While going through potential applicants and hires for any position, consider the following; if the person doesn’t necessarily meet all requirements to a T, based on their skill set, do you feel they could learn what they need to while on the job? Taking this into consideration, take a closer look at their past employment history and determine whether they have shown a track record of not only learning new things in a role but excelling with that mindset. Someone who is not only willing to learn while on the job but is able to thrive in that type of environment may be better suited for your open position.

This idea is simple. If companies are able to be a little more open minded in regards to the “talent” they are seeking, the skills gap may not be as big of an issue as what thought.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, and Trillium Technical. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2017 and 2018 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

Candidates and job seekers have a number of avenues they can use when looking to build their personal brand. The largest and most widely used method is increasing their online presence. This can be done through blog posts, social media interaction, and sharing videos to showcase the candidate’s passions and expertise in their respective fields. By paying attention to a job seeker’s online presence, you may learn more than what can be written in a resume or application

In addition to an online presence, candidates can build their personal brand by networking offline. This can occur at networking events, conventions, seminars and through local or regional trade publications. By keeping an eye on an individual’s professional connections, a company can truly evaluate their experience and overall interest in that particular industry.

A more subtle form of personal brand improvement is through teamwork and collaboration with other leaders in their industry. Candidates who are more geared towards collaboration may make it known that they participate in podcasts, group articles or other avenues. This level of networking explicitly shows how well a job seeker is able to work with others.

When going through applicants and potential new hires, every aspect of their personal brand should be considered when determining a person’s experience and industry knowledge. Just remember, not everything can fit on a resume.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, and Trillium Technical. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2017 and 2018 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

Treat your job search as if it were literally your job. The best way to go about looking for and applying for a new position is to devote time and energy into the process. Set aside time each day that you can devote to searching and applying for positions and responding to network connections. This will allow you to stay focused on your end goal of landing a new career rather than getting distracted along the way.

Self-reflection, as hard as it can be, is important to growing in your career. Focusing on what your true strengths are will enable you to narrow in on the positions that you are truly qualified for and interested in. Be honest with yourself  to determine what skill sets you might be lacking in so that you can steer clear of applying to positions that are heavy in those areas. The key to self reflection is to ensure you are applying for positions that you would truly be a good fit for in terms of personality and ability.

No matter what, stay determined! If you are starting to fill discouraged at the lack of interviews you’ve received, don’t give up. Reach out to your network connections and continue to constantly put your name out there. Never stop applying for jobs that you feel you are good fit for. Not finding positions of interest? Reach out to local Recruiters in the area to try and get your foot in the door that way. This can easily be accomplished by making connections on LinkedIn and other networking sites. Tenacity and drive are extremely important in landing that job interview and if you can prove your worth to a Recruiter, they will go the extra mile on your behalf.

Although, these concepts may sound simple, in reality the process of locating, applying for and landing a job can be difficult. You will face rejection or you might get ignored or simply forgotten about somewhere in the application process. Your main goal is to ensure that the drive and initiative you portray in your job search comes across when you inevitably get in front the Hiring Manager / Recruiter. Do the leg work and watch it pay off when your future employee is finally able to see your true worth!

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, and Trillium Technical. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2017 and 2018 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

• Networking is key! Networking doesn’t just have to be reserved for networking events or conferences. Everywhere you go, there could be the potential of making a connection with other professionals or opening up a conversation that can lead to future prospects. By increasing your reach through networking, you may be made aware of new openings or opportunities before they are even made public. This could, in turn, put you at an overwhelming advantage simply by giving you first dibs on making an impact during the interview.
• Use proper grammar and triple check your application materials for errors. We are all human and do make grammatical errors and typos from time to time. However, the time to do this is not when you’re trying to impress a hiring manager. Improper grammar or typos throughout a resume or application can be a read flag to any employer and can instantly cause trepidation on the hiring manager’s side. The answer is simple, take your time in filling out paperwork and speak clearly and concisely when responding to questions. If you take your time and put together a well thought answer or response, you can prevent being disqualified even before the interview is over.
• Always, always, always tailor all application materials to the company or position you are applying for. Hiring managers are used to seeing the same generic resume or cover letter, ones that candidates are obviously using for a variety of opportunities. You want to stand out! The resume and cover letter are the first step in grabbing attention. Once you have the hiring manager in front of your for that long awaited interview, make sure to explain why you are qualified but why you and your skill sets are perfect for THEIR opening. Research the company and go into that interview not only prepared to answer the question “So what do you know about this company?” but go into detail on why your specific skill set makes sense for the role.
• No Brainer Alert! DO NOT ARRIVE LATE or TOO EARLY for an interview! One of the worst faux pas’ candidate’s can fall victim to is either showing up late or too early for an interview. Either can result in the same thing, aggravating the person who you are trying to impress. For many hiring managers, there is a specific reason they choose the day and time for an interview; they are busy and are trying to fit in interviews when possible. If you show up late or too early, this can put the hiring manager in a tough spot. This is especially true if they move another engagement to make up for your lack of punctuality. Also, it can be just plain rude to show up late to a scheduled meeting, regardless of the type; so just don’t do it.
• As awkward as it can feel, be prepared to discuss pay and salary at the interview. The key here is to do your research and find out what others are making in similar positions in your area. Think about what salary you would personally feel comfortable with in accepting a new role. Combine the two and come to terms with a reasonable pay range that you can back up if pay negotiations come up.
• DO NOT LIE. I hate to use all CAPS and I hope this goes without saying but lying, whether on your resume, application or in person, is not acceptable. You have to remember that you are not the only one doing research here. Your prospective employer will also be doing their due diligence for all applicants when going through the hiring process. Plain and simple, if you lie before, during or after the interview, the hiring manager will most likely find out the truth regardless. It just isn’t worth it.
• Follow-up post interview. There is most certainly a fine line in following up after an interview. No one wants to become annoying or considered desperate to a hiring manager. Typically, a quick email or phone call within a week following your interview will suffice. Remember, that you were most likely not the only candidate that was interviewed, so practicing patience is very important. Sending a quick thank you via email can not only show the prospective employer that you’re still interested but it also shows initiative.

Take confidence in what you have to offer and use a little common sense and you’ll be well on your way to that next big opportunity!

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, Trillium Hospitality and Trillium Techs. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.