Job Advice

Tips to Be a Rock Star Candidate

July 17, 2017

We’re in the people business. We’ve been finding the right people for the right jobs for nearly 20 years. We LOVE working with our candidates. How can you be a rock star candidate? When you come in to meet with us, take heed of these simple steps:

Be honest. Let us know your expertise and your expectations so we can match you with the perfect placment
Polish your resume. Make sure you’ve got a current resume uploaded to our site. Don’t have one handy? Use our resume template to create one.
Update your LinkedIn profile. Daily, 45 million profiles on average are viewed on LinkedIn. Will yours stand out? Make sure it’s up-to-date and puts your best foot forward.
Be patient. Even if we don’t have an opening right now that’s a match for your skills, our phone is always ringing with new opportunities.

Now, you’ve met with a recruiter and you have been placed in your first assignment. We are just as excited as you are. So, what can you do to continue to be a rock star? Don’t worry, we’ve got a plan for that too.

Share feedback. We love to hear feedback. Feedback is important and helps us for future placements with companies and type of position.
Be resourceful. Don’t understand something that is going on? Utilize different resources to find the answer. Ask a fellow coworker in the same situation, reach out to your recruiter or try a quick Google search.
Keep in touch. Keep us updated if anything changes with you. Don’t be shy about checking in with your recruiter if your status changes. Send a quick email or call once a month so we know what’s happening with you.

Whether we’ve already met or you’re a rock star waiting in the wings, we will work to get you the right position at the right time. After all, we’re in the people business. Check out our latest job opportunities online.

Job Advice

Addicted to Your Smartphone? Tips & Tricks to Reduce Temptation

Kate Stephens

June 29, 2017

Smartphones have become so woven into our lives; it seems we often wonder how we survived without them. At your fingertips is access to unlimited information – plus entertainment – with just the tap of a button. But have you wondered just how much your phone may be distracting you at work? A recent CareerBuilder survey revealed these eye-opening stats:

82% of workers keep eye contact with their phones at all times.
2 out of 3 workers admit they check their phones several times a day.
75% of employers say 2 or more hours of productivity are lost each day from distracted workers.
More than half of employees say cell phones and texting are the biggest time wasters at work.

Yikes! As smartphone usage increases, productivity decreases. So, what steps can you take to put down your phone and stay focused at work? Check out these quick tips:

Tuck it away. Remember that stat above? 82% of workers keep their phone within eye contact, which means you’re more likely to impulsively pick it up. Instead, stash your phone in a drawer to keep it out of sight to prevent temptation.
Turn off notifications. Chimes, vibrations, and lights all draw you to your phone. After all, it could be a really important text, right? The reality is emergencies are rare, and the world will be okay if you don’t answer every chime right away.
Go back to the basics. If you feel addicted to your phone, you’re not alone. Anderson Cooper explored the way tech companies are “brain hacking” to get users addicted to apps. Sometimes a clean break from technology can reset your habits. Try stripping your phone to minimal apps and delete or disable the distractions that keep you coming back. Writer Jack Knapp did just that for a 7-day experiment that he loved so much, he’s still using a bare-bones iPhone.
Save phone time for break time. If you’re guilty of checking your personal emails, news feeds, and social media several times a day, make a commitment to only peek at your phone at designated times – like your lunch break.
Know the code. Many employers have policies around personal cell phone usage at work. Make sure you know your employers guidelines and stick to them.

Changing your technology habits may be hard at first, but stick to it. It takes discipline, but reducing your smartphone distractions at work will allow you to focus more on tasks and less on personal business. And who knows, all that extra work may just land you a raise, promotion, or other unexpected opportunity.

HR Insights

Interview Questions: What Not to Ask

Amber Crosby

June 28, 2017

Interviews are a great tool to discover candidates’ backgrounds, qualities, personality traits, and even hang-ups. But with a long list of off-putting—and possibly even unethical or illegal—questions, handling an interview wisely can feel like tip-toeing through a minefield. Not to worry, we’ve got you covered.

So, what can you ask and what’s strictly off limits? As a general rule, you want to avoid personal questions. These include direct questions about age, religion, gender, country of origin, disabilities, marital or financial status, and childcare arrangements.

You’re likely already astute enough to steer clear of blatantly inappropriate questions. However, sometimes these topics may be relevant to the role being filled. For example, your job may require a employee to be on-call after hours, and your candidate is a single mom. You shouldn’t directly ask if she has childcare in place, but you can describe the on-call hours needed and inquire if this work schedule would be doable. Best practice: stick to questions about the job itself and not about specific personal details.

Examples of Questions to Avoid

How old are you?
Where do you go to church?
Do you have a history of mental illness?
Are you married or single?
How many sick days did you take last year?
Do you plan on having kids soon or are your pregnant?
How’s your credit?

Examples of Acceptable Questions to Ask

Are you over 18?
This position includes duties after 5 p.m. Are you available to work evenings when needed?
What languages are you fluent in?
Are you eligible to work in the United States?
What are your career goals?
Can you lift items that could weigh up to 50 pounds?

Sometimes a candidate volunteers personal information, and while you can’t prevent it, it’s best not to jot it down. Ultimately that information cannot legally be used when making your hiring decision.

To stay on track during the interview, make a list of questions ahead of time. Not only will you be better prepared, but it’ll also help avoid any accidental slips with inappropriate or unethical questions. Or better yet, call us. At That’s Good HR, we’re experts at asking the right questions and finding you the right candidate. Let’s chat! Get in touch today.

Job Advice

How to Avoid Workplace Burnout

Lindsay Barnhart

February 26, 2017

If you’re feeling burned out at work, you’re not alone. Thanks to a myriad of office stressors, many workers feel unsupported and disengaged. But don’t fret—there’s light at the end of this tunnel. Simple changes can have a big impact on your mind and body. In fact, the best way to deal with any stress is to make a plan and take control of your choices. That’s it! Ready to shed that stress and feel better? We thought so! Here are some steps you can take to banish workplace burnout.

Surround yourself with the right people. Burnout can be caused by both circumstances and people in our lives. Certain relationships—professional and personal—just aren’t healthy and can be significant stressors. While you can’t necessarily remove all unfriendly or unhelpful people from your life, the more you can surround yourself with positive, encouraging, and supportive people, the better.
Manage your stress. Our bodies weren’t built to manage high levels of stress, and it can wreak havoc on us. There are all sorts of stress reduction techniques out there, from deep breathing to spending time outdoors to meditation to yoga. The key is to find something that works for you and make it a regular part of dealing with stressful situations in your life.
Learn to say “no.” This one’s tough, especially for high achievers out there. Often we find ourselves in burnout mode when we’ve said “yes” too many times. Yes to our bosses, yes to our colleagues, yes to our friends and family, and on and on. Being helpful and available to people is great, but not when it starts to affect health or well-being. It’s okay to say “no” when you need to.
Take care of your body. Ironically our go-to food and behaviors when burnout nears are often the worst possible choices: junk food, alcohol, too much tv or video game time, inactivity, etc. Making healthy food and physical activity choices are even harder when we’re under significant stress, but it’s all the more important. Be intentional about what you’re eating and how you’re treating your body, especially during stressful times.
Make more space. Carving out space looks different for everyone, but it can free up your mind and emotions for rest and recovery. You might need to step away from technology, a toxic person, or a draining activity. You might need to just close your door more, take a vacation, back out of a commitment, or schedule some regular alone time.
Give back. Studies have shown time and time again that giving back to others actually boosts our own moods and well-being. Simply put: doing good feels good. Look around for volunteer opportunities or people who might need an extra hand or dose of kindness. You’ll be amazed at how rewarding giving back can be to your own health, even during tough times.

Job Advice

Bringing Your Best Attitude to Work

Kate Stephens

February 18, 2017

What attitude do you bring to work? That may sound like a weird question, but it’s worth thinking about, because we all bring positivity or negativity with us. Our behaviors, thoughts, and actions—whether good or bad—directly impact our success and working relationships. The key is to develop an awareness of our attitudes, then reflect on how this affects things at work.

The point is this: your attitude can make or break your future success. Leadership expert Michael Hyatt talks about how contagious bad attitudes are. On the flip side, behavioral psychology writer James Clear outlines research showing how a positive mindset broadens our possibilities and enhances our skill sets. Let’s examine some common workplace scenarios to get a better grip on how your attitude and resulting behaviors might play out on the job.

Collaboration & Communication. We all enjoy being around positive people—they’re usually like magnets! Their upbeat views and affirmative opinions rally others around them and invite open conversations and teamwork. Conversely, negativity and grumpiness make others nervous, and colleagues might refrain from asking for opinions, advice, or help on a project.
Motivation. If you’ve seen the Disney Pixar movie Inside Out, you know that negativity tends to color everything around it (just like the trail of blue that the character Sadness leaves in her wake). If you’re down in the dumps and likely lacking motivation yourself, it’s easy for those around you to start feeling the same way. Alternatively, an encouraging, upbeat attitude is equally infectious—but in a good way! Kind words, a genuine smile, and optimistic outlook inspire coworkers to work hard and put their best foot forward.
Friendship Opportunities. There’s no rule that says we have to be friends with our colleagues, but some of the most amazing friendships out there have blossomed in workplaces. A kind disposition and courtesy invite others to get to know you, possibly fostering a forever friend. However, if you’re the grumpiest person in the room, you’re probably making it difficult for others to want to connect or get to know you better. Instead, be mindful of your greetings, tone, and choice of words when communicating.
Professional Advancement. You may be a rockstar at your job performance, but if you are tough to be around on a regular basis, promotions may be unlikely. Leaders are drawn to employee characteristics like positivity, enthusiasm, and team-building strengths.

The best advice is to be mindful. Mentally take note of how you come across to others, your tone of voice, and your outlook on work. Self-evaluation may be hard—and even painful at times—but will grow you into a more successful person.