Author: WAI Staff

Whitman Associates is a professional staffing agency serving businesses and job seekers in the Washington, D.C. area. Since 1972, we’ve been dedicated to matching highly qualified candidates with a wide variety of temporary, temp-to-hire and permanent positions. We prioritize the needs of both our clients and candidates to ensure successful, lasting relationships.

“A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned”…Protect Your Paycheck!!

WAI Staff

We all remember this quote from Ben Franklin. Of course, there has been quite a bit of inflation since his time, so let’s forget the pennies and think of how to save a few bucks during your work day.

As soon as you leave the house, you are already spending money. Minimize your expenses during the day and maximize your earnings!

Try to look at purchases as time spent working. For example, let’s say on Monday you spend $4 on coffee, $10 on lunch, $5 on snacks, and $3 on a couple of bottles of water. That’s $22 that you have purchased throughout the day. Hypothetically, let’s say you are making $14 an hour. That means that you are making about $11 an hour after taxes. You have just spent two hours of your day working hard just to eat and drink these items!! You have labored away a quarter of your day to buy these consumables that are now nowhere to be seen.

Here are some suggestions to help you get off the hamster wheel and hang on to your money!

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Make a Job Search Log!

WAI Staff

Job Search Log

 

Searching for a job is tough – it’s exhausting, time-consuming and nerve-wracking. You’ve sent out reams of resumes, called countless companies, sent out endless emails, and joined job sites you never knew existed.

How do you know when to follow up, when to send your resume again, when to send a thank-you card??

Easy! Make a job search log!

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A Work in Progress

WAI Staff

Someone told you to fix up your resume. You haven’t looked at it in months. So, you spend hours revising it – you shift items around, fight with your computer for space, and try to keep your eyes from crossing. You proofread it and have someone else look over it. There are no errors. It looks clean. You’re done. Don’t have to do anything with it for another year or two. Right?

Wrong.

A resume is a work in progress. It is a living and breathing textual representation of your experience and capabilities, both of which are constantly evolving. It’s best to come to terms with the fact that you will always be tweaking and adjusting your resume.

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Beyond the Suit: Personal Appearance for an Interview

WAI Staff

You finally have a promising interview lined up. You have your resumes printed and ready to go. You have researched the company and position. You have mapped out the route to the interview location and know how long it will take to get there. You know you’re going to look great because you have your interview suit dry-cleaned and ready to go. Your shoes and accessories are carefully matched.

Great! But you’re not quite ready yet. We’ve all been told not to judge a book by its cover. However, the reality is that in the professional world your appearance is closely scrutinized – especially at a job interview. But personal appearance goes beyond just the clothes you are wearing. Follow these tips to be seen in the best possible light by potential employers.

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Researching A Company

WAI Staff

It is always a good idea to research a company before the interview. The more you know about the company, the more confident you will be. This, in turn, will impress the prospective employer.

There are many ways to obtain company information. Some ideas may be to check local newspapers and magazines for recent articles or ask friends and family if they have heard anything about the organization. The Internet is an excellent source of information. A company’s web page usually gives a thorough description of the company’s mission, accomplishments and sometimes employee bios. Any information, statistics or current developments concerning the company that you can learn in advance will give you a competitive edge when interviewing.

Be prepared!

Timeliness

WAI Staff

An interview is your opportunity to make a good first impression. This is why it is imperative to be on time. Whether it is a phone interview or an in-person interview, being on time shows that you are responsible. If you have a morning interview, be sure to check and double-check your alarm the night before to be sure it is set for the correct time. Get up extra early so that you are well-prepared and alert by the time of your interview. Although it is generally good to be early, don’t be too early. Employers schedule interviews for a specific time for a reason. They often are interviewing on a tight schedule, and showing up more than 10-15 minutes before your scheduled interview can throw off the schedule. It is best to arrive a few minutes early or right on time. If you arrive at your destination earlier than planned, sit in your car or go to a coffee shop down the block until it is time for your scheduled interview. Also, be sure to bring the phone number of the person you are meeting. If you are running late for any reason, call the interviewer as soon as possible.

Why is LinkedIn such a Great Resource?

WAI Staff

There are millions of people that want to know why they should use LinkedIn. They already have Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, etc, so why do they need to join yet another networking website?  The answer is simple. LinkedIn is a unique, professional network that helps you exchange knowledge, ideas, and opportunities with a broader network of professionals. It is your online resume that showcases your abilities and recommendations. Below are some top reasons to jump on the LinkedIn bandwagon:

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Can a Career Aptitude Test benefit you?

WAI Staff
Last updated on March 30, 2022

boy taking career aptitude test

Are you just starting your career? Or looking to change jobs or industries? Taking a career aptitude test might give you some additional insight on where your strengths and weaknesses lie. A career aptitude test can help to narrow down your choices of career to what might be the most interesting or well suited positions.

Here are our top 5 reasons a career aptitude test might be worth a try.

1. You learn more about yourself. Through a career aptitude test, you get to know about your skills, strengths and weaknesses. This can allow you to explore different careers that you might be particularly suited for.

2. You discover traits you never knew you had. Career aptitude tests can help you find new talents and skills that you weren’t aware of before. You can use these new discoveries to enjoy life better, both in terms of career and leisure.

3. Career aptitude tests provide ways for you to work on your weaknesses. Everyone has weaknesses, but we may not realize where those weak points are. These tests enable you to identify areas of improvement, and work to manage or eliminate them.

4. It gives you a variety of options. Everyone wants their “dream job,” but the idea of an aptitude test is to expose you to various career opportunities; possibly some that you haven’t even considered. These tests are intended to be a guide and not to limit your options.

5. Career aptitude tests can be a great jumping off point for discovering careers that you want to learn more about. You can further explore through additional research on an industry, informational interviews or even an internship.

woman working on a laptop

There are both free and paid versions of career aptitude tests, so be sure to check before starting the test. Also, be aware that not all tests are created equal, it would be beneficial to read up on the particular test before diving in. This is a more comprehensive list of tests to choose from. From the Princeton Review to Myers-Briggs, try out a couple tests and see if they provide you with some personal or career insight.

Judging a Book by its Cover: How to Write a Cover Letter

WAI Staff

If your life were an autobiography, what would the dust jacket say about you? The cover letter is the dust jacket of your resume, and the recruiter’s first introduction to your voice.

Most cover letters are read last. But, before you stop reading this article, remember that any materials that make it as far as a “hold” pile will be read, from cover letter to references. It is then that cover letters matter most, as they have the power to distinguish intriguing possibilities from average, everyday candidates. Laura Gassner Otting suggests the following:

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