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.
Phone interviews are common because they provide a great way for hiring teams to narrow down their pool of applicants prior to in-person or video interviews. For that reason, preparing for a phone interview is important if you want to move on to the next round. The following are our initial phone interview tips to help you prepare for your next interview.
1. Avoid Distractions
While on the phone with a potential employer, you should limit distractions. A good phone interview tip is to make sure you have a quiet and distraction free environment in which to talk to the hiring manager.
2. Be Articulate
Your voice is the only tool you have to express yourself on a phone interview, so make sure you speak articulately and clearly. You also want to avoid trailing off or rambling when answering the interviewer’s questions. Pause occasionally so that your interviewer can process what you are saying and digest the information fully.
3. Prepare
An initial phone interview tip is that it’s a great time to ask any preliminary questions you might have about the job opportunity, so you should have a list prepared before the call. Also, keep the job description handy and be sure you’ve researched the company to ensure you are fully informed.
While preparing for a phone interview, it helps to brainstorm examples of your past experiences that you can talk about. For example, compile a list of examples where you took initiative, demonstrated your organizational skills, or worked as a team player.
4. Be Yourself
It can be difficult to convey your personality over the phone in an interview, but don’t forget to be personable and friendly. While you want to maintain professionalism, you also want to be yourself.
Try not to come across as if you are reading a script when having a phone interview; you want to come across confident and friendly, not rehearsed. Smiling while you talk can help improve the sound of your voice and put more energy into what you’re saying.
5. Express Interest
At the end of the phone screen, be sure to thank your interviewer for their time and consideration. If you are interested in moving forward with the interview process, don’t be afraid to say so! Hiring managers will be more inclined to move forward with applicants who are visibly interested in and excited about the position.
We hope these tips will help you with preparing for that next phone interview. Check out the rest of our blog for additional job searching and interview tips.
Lilly graduated from George Mason University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She plans to attend law school in the fall, and hopes to find a career that merges her interest in the law and passion for environmental science and urban sustainability. While at Mason, she was a member of the 17 Rooms-U Team, a collaborative effort to implement the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals on campus and in the Fairfax community.
Outside of work and school, she enjoys weightlifting and going on runs in downtown DC. In addition, she loves watching documentaries and reading about all things related to world history and ecology.
Punctuality is a critical quality for any professional and is one mark of a good worker. From arriving on time to the office to submitting punctual work, meeting these timing expectations creates a solid foundation for your career. While this may seem obvious, many professionals need help learning how to be punctual. From constant distractions to an over-reliance on navigation app ETA predictions, it’s easy to be late accidentally. Even unemployed job seekers must know timeframes and deadlines when interviewing and applying for jobs. For now, we will focus on the importance of being punctual for a job interview and provide some rules to help make sure you are always on time in the future.
Rule #1: Don’t be late.
If you realize ahead of time that you are running late for an interview, call your interviewer immediately and let them know your situation. Be sure to apologize for the inconvenience, and don’t make up any crazy excuses if it’s not the truth. Hiring managers deal with this constantly– they can tell when somebody is not being genuine.
In a tough job market, hiring managers have their pick regarding capable candidates. Being punctual is critical – even showing up five minutes late for a job interview could disqualify you for a position.
If a hiring manager can’t trust you to show up on time for an interview, they have no reason to trust that you know how to be punctual or will submit work on time. Remember, this is their first impression of you. Even if being late is out of character for you, the employer won’t know this and will be forced to decide based on this interaction.
Rule #2: Being too early is the same as being late.
Being punctual is better than being too early. Only show up at most fifteen minutes early for a job interview unless you were otherwise instructed.
Showing up too early for an interview can make you appear desperate to hiring managers. Think of a job interview as attending a party—you wouldn’t want to arrive too early as it would be impolite and you would look too eager. Plus, you could inconvenience a busy hiring manager by being too early.
If you are early for an interview, a hiring manager will attribute your showing up a half hour early to your bad time management skills rather than think of you as punctual. Instead, if you find yourself too early for an interview, you can find a nearby coffee shop where you can wait. You may even be able to do some last-minute interview prep while you’re there!
Rule #3: Know where you’re going ahead of time.
Just like you would plan out project milestones in advance to ensure punctual work, you’ll want to plan your route to the interview to ensure a punctual arrival time. If you have time and are unfamiliar with the area, visit the company’s office before your interview so that you can prioritize being punctual by knowing exactly where you’re going and how long it will take you to get there.
Suppose you don’t have time to scope out your route physically; use the Internet to plan it. Think about all the steps involved, such as figuring out where you’ll park or if your car has enough gas. You don’t want to be late because it took twenty minutes to find a parking space.
While scoping out the route and the area to plan for your interview, take the time to review whether this commute would work for you and if you could be punctual to work in the long term. Remember, job interviews go both ways. You are also deciding if this office is the right fit for your needs, and your commute and surrounding area are two critical factors in job satisfaction.
Rule #4: Show up early, but don’t go in.
The best advice we can give you is to allow extra time for your interview. Even if you run into unforeseen trouble, such as traffic or delays on public transportation, cautious planning will help you to be punctual. It’s better to waste some of your own time by adding wiggle room into your commute than to waste your hiring manager’s time.
If you don’t hit any delays and end up outside the office twenty minutes early, don’t go in! As mentioned above, find somewhere nearby you can kill time before your interview, such as a coffee shop or deli. Use the extra time to review your notes one last time.
Additional guidance and advice
At Whitman Associates, Inc., we’re rooting for you! We aim to help you find the perfect fit for your next job. Being punctual is just one of many attributes potential employers seek. For more insightful career advice, explore our blog for additional tips and guidance. Want some more personalized job-hunting strategies? Reach out to Whitman Associates today with your resume!
.header-image{display:none!important;}ul,ol{margin: 0 0 20px 24px;}Many times, people wrongly assume that if they are unemployed or a recent graduate that they do not need a business card. This is a very bad assumption. If you are unemployed you should most definitely have a business card on you at all times. You never know who you might meet that could lead you to a job. A business card is, if nothing else, a big reminder on a tiny card. Most people keep business cards and go through them periodically when searching for new leads.
The point of having a business card when you’re unemployed is to create a physical reminder of your availability and to give a quick snippet of your information and qualifications. If you unexpectedly meet someone who would be a great industry connection, having an “about me” business card is much more professional than, say, writing your name and phone number on a restaurant napkin.
If you’re wondering about what to put on business cards when you’re unemployed, where to get them printed or how to format the best design, explore our advice here!
What to Put On Your Business Card When You’re Unemployed
Business cards when you are unemployed are a little more complicated than the average creation. You have no official title or position, no logo or branding, and no official business phone line. But, you’ll need to create a professional image if you want to provide people with your information, fast track your job search and put yourself out there in the market.
It’s also important to include your industry or degree on your card. For instance: “International Relations” or “Automotive Repairs.” If you have a specialized license or certification, include that as well, even if you haven’t had a job as a “Licensed Social Worker” or “Certified Business Analysis Professional” yet.
All “about me” business cards should have the following information:
Full Name
Email Address
Phone Number
Degree or Industry
Flesh out your job seeker business card with examples of additional important information about you:
Website, Portfolio, or LinkedIn URL (if applicable)
You can put a link to your site within a QR code or type the web address.
Job Title
Specialty or certifications
Where to Get a Business Card
Office supply stores and printing shops are happy to help design and print your business cards, but full service can be somewhat pricey if you are unemployed and on a budget.
You can save money and buy the paper from an office supply store and print “about me” business cards yourself using Microsoft Office or a similar program. If you want more professional cards, you can check out Moo, VistaPrint or other similar companies. Whichever route you choose, you can explore templates and designs to ensure your business cards look professional, even if you are unemployed.
Who You Should Give Your Business Card To
If you’re wondering who to give business cards to when you’re unemployed, the answer is everyone!
Ok, maybe not exactly everyone, but networking is the key. If your friend says, “My uncle works in that industry, you should talk to him,” ask if you can give him your business card. When you see an opportunity to hand out a business card at a professional event or conference, don’t hesitate. Doing nothing is the worst thing you can do. Always make sure you have plenty of cards on you when you go to any type of networking event, career fair or interview.
More Advice from Whitman Associates, Inc.
Business cards when you are unemployed are a great way to jumpstart your hiring process. Looking for a little more guidance before diving into the job searching pool? Whitman Associates, Inc. is always here with advice and support. Explore our blog for job seekers or reach out to us for more personalized strategies today!
Good luck and happy printing those business cards.
The pandemic has changed many things about the structure of work within our society. Many offices adapted well to work-from-home culture, but others are experiencing difficulties. Whether it’s issues with collaboration or concerns about security, working from home comes with some serious hurdles for certain industries. Learn more about a few of the disadvantages of remote working and discover solutions to those disadvantages here.
1. Difficulty with Collaboration
With your employees spread all around the city or even the country, it’s a lot harder to get together for collaborative work. Sometimes, different time zones, technical difficulties, and distractions at home make finding meeting times that work for everyone a challenge. Working together over the phone or a video call is a communication barrier that can disrupt even the shortest conversation. Worse, it’s no longer possible to just walk to a coworker’s desk for quick answers! Instead, employees must opt for communication via phone, email, or office chat.
Resolving Remote Collaboration Concerns
This disadvantage of remote working is primarily due to a lack of a flexible, fast, and responsive communication platform. Since emails and phone calls aren’t as efficient or effective as talking to someone in person, teams need new tools to battle this disadvantage of telecommuting for work. Many companies are turning to file-sharing applications that already come with chat features for better communication with the team, including Google Docs and Slack.
2. Cybersecurity & Confidentiality
Even if your business doesn’t deal with proprietary or patented information, cybersecurity and confidentiality are still important. When most of your team is working from home, it can be difficult to ensure security when each individual computer needs additional antivirus software, VPN configurations, and extra firewalls. Even more challenging is providing security for employees who choose to work over public wifi, like those in coffee shops or shared workspaces.
Any confidentiality or security breach could be a potential disaster for your business. Whether it’s a non-employee overhearing a confidential discussion or seeing sensitive documents, or a team member accidentally downloading a virus, your business needs to plan for better security to mitigate the potential damage of this disadvantage of remote working.
Resolving Security Risks
One way to reduce your vulnerabilities is by storing all business data and files on a cloud management platform. Don’t let employees save important information on their laptop or home computer hard drive. You can also require that employees use VPNs when working and set up remote access to their computers in the office (if you still have a physical office space).
Regular security trainings are also an essential part of any company policy, even when working in an office. Cover typical phishing and virus scams they may encounter and educate your team on the importance of password hygiene, two-factor authentication, and the dangers of connecting to public wifi networks.
3. Inconsistent Access to Internet & Tools
Because employees are in their homes, they’re using whichever internet provider is available and affordable in their area. Unfortunately, there are significant disparities in high-quality internet access throughout the country, and a lack of reliable service is common in rural communities. This is a major disadvantage of remote working, as many people have subpar connection speeds and reliability. Even homes with decent internet connections may experience slow upload and download speeds when too many people are utilizing the network, leading to poor audio and video connections during video calls, issues with buffering, and slow loading programs.
Resolving Connectivity Issues
Your team needs access to the right technology in order to overcome this disadvantage of remote working. Bolster their internet connection with appropriate hardware, like ethernet cables, to support spotty wifi connections, and set up a remote helpdesk to deal with any IT issues that may crop up. A remote IT team trained in connectivity concerns has the power to support your teams if anything goes wrong. Make sure your IT team has a robust ticketing system and self-help SSO.
Counteracting this particular disadvantage of telecommuting may require an even bigger investment for some companies. Any team that needs to run heavy-duty rendering or editing software may need specialty computers that can process all that data. You may want to invest in additional computer hardware to outfit your team’s home office with better technology than they may already have.
4. Isolation
Isolation is a much bigger disadvantage of remote working than people think – especially for those who live alone. Without frequent face-to-face contact, your employees could be dealing with chronic isolation and loneliness that lowers morale and productivity. When people work in an office, human interaction is necessary and built into the day-to-day routines. Employees interact in the hallways and breakrooms, the elevators and parking structures, and in various meetings throughout the day. They may also commune with others while on their daily commute at coffee shops, the metro, and restaurants. Working from home eliminates the potential contact with all these people!
Resolving Isolation Concerns
Regular check-ins with your team could go a long way to dealing with this disadvantage of remote working. In addition to conversations about current work tasks and projects, it’s important to also check in with your employees regarding their personal lives. There’s certainly no need to pry, but creating a space where your team members feel safe to express themselves if they wish to can help prevent frustrations and challenges from building up. This may be a new management style that requires a more personal touch, but it will help your team build higher quality connections, better communication, and more trust.
Will Your Office Continue Working From Home?
There are many other disadvantages of remote working, but some teams are rising to the challenge. This evolution in workflow, company structure, and technology has pushed many businesses to find innovative solutions that ensure they’re stronger and more sustainable. What about you? What will your company do to combat the disadvantages of telecommuting to ensure your success?
While hiring and recruitment have always been an evolving landscape, since 2020, the changes have been far more extreme and frequent. As companies and employees adjust to pandemic life, HR teams will continue to see a shift in the way they recruit, interview, and hire. With 2022 here, the team at Whitman Associates, Inc. has explored what your company should know about new hiring trends in the coming year. Check out this overview of the top seven trends your HR team should be ready to accommodate.
1. Economy Growth with a Constrained Labor Force
Economies are growing, but they’re facing the biggest labor shortage seen in decades. Despite inflation and rising costs of living, wages and working conditions aren’t always following suit. Some companies are working to correct this with higher salaries for all positions, but others are choosing a different path. One hiring trend includes companies relaxing their hiring criteria in an effort to attract more potential employees. Still, other companies are focusing on improving benefits with better perks, like student loan debt assistance, higher-quality health insurance, and additional paid time off.
2. Hybrid Work Environments
Most offices transitioned to a work-from-home model in 2020, but even with decreasing COVID cases, many have opted to continue operating remotely or adopt a hybrid approach. Some businesses are even using work-from-home as an additional incentive for potential employees! Many employees prefer working from home or a hybrid environment because it cuts their commute, reduces stress, helps them focus, and provides more flexibility to meet the demands of their job.
Most interviewees are now expecting their preferences for the ideal office environment to become a regular part of the interview and hiring process. Hiring trends indicate the need to accommodate these preferences and provide better remote learning and working tools to ensure your workforce is happy, productive, and collaborative.
3. On-the-Job Training
This used to be a regular hiring trend in the pre-80s era, but at some point, employers started requiring new hires to already possess all the business-critical knowledge for their position. Because of the labor shortage and the need to hire less experienced employees, many businesses are reviving on-the-job training to ensure they can reskill and deploy workers across multiple teams and roles. Some companies prefer outsourcing the education of their employees, encouraging workers to find programs to enhance their education. Once employees find and apply for a specific program, employers may pay for all or some of it.
Those employers working internally to reskill their employees may have to face a few challenges, including deciding which skills are critical for team members to know, developing learning platforms and training modules for each skillset, and integrating new technologies to streamline the learning experience.
4. Internal Talent Marketplace
There is a current recruitment trend to promote from within the organization. So knowing which of your current employees are looking for a career change or wanting to transition to a different department is critical! Create a talent marketplace on an internal platform to ensure that everyone is notified when new opportunities open up within the company. You won’t have to worry about vetting external candidates when you’re choosing from a pool of employees that have already proven their reliability and performance.
In the past, these career development hiring trends used to be standard, but many organizations have let these types of programs lapse due to a number of reasons, including lack of technology to update the database efficiently, an influx of top-quality external candidates, or minimal upward mobility within the work hierarchy.
5. Focus on the Employee Experience
The employee experience is a common term in corporate America that refers to keeping employees engaged and motivated, especially during challenging times. You don’t want essential people leaving because they feel they aren’t being treated fairly! Listening to your employees, identifying problems, and analyzing solutions is the first step towards ensuring you have a quality team that wants to stay put.
Don’t let frequent employee turnover become your next hiring trend! Instead, focus on ensuring your current employees are satisfied with their experience.
6. Refreshing Pay & Bonuses
Employers often try to cut costs by providing employees minimal pay raises and bonuses, but studies show that replacing disgruntled employees is actually more expensive than negotiating with your current team to reach a pay raise solution! Equitable and fair pay are among the most important hiring trends of 2022, and job seekers are more willing than ever to walk away from a position they don’t believe pays fairly. Even current employees are leaving long-held positions when they don’t get the recognition and reward they think they deserve!
If your company wants to win the war for talent, you must focus on fair wages as a recruitment and reward strategy. This hiring trend isn’t affecting the corporate world alone — people in retail, hospitality, manufacturing, and more are all realizing that better wages are far more attractive than an endless list of benefits like gym memberships, ping pong tables, and weekly catered lunches.
7. Revamping HR Technology
Companies that have an internal HR team are finding that their old platforms just can’t keep up with modern recruiting and hiring processes. Your team has to stay up to date with what’s new in hiring trends — from technology to appropriate offers — to ensure they can outperform competitors who are hiring from the same pool. Some HR teams find it easy to rise to the challenge, but more and more companies are relying on staffing agencies to fill in the gaps.
What Changes Will You Be Making?
Are these current recruitment and hiring trends inspiring you to make changes in the way your HR team operates? Whitman Associates, Inc. can help you even more with hands-on support. Get in touch with us if you need assistance with temporary placement, permanent employees, and more!
Imagine this: you’re fresh out of university with a bachelor or master’s degree, and you’re ready to enter the working world. You jump into the first opportunity you see, only to realize five years down the road that it isn’t what you want to be doing in your career. You start exploring other options and find a field that you really love. But you’ll need to start from square one, gaining experience and working your way up the ladder because you may not have the necessary experience to transfer laterally into that position. You feel defeated — as if you wasted years of your time working towards the wrong goal!
Many people have found themselves in exactly this position. That’s why choosing the right career path from the beginning can make a big difference in your life. Whether you’re choosing a career for the first time or you’re ready to make a swap, Whitman Associates, Inc. can help you with career planning tips that lead to a fulfilling job that allows you to live the lifestyle you want. Ready to find out which career is right for you? Check out these four tips to get started!
1. Start Thinking About Your Career Path Early
You don’t have to have your whole life planned out, but thinking about choosing the right career as early as possible can help you find your niche professionally. Which career is right for you? It’s the one where you’re doing something that interests, excites, and challenges you but also provides the financial means and benefits you desire. Make a list of things that you find interesting. Your list could include everything from numbers and statistics to design and event planning. Anything that might potentially spark your interest belongs on this list!
If you know people in careers that align with your interests, ask them about their work, what they love about their job, and what they dislike about their job. The answers you get can help you make a more informed decision when choosing the right career. Once you’ve talked to a few people and done some research into careers that align with your interests, you should be able to narrow them down into three or four options. If you’re interested in writing, music, and psychology, for example, potential careers could include:
Advertising
Publishing
Music Engineer
Concert/Event Organizer
School Counselor
Profiler for Law Enforcement
Therapist
With a career in mind, you can look into what it takes to start along each of these job paths. What type of education and experience do you need? How competitive is each industry? What’s the salary range? The answers can help you narrow down your career path even further.
2. Be Honest With Yourself
Choosing the right career is all about being honest with yourself. While sometimes it can be difficult to figure out what you really want, we have a shortcut that can help you find the answer: a Venn diagram. Create a Venn diagram that includes three circles that list the following:
What you’re good at doing
What sparks your interest
What pays enough to finance your life
The overlap of doing what you love and what you’re good at will result in you being happy but potentially unable to make ends meet. The overlap between what you’re good at and what pays well ends up with you financially stable but maybe bored or unhappy. Choosing the right career starts where all three categories overlap. Place each of your career options in the appropriate spot on the Venn diagram, and you’ll quickly realize which careers will lead to the most balanced life for you.
3. Research, Research, Research
You’ll never find answers to which career is right for you without doing a lot of research. Informational interviews are one tool you can use to learn more about careers that sound like a good fit. You’ll need to find people in those careers and reach out to them to ask for an informational interview. While some people may turn you down, others will be happy to share their personal experiences in a particular field or industry.
Ask questions to help you gain insight into the highs and lows of each career, whether the day-to-day work fits in with your preferred lifestyle, and how long it takes to progress up the ladder to the highest possible position and salary. These informational interviews can give you clarity on choosing the right career without actually having to experience it for yourself!
Some questions to consider incorporating into your informational interview include:
How did you get into this career?
What are the most common entry-level positions for this career path?
What advice would you give to someone interested in this career?
You might also consider working a temporary position to get some hands-on experience in the industry without committing to a long-term position.
4. Choose Your Career & Make a Plan
If you’ve made it through all these steps, it should be pretty clear which jobs you should pursue. Now, it’s time to look back at the informational interviews with people in these positions and follow their journey. Enroll in the courses they suggest and look for opportunities to gain experience in the skills that are most needed for this job. Knowing the path those before you took when choosing the right career for them can help guide you and provide direction on the way to success.
Find More Guidance
At Whitman Associates, Inc., we’re proud to celebrate 50 years of providing expert staffing services for both employers and employees. When choosing the right career path, we can help you at any point along the way. Reach out to us today to learn more about the industries we serve and the qualifications you might need to reach your career goals!
Because everyone follows the same resume “rules,” many resumes start to look and sound the same. Do you make sure to include keywords in your CV so that scanning software will approve it? Are you listing your task responsibilities, achievements, and results with your work experience? Do you put in phrases that specifically relate to the required job skills from the original posting? All of these tactics are now well-known and don’t guarantee you’ll stand out from the crowd. If you want to craft a memorable, five-star resume, you’ll need a little help.
At Whitman Associates, Inc., our team has spent years sifting and sorting through applications, so we know what building a job resume is all about. If you need tips for writing a good resume, turn to our experts for additional assistance.
1. Treat Yourself as a Brand
What is it about certain brands that give them value? How do you shop for the brands you want? HR, recruiters, and employment managers shop around for people to hire in a similar way. They want to find the person that’s the best fit for their needs. Instead of focusing on your career goals for the future, showcase what you can do for this company right now. When building your job resume, tailor it to the needs of the position you are applying for.
2. Keep Your Search Precise
In order to be efficient in your job search, read job postings carefully regarding skills and experience required. If you are missing some of the skills that are required, be sure to highlight the experience or skills that most closely line up with the job specifications instead of not sending your resume at all. Your career prospects lie in those job postings where you can show the areas that make you a good fit for the role. Extend this rule to building your resume; if you’re missing skills that are listed as requirements, highlight the next best related skill that you do feel proficient in.
3. Read Directions Carefully
Employers may weed out applicants by including specific directions in the application process. If you demonstrate an inability to follow these instructions properly, it could hurt your chances of being considered for the position. Is there a particular format they want for your cover letter? Are your introductory emails supposed to have a specific subject line? Be aware that the employer may be giving you specific directions on how to apply for the job in order to determine if you follow instructions and pay attention to detail. This could be used as yet another way of screening candidates for the position. The outcome of this hidden test may determine if you are moved on to the next step.
4. Follow a Standardized Format
When building a resume, adhere to an intuitive format that makes it easy for the reader to follow. There are many templates you can choose to use if you wish, but most will be variations on a few basic points:
Include your name and contact information in the header section
List your work experience in chronological order
Use bulleted lists to keep your information organized and easy to digest
Proper formatting is one of the most important tips for writing a good resume because it makes it easy for employers to quickly gather relevant information about you and your qualifications.
5. There’s No One-Size-Fits-All Approach
You must personalize every cover letter and resume for the company and position. There’s no point in sending out the same information to every single place and hoping one of them will get you a callback. A resume that matches the company’s job description and qualifications will help you get an interview. Even if the position and requirements are the same, you will want to tailor the resume for that specific job and company culture.
Now that you know all about building a resume, take a look at yours and explore the changes you can make to enhance it.
There are many changes on the horizon for the working world. With COVID forcing offices to transition to work-from-home and the discussion of a great resignation as burnt-out employees seek a better work-life balance, employers are scrambling to figure out how to keep their employees on board. One solution to your struggles could be temp work. Whether you’re an employer who’s struggling to find good help or an employee who wants to explore unique work opportunities, there are many benefits to temporary employment that could be the key to finding what you need.
Are you considering temporary employment as a business or as an individual? Learn more about the benefits of temporary work for you when you read this overview from the experts at Whitman Associates, Inc.
Temporary Employment Benefits for Job Seekers
Temping offers employees unique benefits that long-term positions often don’t. Temporary employment through a reputable staffing agency can help job seekers secure flexible, well-paying positions that provide predictable work opportunities without a long-term commitment. Depending on the candidate’s situation and circumstances, temping can provide a variety of perks, including the following.
Explore Different Careers
Whether you’re new to the workforce or considering a career change, one of the benefits of temporary employment is the chance to learn about a variety of careers and industries before you make a commitment to a long-term placement. For example, you can spend a few months in corporate accounting before exploring what it’s like to be a legal assistant in civil rights law. You might be surprised to discover which careers and positions you enjoy the most!
Gain Experience
Another benefit of temporary work is that it allows you to gain experience in a variety of industries — or even one industry — without being stuck in any particular position. As you move from job to job, you’ll learn many diverse skills that will make you more attractive to employers in the future.
Find New Opportunities
Even if you prefer temporary work, you never know when an opportunity will turn out to be the perfect fit. Whether it’s a permanent role or getting your foot in the door of an industry that you weren’t initially qualified for, temp work can broaden your horizons.
Build a Network
Many people live by the mantra, “It’s not what you know, but rather who you know.” Temporary work can provide you access to a continuous flow of professionals which you can use to build up your personal and professional network.
Earn Money on the Side
The last benefit of temporary employment for job seekers is that it allows you to continue earning money as you search for the perfect placement. There are no strings attached with temporary work, so you can job hunt guilt-free. Even better, temporary employment can act as a stepping stone, helping you build your resume, gain experience, and meet new people.
Benefits of Temporary Employment for Employers
There are just as many benefits of temporary work for employers as there are for employees. Sometimes, you just need someone to fill in the gap while a current employee is on family leave. Other times, you’re testing the waters to see how a newly created position may interact with your current workflow. There are plenty of reasons to choose temporary employment for your business!
Preview Employee Potential
You’re not sure which type of person would be the best fit for a particular role, so you want to have a few trial runs before extending an offer. One benefit of temporary employment for business owners is a preview of the employee’s work quality, productivity, and teamwork. You don’t have to worry about hiring someone full-time, only to let them go when you realize they’re not suitable for your company.
Fill in the Gaps
Many people cite work-life balance as their reason to stay or leave a particular company. To ensure your employees feel like they can live their lives fully, you need to be able to cover for them when they take time off for family leave, vacations, or other extended sabbaticals. For employees whose work simply cannot wait, a temporary replacement allows your company to keep up its operations with minimal interruptions.
Wait for the Right Fit
Some positions require a very specific type of personality or skill set. If you’re struggling to find the perfect person for a particular position, a temp provides your HR team with the breathing room they need to ensure they’re hiring the right person. Instead of rushing and compromising to fill a position with a substandard candidate, this benefit of temporary employment allows your company the opportunity to take a little extra time exploring your options for a permanent hire. And who knows, maybe your temporary employee will turn out to be the perfect fit!
Find Seasonal Workers
Whether you need to hire additional people during peak season each year or you need an extra set of hands for special projects, temporary hires ensure you have a contract in place for just as long as it’s needed. Specific contract lengths for the short or long term are a major benefit of temporary work for employers.
Finding What You Need With Whitman
These are just a few of the benefits of temporary employment for both employers and job seekers. As the professional work landscape continues to evolve, we’re here to ensure you find what you need to fit your life, career, and business growth. From non-profit staffing to career advice for professionals, we do it all!
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So, this superstar team of employees is soaring above expectations. It’s neat to have people like that backing your mission, right? But here’s the thing — you want to make sure they stick around and don’t start eyeing other opportunities. If you’re looking for ways to ensure your employees view you as an attractive employer, Whitman Associates, Inc. recommends focusing on these employee retention ideas. Explore our top methodologies to improve retention and employee satisfaction.
1. Invest in their work-life balance
This is more than just some trend thrown around to sound good — it’s an innovative employee retention strategy for keeping your employees content. Part of providing the balance your employees desire is supporting them in all areas of their lives. Respect their home life, mental health and responsibilities outside of work.
Because many employers have experience with a remote office environment, the boundaries between work and home are muddier than ever. Ensure your employees feel like you understand their needs outside of the job, including childcare, mental health days, boundaries outside of work hours and perhaps financial support to improve Wi-Fi connections or other home office requirements. With the definition of “workspace” changing faster than ever, it’s vital to update innovative employee retention strategies to match the new struggles employees face today.
Employees who feel that employers respect their work-life balance are more loyal, perform better and stay longer than employees who feel unsupported. Therefore, employee retention ideas that work to improve work-life balance are more successful.
2. Provide attractive career paths
You want to improve retention, and employees want to grow their careers. Instead of letting them stagnate in a particular role, make sure to provide measurable and varied career paths that help all your employees reach their full potential. This is one of a few innovative employee retention strategies that may require a shift in the structure of your promotion process.
Develop a realistic framework that helps employees thrive in every situation. Whether they’re working from home, transitioning to part-time work or looking to fast-track their career, you must create opportunities for everyone to grow at their own pace. Ensure employees can easily access this structured framework for career advancement, allowing them to visualize their opportunities and understand the expectations for every milestone.
3. Adopt flexibility
Workplace flexibility that was quickly adopted into the mainstream during COVID-19 is now one of the most essential innovative employee retention strategies. As a return to in-person work is increasing, you might still want to consider schedule flexibility as one of your employee retention ideas. Variable shifts and optional weekend work to cover days off during the week can help employees be more focused on the job because they’re not worried about conflicting schedules and responsibilities in their personal lives. Plus, remote work opens the door to having remote employees in different states and countries than your home office, needing the flexibility to work outside of regular hours due to time zone differences.
Split shifts and flexible scheduling are innovative employee retention strategies that could be the difference between being able to work part-time, full-time or not at all! Some parents may appreciate being able to work around their kids’ schedules, and employees in a different time zone will probably be happier not having to work through the night just so their schedules align with local employees. Giving your employees more options is what improves retention and ensures employee happiness.
4. Offer meaningful growth opportunities
If you take a poll asking people why they’ve left a job, you’ll hear many of them cite murkiness surrounding the path for career progression. That should tell you that innovative employee retention strategies should address career advancement. From on-the-job training for higher positions and mentorships to leadership development seminars, your employees should be able to find everything they need to succeed within the company.
Employee retention ideas such as upskilling or reskilling workshops, training, and other opportunities demonstrate the company is eager to invest in its future. And, once an employee has grown beyond their position, reward them with a promotion and a raise. Going outside the company to fill leadership positions reduces morale and makes employees feel like they’ll never get anywhere within your company. Instead, promote from within whenever possible and watch as this innovative employee retention strategy increases morale and confidence in your current employees.
5. Respect your employees’ viewpoints
Create an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts positively and respectfully. When monitoring your company’s social media presence, stay neutral around targeted or controversial issues and keep your personal opinions separate from the workplace dialogue so you don’t inadvertently ostracize or offend any of your employees. Creating an inclusive workplace culture where employees feel heard is an essential and innovative employee retention strategy.
When it comes to promoting diversity and inclusion, there are various employee retention ideas you can implement. Consider initiatives like employee resource groups or mentorship programs. Simple gestures like recognizing a broader range of holidays in your company calendar can create a more inclusive atmosphere. Your goal is to develop a sense of belonging. Your employees should feel connected to the company they work for. A culture of inclusion not only improves morale but also reduces turnover rates. Prioritizing respect for your employees’ viewpoints should be at the top of your innovative employee retention strategies list.
What’s your game plan?
When boosting your employee retention game, it’s critical to investigate where your company stands first. It can be a bit of a maze navigating new programs and processes, so taking things one step at a time is imaginative play. Let’s say you’ve got some employee retention ideas like flexible hours and support networks already, but there’s a gap in laying out a clear path for career growth. That’s where you should focus first.
Do you need guidance on which innovative employee retention strategies would click with your team? Why not shoot them a survey and hear straight from the horse’s mouth? By tuning into what your employees want, you’ll be better equipped to keep them pumped, focused and on their A-game. It’s all about chatting with them, understanding their needs and delivering solutions.
Lilly graduated from George Mason University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She plans to attend law school in the fall, and hopes to find a career that merges her interest in the law and passion for environmental science and urban sustainability. While at Mason, she was a member of the 17 Rooms-U Team, a collaborative effort to implement the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals on campus and in the Fairfax community.
