Lakeland Job Seekers Blog

No shame in admitting it, this feels like the worst time to be looking for a job. With many organizations pivoting to remote work, hiring may be put on the back burner. Besides that, with most offices being closed, you’re not about to show up to your interviewer’s house in a suit. Video Interviews to […]

Congratulations! You’ve been asked to complete a one-way video interview. This is a big step towards your next job. You’re used to the “normal” hiring process, with phone screens, in-person interviews, and the like. But, maybe this one-way video interview is a new thing entirely. Or maybe you have done a one-way video interview before, […]

Congratulations! You’ve been asked to join a live video interview. This is a big accomplishment, but it’s important to get it right. You’re used talking to a recruiter over the phone and then meeting for in-person interviews so this live video interview might be a new thing entirely. Or maybe you have done a live […]

When an organization reaches out to connect with you over the phone, you might find yourself replying “Yes” before you’ve even thought about it. Advancing to the next step in a company’s hiring process means some of your nervousness searching for a new position disappears.  If you aren’t expecting it, a video interview invitation instead […]

In the workplace, most people want to be productive. You want to be able to finish your work within the day so you don’t have to bring it home or finish the next day. However, there are a lot of factors that influence the level of productivity that people have in the workplace. Some of […]

There’s a lot to consider as you search for a job. While the first thing to look at should be the job description, it is also important to think about what type of working environment the company has. In your search for compensation, don’t forget to consider company culture. A company’s culture speaks to the […]

It’s kind of crazy how quickly your life shifts between graduation, and post-celebrations. You have tossed your cap, waved your farewells, and accepted all the wishes from professors you got on the good side of… But what comes next? The scary thing is almost 1 in 5 graduates do not go after the job they […]

As the world advances, positions, departments, even whole companies and industries are replaced with new, more technologically advanced businesses. Getting laid off is a natural consequence of progress; you’re not to blame. And you’re not alone, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 1.5 million people are laid off each year. Suddenly being without your main […]

Planning for a new job? Well, there’s a lot more you should think about then just getting a high salary. Salary is important but shouldn’t be the only deciding factor for you to accept a job offer. Your paycheck might cover your monthly bills but all the employee benefits, perks and other non-tangible things matter […]

If you are following this blog, you already know how to create a resume from scratch. But what if you already have a resume that doesn’t fit the new career path you want to pursue? Even though changing jobs is not an easy thing to do, you can handle it excellently. It is even possible […]

Tired of staring at screens during your meetings? You’re not alone. You finally log off your last Zoom meeting of the day and realize that you’re somehow more tired than when you had to commute to and from the workplace. What’s going on? If this sounds familiar, it might be due to something called “Zoom fatigue.” As noted by the Harvard Business Review, Google trends has shown Google searches for this phrase has been steadily increasing since early March. Zoom fatigue is pretty much what it sounds like—people feeling an increased sense of weariness because of all the video calls. The Harvard Business Review goes on to note a few reasons that make video calls so tiring. Here’s our take: Video Meetings Are Awkward In a normal meeting, you’re in a room with colleagues face-to-face. You can take notes, look out the window for a bit, and come back to your presenter. In a Zoom meeting, you’re staring at the camera when you present or staring at a coworker’s face …

Take a break and learn about a career as a press brake operator. Despite already having experience with several jobs, many working adults are unable to answer the age-old question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Our monthly Job Spotlight blog series is designed to help answer that question. In this series, we review all the basics of specific jobs, from pay and duties, to why people do the jobs they do. Press Brake Operator In this month’s Job Spotlight, we’re learning about what it takes to be a press brake operator. A press brake is a machine pressing tool used to bend sheet and plate material. Key qualities to have include a record of safe work habits and attention to detail. Required Education: Typically, a high school diploma. Most are trained on the job, although some learn through training or apprenticeship programs, vocational schools, or community and technical colleges. Pay This varies depending on a variety of factors (e.g. experience, geographic area, industry, etc.), but …

The 4th of July is just around the corner, and that means fun fireworks, shiny sparklers, and great food. Although you might not be able to celebrate with large groups of friends and family this year due to COVID-19, why not use the spirit of the holiday to fuel a resume revamp? These days it takes a stellar resume to get an interview. You need to use powerful, specific keywords to highlight your experience. Here are a few of our favorite words to do just that.   You Created a Major Project If your idea became a major company initiative, that’s definitely worth highlighting on your resume. It shows that you had the creativity to think of amazing ideas your company valued, and the initiative to make them a reality. Words to use include: Designed Implemented Built Formulated Launched Configured   You Cut Company Costs Companies appreciate employees who can find ways to save money. Any process you’ve streamlined, or cost-cutting measure you’ve created is valuable to potential employers. Show …

We’re excited to announce  a brand-new episode of the Express Employment Professionals’ On the Job Podcast! Season 4, Episode 8: To Be Good At This Job, You Just Have To Be…Good For those of us fortunate enough to be able to work from home during the pandemic, our new normal finds us juggling the pressures of work, family and health in ways we hadn’t previously experienced. Imagine being responsible for 45 elderly folks spread across three bucolic residential homes during all of this? And not just accounting for them, but catering to their every need, honoring their extremely specific food requests, staging an elaborate Easter party and tending to their life and death medical needs in the face of an especially threatening virus. For Josh Winn, it’s not just a labor of love, it’s a compassionate calling.   Don’t miss an episode! The On the Job podcast series shares inspiring stories about the pursuit of work. Jobs give us a connection to our community and the ability to provide for ourselves and our …

With the COVID-19 pandemic still affecting so much of our lives, some parents are wondering whether their children will be going back to school in the fall. This could be a problem when it comes to employment, as planning childcare becomes a major consideration. If your children aren’t able to go back to school, will childcare be a barrier to employment for you? Let us know by voting in our poll!

“In these unprecedented times…” Odds are you’ve opened countless emails that started out that way, sent from companies as varied as the bakery down the street, your preferred shampoo manufacturer, or an online retailer you bought a single shirt from at some point in 2002. It can start to get old after reading it for the eighty-ninth time, but it’s accurate. Times are tough. This is especially true for your job search. It’s easy to lose hope when it seems like nobody is hiring. If you’re looking for guidance in your job search and a bit of light in the darkness, check out the upcoming live video chat on LinkedIn with Express Employment Professionals hiring experts on July 2. July 2 at 1 p.m. CDT on LinkedIn – Get Ahead: Advice for Finding Jobs in Accounting Hear about current industry requirements, trending jobs, and get your job search questions answered for jobs in accounting. This live video chat will be hosted by Matt Tibbetts, Training Director at Express Headquarters, and …

As employees across the country head back to work during the COVID-19 pandemic and restaurants and bars open up, so too does the opportunity to socialize with your co-workers outside of work hours. However, although socializing can be a great for your career, there can also be pitfalls if you aren’t careful. Here are the good and the bad that come with socializing outside of work. Good: Your Get to Know Each Other It’s hard to get to know who someone really is if you’re working on an assembly line, typing in separate cubicles, or stocking store shelve. It’s much easier to chat about life and its infinite mysteries over a burger and fries. Socializing with co-workers outside of work gives you an opportunity to be seen as an individual, by both your peers and your boss. People want to work with people they know and like, and showing a bit of your true self can help with that. Bad: You Get to Know Each Other Yeah, this one is …

We’re excited to announce  a brand-new episode of the Express Employment Professionals’ On the Job Podcast! Season 4, Episode 7: Comfort Food With Dignity Catering – and food service in general – is a challenging work in the best of times. And now, with public-facing events still mostly shut down, Heather Bublick and her business partner/chef/husband D’Andre Carter have found new ways to bring their gourmet comfort food to the masses via “Soul & Smoke.” They’re serving their delicious fare to school kids in need, unemployed hospital workers, nursing homes and “the populations that need us most” in their native Chicago. Don’t miss an episode! The On the Job podcast series shares inspiring stories about the pursuit of work. Jobs give us a connection to our community and the ability to provide for ourselves and our families. Your work may be your passion, or it could just be the way you make ends meet. On The Job dives into the multiple employment milestones of life. Download the On the Job podcast on …

In May, we asked our readers whether they believed their companies had done enough to improve overall workplace safety in response to COVID-19. As more people are going back to work, we wanted to review those results and see what it might mean for workers moving forward. Opinions were split on both sides, with 59% saying appropriate precautions were in place, and 41% saying this wasn’t the case. When asked for some specific ways companies were or were not improving overall workplace safety, comments included: “Letting us work from home.” “Not providing appropriate PPE.” “Required daily, weekly cleaning to be done with ZERO exceptions.” In general, companies seem to be making good decisions when it comes to safety. However, if you don’t think your employer is following appropriate safety precautions, consider taking some safety steps of your own. WebMD recommends the following: Wear a face mask. Stay 6 feet away from co-workers. Get plenty of sleep. Wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds. Stay away from crowded conference …

The country is getting back to work, and that means many companies are hiring. So, it’s time to dust off those resumes and start filling out applications. But before you do that, look at your resume and see if you notice any of these major mistakes. You might be cutting yourself off from success without even knowing it. Being Too General Be specific about your accomplishments. If you’re a sales manager, how many clients did you gain per quarter? How many people were on your team? What were your specific responsibilities? You didn’t just “lead” a team; you trained, directed, and managed a team of 12 people. The more numbers you can use to paint a picture of what you did, the better. Although you DO want to use job description keywords for your position, you don’t want your resume to look like a general job description. Instead of responsibilities (manned the cash register, opened the store, cleaned bathrooms), mention how many customers you interacted with on a daily basis, …