Tag Archives: Employment

The Interview: more answers to common questions

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By West Michigan Works!

 

Editor’s Note: This is the third in a four-part series about how to answer common interview questions.

 

The Interview: More Answers to Common Questions

An interviewer may ask the following questions to get some insight into your motivations, attitudes and professional goals.

 

Why are you looking to leave your current job?

If you are unhappy in your current position, don’t be negative. Instead, acknowledge a positive aspect of your current job. For example, “It was a great opportunity to improve my customer service skills.”

 

If you are looking for new challenges, be sure to be specific about how this new job will challenge you. For example, “My strengths are in team-building and connecting with others. This job would allow me to work with a larger, more diverse team.”

 

Where do you see yourself in five years?
This question can be difficult because if you have grand goals, you may be perceived as unrealistic. However, if you don’t have some desire to move forward, you may appear unmotivated. This is one interview question where you don’t want to be too specific.

 

A good answer will:

  • tie your past experiences and strengths to the position
  • demonstrate that you are willing to take on new challenges
  • show your enthusiasm for building your career with the company

Be positive and realistic when answering these questions. If answered well, you can highlight your drive to learn and grow with their company.

 

Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.

The Interview: More answers to common questions

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Education, How-To's, Local Business, Non-Profits, ,

 

By West Michigan Works!

 

Editor’s Note: This is the second in a four-part series about how to answer common interview questions.

 

After the interviewer asks you a couple questions to get to know you a little better (see our first article for tips), they might move to questions about why you are a good fit for the job.

 

Here are a few common questions and strong answers to help you prepare for your next interview:

  • Why should we hire you?
    • Be concise and confident.
    • Focus on telling them why your experience will benefit their organization.
    • Avoid talking about what you’ll get out of the job.
    • Tell them what you will do in the first 30, 60 or 90 days.
  • Why do you want this job?
    • Be specific. What are the aspects of the job that excite you?
    • Do your research. What is it about their company that makes you want to work for them over their competitors?
  • How do you handle stress and pressure?
    • Give an example of a professional situation when you handled the stress well.
    • Don’t tell them you never feel stressed. Everyone does!
    • Talk about ways you manage stress or pressure. Ex: to-do lists, going on a walk at lunch, morning meetings with your team.

Tell us on Facebook: how are your interviews going? What questions are employers asking you?

 

Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.

 

Here’s a sneak peek at the 100 hot jobs in 2017

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By West Michigan Works!

 

Every year West Michigan Works! publishes its Hot Jobs list. We analyze online job posting data and survey employers to create the list of 100 high-growth, in-demand jobs in West Michigan. These jobs pay at least $13 per hour and are estimated to have 50-3000 openings in the next ten years.

 

If you entered 2017 looking for a career change, use this list to help guide you to new employment. Don’t forget: West Michigan Works! can connect you with resources and help you create a plan that can lead to new opportunities.

 

The full list will be released later this month. In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek at a few of the jobs on the list:

 Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.

Four ways to make the best of your job search during the holidays

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By West MichiganWorks!

 

There’s a common belief that no hiring happens in December. Many recruiters and hiring managers would disagree. In fact, some may need to fill positions by the end of the year. During this time, competition is lower. If everyone else believes no one is hiring around the holidays, they won’t be applying for the jobs you want. Take advantage of this; you will be more likely to stand out in a smaller pool of applicants.

 

Don’t take a break from your job hunt during the holidays. Instead, make the most of it!  Here are some ways you can use the holiday season to your advantage.

  • Network at holiday gatherings. Attend as many events as possible and mention your job search to friends and family. Be prepared with a strong elevator speech to describe your goals and what you are looking for. Ask for recommendations and introductions to people that could help in your search.
  • Ask for an Informational Interview. An informational interview is an informal conversation with someone who is working in an area or at a company you are interested in. If someone in your network is taking vacation time over the holidays, request a meeting or phone call. Ask if they would be willing to offer advice.
  • Follow up. While hiring managers are still looking to fill positions over the holidays, they may not make job offers until after the New Year. Stay in touch to let them know you are interested. Send a holiday card and stay on their radar until the position is filled.
  • Make sure you can be reached. Check your voicemail and email regularly and respond in a timely manner. Be available to take calls and schedule interviews, even if it’s the day before Christmas.

Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.

Finding employment: Create a positive online presence

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wmw-logoBy West Michigan Works!

 

More and more HR professionals are using the internet to find information about job candidates. In a recent poll of recruiters, 93% said that they look at a candidate’s social profile and 42% of those said that they’ve reconsidered a candidate based on what they found.

 

Knowing this, how can you create a good online first impression? Here are some tips to get you started.

 

Google yourself. Look at the first three or four pages to see what an employer will see. A search that brings up negative or inappropriate content could land you in an employer’s reject pile. And while having negative content online may hurt your chances of landing a job, having no information is almost as bad; recruiters may see this being out of touch or lacking skills.

 

To combat this, you need to get fresh, positive content on the internet. A good way to do this is to create or update your LinkedIn profile.

 

LinkedIn is the #1 social media site that employers and recruiters use to search for candidates, so it’s important to have a complete profile with detailed information about your skills and experience.  Pay close attention to the following:

  • Photo: Your profile is eleven times more likely to be viewed if you include a photo of yourself.  Be sure to use a professional-looking photo.
  • Headline: Your headline is the short description of you that follows your photo in LinkedIn. A strong headline uses key words that are relevant to the position that you’re searching for and makes people want to view your profile. This is your opportunity to sell yourself in 120 words or less.  Be concise.  Be creative.
  • Network: Once you set up your profile, connect with everyone you know: current and former colleagues, past employers, people in your industry, neighbors, family, friends and former classmates. And don’t forgot to follow companies that you may be interested in.

Building your online presence takes time, but these steps are a good start. Once you get some positive content on the web, remember to monitor it on a regular basis.

 

Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.

Guiding Light’s ‘Back to Work’ program a smart, strong solution for financial independence

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guiding-light-back-to-work

 

Finding work can be hard enough, but just imagine how difficult it would be if you had an addiction. This is a fact of life for many folks.

 

Guiding Light’s Back to Work program provides a short-term stay for men who are employed or seeking full-time employment, allowing them to save money while they look for permanent housing. Other programs assist in addiction recovery, finding full-time employment and affordable housing.

 

Men in the program sleep in a men’s dorm and eat meals at Guiding Light. They receive job coaching, training in techniques for searches, and daily encouragement and advice. They have use of a computer lab for online job searching, email and résumé preparation. Phones are also available for local calls. As needed, they are provided with transportation and prerequisite necessities to accept a job offer.

 

The Back to Work program is a smart and strong solution for promoting financial independence through work. Each year, millions of dollars are funneled back into the local economy because of the emphasis Guiding Light has on helping men find and hold steady employment.

 

Guiding Light receives no government funding or insurance. All programs are funded by individual donors.

 

Each donation provides a man with the tools and resources to rebuild his life and re-engage with community.

 

Guiding Light is located at 255 Division Ave. S in Grand Rapids. For more information, call 616.451.0236 or email info@lifeonthestreet.org.

40 Businesses Expected at Community Job Fair

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Community Job FairKentwood Community Church together with Michigan Works! are hosting a Community Job Fair on Wednesday, September 9, 2015 from 9:00am to 12:00pm, at the WYOMING CAMPUS of Kentwood Community Church, located at 2950 Clyde Park Ave SW in Wyoming, Michigan (just south of 28th Street).

September’s event is expected to include 40 businesses. Employers will be on hand, recruiting for over 700 jobs in professional & trade industries, which include sales, customer service, health care, auto tech, manufacturing, truck driving, management, quality assurance, warehouse, marketing, skilled industrial, construction, security, food service and more.

Current registered employers include:

· Advance Security (U.S. Security Associates, Inc.)
· Pearson Foods
· Best Buy #409
· Snelling
· Compass Point Labor Management
· Stratosphere Quality
· Electro Chemical Finishing
· The Avon Shop
· Goodwill of Greater Grand Rapids
· The Job Post
· Holland Home
· Williamson Employment Services Inc.
· Manpower
· Workforce
· Panera Bread

Workshops

Michigan Works! is facilitating Job Fair & Career Workshops. These free workshops will be held hourly at 9, 10 & 11 AM, during the Community Job Fair in Room #3. In these workshops, participants will learn what to expect at a job fair and tips for success. Also included is how to present and communicate with employers at the job fair and in future interviews. Help to create an elevator pitch to concisely explain work history, career aspirations, education and skills and will provide several tips to take-away for successful interviewing.

Community Job Fair is held the 2nd Wednesday of EACH month

Kentwood Community Church hosts these job fairs as a way to bless and serve the community, also to facilitate great connections between employers & job seekers. Each month the Community Job Fair consistently welcomes an average of 200+ job seekers who participate in this event.

For additional information, contact Kristina Herron, Community Engagement Coordinator, at 616.455.1740 ext.504 or visit www.grjobfair.com.