If there’s one word a workaholic hates to hear, it’s vacation.
For workaholics, the warm days and beautiful summer nights are no different than freezing winters and snow-covered roads. Work must get done, regardless of the weather.
America is considered one of the most overworked nations in the world. And like it or not, everyone needs some down time. Otherwise stress builds up, and too much stress is dangerous for your health.
But a vacation mustn’t mean a 10-day trip to Thailand. Here are a few simple vacation ideas to help you relax this summer, without damaging your productivity. Not just summer any time of year for that matter. Weather spring, fall or winter weather.
1.       The staycation
If you’re crammed for time and finances are stretched thin, a staycation may be the perfect summer vacation solution for you. The Staycation is exactly what it sounds like. You don’t need a flight. You don’t need overnight accommodations. All you need is time off to explore your city. Maybe you go to your favorite restaurant or visit the local theme park. Staycations offer lots of fun without any checked baggage. Take up a new hobby - hang-gliding, sky-diving, scuba diving all come to mind, or just pain fishin'.
2.       In-city hotel stay
This is a small step-up from the staycation. Unlike the staycation, where you go exploring all day but come back to your home at night, the in-city trip comes with a hotel visit. Head downtown and get a room. Enjoy the amenities of room service and a great view of the city from the 16th floor. Again, this saves you having to spend lots of time traveling to a destination and dropping lots of money on airfare.
3.       Maybe it’s time for a cruise
Many will argue that a cruise is the ideal vacation. You don’t have to drive anywhere. Your food is included. And all the activities you could want are within walking distance. Not to mention there’s plenty of night life. You can even find a three-day cruise, which is perfect for a weekend getaway. Not too mention, even out in the ocean, WIFI is standard. So don’t worry about missing the occasional email if that’s the only thing holding you back.
4.       Shorter weeks, longer weekends
If you’re like most workaholics, you probably have lots of vacation days built up and no desire to take a three-week trip. Fair enough. Maybe your solution then isn’t to have a long vacation, but a series of mini vacations. Why not take a Friday or Monday off every week for the next few months? This way you are still able to come into the office and get things done, but you’ll have more time over the weekend for chores, errands, or that round of golf you’ve been putting off.
5.       Take the plunge
Or maybe this is the year you go all out. Maybe this is the year you finally take that big trip with your family. But make it a trip with a purpose. Don’t just go somewhere for the sake of going. That defeats the purpose. Is there anywhere you’ve always wanted to go? Any city or sights you have on a bucket list? If so, treat yourself. You’re less likely to think about the office and your emails if you’re somewhere you’ve always wanted to be.

As technology improves and makes tasks easier, you’d think people would have more time. But instead it seems people are trying to fit 30 hours of work into 24-hour days.
To help people manage life’s demands and busy schedules, app developers constantly create new tools to help improve productivity and time management. Whether you need help managing the items in your fridge or a long list of demands at work: there’s an app for that.
Apps for your everyday life
The following is a small sample of popular apps that can help you better manage your day-to-day life.
1.       ToDoist
This app could fit under work just as much as lifestyle. To-do lists are one of the best ways to stay organized and prioritize everything you need to get done. It can be hard to remember everything, so it helps to write it down.
Think of ToDoist as the ultimate to-do list application. Users simply write down their tasks and the application will interpret it and categorize everything. It’ll also schedule reminders for meetings you write down.
2.       Grocery Pal
It may seem odd to have an app solely dedicated to your shopping list. But how often do you forget to pick up milk or try to find the best deal on fruit?
Not only can you use Grocery Pal to create grocery lists, but the application will notify you of weekly sales and promotions at the stores closest to you.
3.       Evernote
Think of this app as your second brain. You browse websites, snap pictures, write notes and all those things end up in different applications. Weeks or months later you’ll remember it’s in your device somewhere but have no way to search and find it.
Evernote allows you to combine and organize all your thoughts and ideas into one, easy-to-use platform.
Apps to make you the office organizational guru
Here are a few apps to improve project management and work productivity.
1.       Slack
If you did a quick search on your device for the most popular work productivity apps, Slack would be right near the top. The Unicorn company is popular with major players like Target and Oracle in the way it helps improve in-office communication.
If you’re tired of email and struggling to maintain control of your inbox, Slack may be the solution you’re looking for. All office communication is organized and searchable and you can design specific channels for specific projects and clients.
2.       Trello
Are you having problems organizing projects at work? Trello uses a visual platform to not only display all projects in the queue, but also the tasks and phases that must be completed as part of the overall projects you’re working on.
3.       Zapier
Here’s an app that could also work wonders in your personal life, but is an office organization lifesaver. Zapier is the application facilitator. It allows you to quickly integrate options and attachments from one application into another.
For example, you can quickly and seamlessly send Slack attachments to Dropbox or provide contact information to Salesforce without downloading, saving, and re-uploading.

Four reasons you need a Recruiter…especially in the digital age

Presented to you by BusinesStaff
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If your company has open positions, you’ve undoubtedly seen the pitches from online job boards: find a candidate in just one day with just one click and so on. Many companies sacrifice quality when only relying on job boards, social media blasts or even understaffed internal HR and recruitment teams. In this digital age, good recruiters are even more valuable!  Yes, not all recruiters are the same.  Let’s take a look at four reasons why a good recruiter brings great value…
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A good recruiter saves you a tremendous amount of time:
Time is a high cost factor that many companies overlook including the time that key positions go unfilled. Posting your open positions on job boards or social media may be less expensive and sometimes free, but are you really saving when you add in your time and lost productivity. You first have to create not only a refined job description but also a company sales pitch to even have a chance to attract top talent.  Then you need to decide where to post it among the numerous boards and job sites that all tout that they are the best.  Only to find that you’re spending countless hours filtering through stacks of applications from unqualified candidates. At BusinesStaff, we take work off your plate rather than adding to your already overscheduled workload. We know how to compose posting that will attract the best candidates.  We vet, scrutinize and evaluate every candidate for your specific needs and submit only the top few that make the cut. You need only to decide between the best of the best, rather than relying on those unqualified resumes that takeover your email.


A good recruiter targets passive candidates:
When you use job boards etc you attract candidates who are actively looking or even unemployed. It has been proven time after time that most top performers are neither of the above. Coming home from a long day of work and spending the evening filling out job applications requires a level of commitment that only the most motivated candidates have. And here’s the bad news—many active candidates are only looking because they are discourage, unsuccessful and even hate their current jobs. That’s not who you want to hire. Recruiters add value by targeting passive candidates: those who are very selective, rarely respond to online postings and are too busy to look for something new. Top recruiters have databases of talent as well as tools and persuasive tactics to find these under-the-radar top performers.


A good recruiter helps you market your company to high-quality candidates:
Many companies don’t realize that they’re in a sales role when recruiting talent. Companies have to drop their ego and put their best foot forward.  My recent article “Five ways to attract top talent” addresses this very issue.
Top candidates:

• Know their skills are the best in the industry
• Know what they are worth in the job market
• Rarely look for a new job
• Know that most companies are looking for them

We find that many—or even most—small to medium sized companies haven’t thought about factors such as company culture or promoting key benefits of working for their firm. Today’s social media-savvy candidates will research your company on LinkedIn, Glassdoor and other social media. They may even contact past or present employees. It’s imperative that companies become aware so that they’re prepared to answer questions about their work environment and expectations.  A good recruiter will help sell your opportunity by putting you in the best light possible.


A good recruiter looks for specific skills:
At BusinesStaff, we know that vacant positions put the brakes on your growth. When you need someone with a very specific skill, whether it’s certain sales experience, programming language or industry background, it will be a challenge.  This is very true for key positions, time-sensitive needs, or special projects. Recruiters know where to find those people, and how to help promote your company as a place they’d love to work. Recruiters even keep lists of candidates who are specifically targeting project-based assignments, unique requirements and other nontraditional situations.
It’s true that job boards and social media posts can be useful. Offering referral bonuses to your current employees is certainly a valid strategy. But in many situations, a good recruiter can save you time, productivity and money by helping better position your company to attract top (passive) candidates that can bring your company to the next level.


If you’d like to put the recruiter advantage to work for you, contact us at BusinesStaff today!


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“You only get one shot — do not miss your chance to blow.” Eminem may have been referring to rap battles when he dropped this lyric back in 2002, but he just as easily could have been talking aboutresumes and the job search. Resumes, after all, are your first chance to show a company what a perfect fit you are for a position — but if done incorrectly, they could also be your last. That’s why it’s absolutely critical to get them right the first time. Otherwise, all the time you spend filling out applications is essentially for naught.
But for every resume mistake, there’s a remedy. We’ve rounded up a few of the most common resume errors that prevent you from moving onto the next round, as well as solutions for how to fix them. It may take some time to tweak, but the payoff is worth it.


1. Not Customizing Your Resume

​When you’re applying to multiple jobs, it’s tempting to use a generic, cookie-cutter resume and blast it out everywhere you’re applying to. But that strategy may end up preventing your resume from getting in a recruiter’s hands at all. “Most resumes are reviewed electronically before a human sees them,” shares career coach Jeanne Patti, and if your resume doesn’t have the keywords specified in the job description, it will likely be overlooked by the software.
The Fix: It may be a pain to create a customized resume for each company, but if you’re truly interested in a position, it’s worth it. “Tailoring each submittal with keywords from the job posting is critical to pass the electronic screening,” Patti says.

2. Focusing on Job Functions Over ResultsIf your resume reads like the original job description you saw when you applied, it’s time to spice it up. “Most people focus too much on their job tasks/functions to ensure [that] the keywords are in the resume, and fail to devote time to strategically marketing their best skill sets and career wins,” says Wendi Weiner, resume writer & career transition coach.
The Fix: Instead of talking about the day-to-day, describe the big picture impact you had. “The more effective thing to do is to have a separate core skills section and focus your work experience section on results, major contributions, and key projects you have worked on at various companies/organizations,” Weiner says. “It is the number one way to distinguish yourself among the hundreds of applicants applying for jobs.”
What Hiring Managers Expect on Resumes Now
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3. Including an ObjectiveIf your college career counselor ever told you to put an objective like “Find an entry-level position in marketing” at the top of your resume, we’re giving you full permission to disregard them. “[One of the biggest mistakes] that I often see in a resume is an objective in lieu of a professional summary. Objectives should not be used in a resume,” Weiner says.
The Fix: Don’t just say you want a job — show recruiters why they should hire you for the job with a professional summary. “Your professional summary should resonate who you are as a professional and the high-caliber skill sets you have to offer,” explains Wiener. “Think of a professional summary as an introduction to the novel about yourself. It should allure the reader and entice him/her with information that will make him/her want to continue on reading to learn more.”

4. Poor WritingWhen it comes to your resume, your experience and career accomplishments are the most important, but how you present that information comes in at a close second. “The way you express yourself on your resume (and in any form of communication) impacts the way others perceive you,” says Angela Copeland, Career Coach. Spelling mistakes, clichés, and complex, industry-specific jargon will all count against you.
The Fix: “First, ensure your resume is grammatically correct. Then, be sure that it is worded in a professional manner with a somewhat formal tone. Last, ensure your resume is understandable to someone, even if they don’t work in your industry,” Copeland says. “The easiest way to improve your choice of words is to read your resume out loud to yourself. This can catch many of the potential issues before anyone else sees it. Then, ask a friend or family member who works in another industry to read it. If they find your resume to be confusing, consider updating the wording, so that it’s more clear.”

5. Leaving Out Social Media Links“Many people aren’t using the presence of social media to their advantage and use their resume as a stand-alone document,” Patti says. But in a constantly connected world where being transparent and informed is critical at every stage of the hiring process, it only makes sense to add links to your professional social media profiles.
The Fix: Give another layer of depth to your resume by linking to relevant, professional social media links. Patti recommends that job seekers “remove your physical address and add your LinkedIn URL. By linking to your updated profile, you will immediately gain credibility through your recommendations and endorsements of your skills and show insight into your personal brand and value,” Patti adds.
How To Ensure a Glowing Job Reference
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6. Telling Instead of ShowingIt’s an age-old adage in writing: show, don’t tell. When job seekers simply state how great they are without providing any evidence, they lose credibility in recruiters’ eyes. One common way job seekers do this is by “using buzzwords (strategic, specialized, leadership, experienced, passionate, focused, creative, enthusiastic),” Patti shares.
The Fix: “Instead of using these words, demonstrate how you use that skill. It’s a powerful way to share your experiences and what makes you stand out without boring the person on the other end,” says Patti. One common approach is the STAR method — provide the situation, task, action, and result of different initiatives you have been involved in, making sure to include specific information like metrics as relevant.

Men's Interview Attire
For a professional interview, men can default to wearing a suit. All clothes should fit well and not have any stains. Here are the fundamental items a man wears during a professional interview: 

• Suit (solid color - navy, black, or dark grey)
• Long sleeved shirt (white or coordinated with the suit)
• Belt
• Tie (If you haven’t worn one in awhile you may want to practice how to tie it so its not wrapped around you neck as your walking into the interview.
• Dark socks, conservative leather shoes
• Little or no jewelry
• Neat, professional hairstyle
• Limit the aftershave
• Neatly trimmed nails
• Portfolio or briefcase

Women's Interview Attire:
Here are the fundamental building blocks of what women should wear to professional interviews: 

• Suit (navy, black, or dark grey) - make sure the suit's skirt is long enough so you can sit down comfortably
• Coordinated blouse
• Conservative shoes
• Limited jewelry (no dangling earrings or arms full of bracelets)
• No jewelry is better than cheap jewelry
• Professional hairstyle
• Light make-up and perfume
• Neatly manicured clean nails
• Portfolio or briefcase

What Not to Bring to the Interview

• Gum
• Coffee or soda, or a breakfast burrito (you get the idea)
• If you have lots of piercings, leave some of your rings at home (earrings only, is a good rule)
• Cover tattoos if possible ( If your sporting tattoos on your face or neck this may be difficult)
• A pack of cigarettes sticking out of your suit pocket.
• Your significant other or a pet.
• Flip Flops or Sneakers.

While you can bring your smart phone, do make sure to turn it off or put it in airplane mode during your interview. This will help you avoid the risk of getting a loud text alert or phone call mid-interview. 

You’ve found the role, made an application and been invited for an interview. What happens next will see you celebrating your success or trying to work out what, if anything, you did wrong.
To spare you the post-interview angst, here are some of the most common mistakes people make in job interviews and how you can avoid them.

Not knowing enough about the company
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One of the key questions an interviewer is likely to ask is what you know about the organisation. Before going to a job interview you can learn about a company by visiting their website, checking out their social media, or reading their annual report. Glassdoor.com is a great resource for researching a business, its culture and the experiences of candidates who have been interviewed previously. If it’s possible to visit the company as a customer, this can be a good way to experience first-hand what they offer and understand how they operate.

Not understanding the role

An interviewer might ask you about your understanding of the role you have applied for. You should be able to describe the purpose of the role and what you can bring to the job.
You can learn about the role from the job advertisement, the job description, and by looking at the LinkedIn profile of the person currently in the role. If you are put forward by a recruiter, be sure to ask questions to find out as much as possible about the organisation and the role.

Talking about what you can’t do

Chances are, you won’t meet all of the job requirements. Rather than admitting to this, a better tactic is to turn the spotlight on to the knowledge, skills and experience you have. For example, many candidates begin by answering a question related to a job requirement by saying: “I don’t have experience in that area, but I have used these skills in X example”.
A better way of answering the question would be to talk to about the knowledge or exposure you do have. It’s better to talk in terms of positives rather than negatives. Remember that no one will fit all the criteria – and the other interviewees are likely to have similar skillsets and experience to your own.

Losing your cool

Let’s face it, interviews are not the most natural form of human interaction and it’s easy to let nerves get the better of us. The best way to alleviate interview anxiety is to dedicate plenty of time to researching the company, the role andconsidering potential questions you may face.
Another tip for staying in control is managing your physiological state. Mindful breathing techniques are a powerful way to bring you back to the moment, and to stop negative self-talk in its tracks. Try taking a series of calming breaths while you’re waiting to go into the interview. Simply breathe in through your nose for a count of six and out gently through your mouth for a count of 10. This will bring the oxygen back to your brains and help you to think clearly. Three deep breaths should see you feeling calmer, centered and in control.
Instead of sabotaging your interview by telling yourself how inadequate your performance will be or how you have no chance of beating the competition, research has proven that using positive imagery can boost success. So picture yourself having an enjoyable, positive conversation with your interviewer before you start.

Talking too fast

One of the biggest challenges you will face is how to articulate your response to interview questions concisely. This is particularly difficult if you are feeling nervous.
To control your nerves, try imagining the interview as a general conversation which is far less threatening. Listen carefully to the questions being asked and don’t be afraid to ask for a question to be repeated or for further clarification. It’s better to answer the question effectively than make assumptions and answer incorrectly. Once you have understood the question, allow yourself a few moments to consider your response.
Failing to prepareIt is helpful to spend some time ahead of the interview practising some of the questions you anticipate will be asked. Look at the requirements (in the job advertisement and job description) and develop 10–15 possible questions the interviewer might ask around competencies. You should also think about your responses to common interview questions like “Tell me about yourself”, “What are your greatest strengths/weaknesses?” and “Where do you see yourself in five years time?” Practise your responses with a family member, friend or in front of the mirror until you can answer them without hesitation.

Stay focused on these 10 basic tenets to prepare for your next interview and to drive off any potential jitters.

In the current job market you'd better have your act together, or you won't stand a chance against the competition. Check yourself on these 10 basic points before you go on that all-important interview.

1. Do Your Research

Researching the company before the interview and learning as much as possible about its services, products, customers and competition will give you an edge in understanding and addressing the company's needs. The more you know about the company and what it stands for, the better chance you have of selling yourself in the interview. You also should find out about the company's culture to gain insight into your potential happiness on the job. 

2. Look Sharp

Select what to wear to the interview. Depending on the industry and position, get out your best interview clothes and check them over for spots and wrinkles. Even if the company has a casual environment, you don't want to look like you slept in your outfit. Above all, dress for confidence. If you feel good, others will respond to you accordingly. 

3. Be Prepared

Bring along a folder containing extra copies of your resume, a copy of your references and paper to take notes. You should also have questions prepared to ask at the end of the interview. For extra assurance, print a copy of Monster's handy interview take-along checklist. 

4. Be on Time

Never arrive late to an interview. Allow extra time to arrive early in the vicinity, allowing for factors like getting lost. Enter the building 10 to 15 minutes before the interview. 


5. Show Enthusiasm

A firm handshake and plenty of eye contact demonstrate confidence. Speak distinctly in a confident voice, even though you may feel shaky. 

6. Listen

One of the most neglected interview skills is listening. Make sure you are not only listening, but also reading between the lines. Sometimes what is not said is just as important as what is said. 

7. Answer the Question Asked

Candidates often don't think about whether they are actually answering the questions their interviewers ask. Make sure you understand what is being asked, and get further clarification if you are unsure. 

8. Give Specific Examples

One specific example of your background is worth 50 vague stories. Prepare your stories before the interview.Give examples that highlight your successes and uniqueness. Your past behavior can indicate your future performance. 

9. Ask Questions

Many interviewees don't ask questions and miss the opportunity to find out valuable information. Thequestions you ask indicate your interest in the company or job. 

10. Follow Up

Whether it's through email or regular mail, the interview follow-up is one more chance to remind the interviewer of all the valuable traits you bring to the job and company. Don't miss this last chance to market yourself.
It is important to appear confident and cool for the interview. One way to do that is to be prepared to the best of your ability. There is no way to predict what an interview holds, but by following these important rules you will feel less anxious and will be ready to positively present yourself.
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An interview is a two-way street. Your potential employer is asking you questions to learn about you and your skills. In return, you need to prepare questions to ask your potential employer about the position, your boss, and the company in order to be sure that this is the right job for you.
In addition, if you don’t prepare smart questions, you run the risk of the interviewer assuming you aren’t interested or haven’t prepared.

Your opportunity to ask questions usually comes at the end of the interview. You must prepare at least two questions that demonstrate your interest in the position, your drive to excel in the role, and the fact that you’ve done some homework (researched company, industry, department).

So how do you come up with these smart questions that show you’re the perfect hire? As you conduct your pre-interview research, make note of topics that you’d like to ask about.
Keep in the mind that the best questions to ask are focused, open-ended question.
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Avoid yes or no questions and avoid questions that are so broad that they are difficult to answer. You don’t want to stump the interviewer when you’re trying to make a good impression and develop rapport.

Still not sure what to ask? We have some proven examples of good questions to ask during a job interview:


1. Can you tell me more about the day-to-day responsibilities of this job? 
This is your chance to learn as much as possible about the role so you can decide whether this is a job you really want. By learning more about the day-to-day tasks, you will also gain more insight into what specific skills and strengths are needed and you can address any topics that haven’t already been covered.


2. What do you think are the most important qualities for someone to excel in this role?
This question can often lead to valuable information that’s not in the job description. It can help you learn about the company culture and expectations so you can show that you are a good fit.


3. What are your expectations for this role during the first 30 days, 60 days, year?
Find out what your employer’s expectations are for the person in this position.


4. Describe the culture of the company.
Are you a good fit for this particular organization? Make sure you are comfortable with the culture and the dynamic of the company.


5. Where do you think the company is headed in the next 5 years?
If you plan to be in this role for several years, make sure the company is growing so you can grow with the company.


6. Who do you consider your top competitor, and why?
You should already have an idea of the company’s major competitors, but it can be useful to ask your interviewer for their thoughts. Naturally, they will be able to give you insight you can’t find anywhere else.


7. What are the biggest opportunities facing the company/department right now?
This question shows your drive to seize opportunity and may help you learn more about where the company will be focusing over the next several months.


8. What are the biggest challenges facing the company/department right now?
On the flip side, you may want to ask about challenges. This question can help you uncover trends and issues in the industry and perhaps identify areas where your skills could save the day.


9. What do you like best about working for this company?
Ask about your interviewer’s personal experience for additional insight into the company’s culture.


10. What is the typical career path for someone in this role?
This question can help you learn whether the company promotes from within, and how career advancement works within the organization. By asking the question, you show your interest in growing with the organization — just be careful not to phrase it in a way that sounds too self-serving (i.e. When can I expect a raise and a promotion?).


11. How do I compare with the other candidates you’ve interviewed for this role?
This is a slightly risky choice. You don’t want to put the interviewer in an awkward position. However, if things are going well and you’ve built a strong rapport, this question can help you see if there are any concerns or issues that you could address to show why you’re the best person for the job.


12. What are the next steps in the interview process?
This question shows that you are eager to move forward in the process. It will also help you gain important information about the timeline for hiring so that you can follow up appropriately.


Remember: Don’t ask about salary or benefits just yet. Wait until you are in the final steps of the interview process to negotiate with the hiring manager or an HR representative.