Struggling to Find a Job? 5 Tips to Boost Your Morale

Finding a job can be incredibly difficult, especially if you’ve been searching for quite some time and haven’t had any luck yet. If you’re discouraged about your job search and need some help getting motivated, these five tips can help give you the extra boost you need to continue your search and get excited about finding your ideal career path.

1) Set Mini Goals

One way to stay motivated when job hunting is to set small goals for yourself. For example, you could resolve to check three job boards every day, or send out five resumes per week. Once you accomplish your mini goal, give yourself a pat on the back and move on to the next one. You’ll feel much better about your situation if you keep setting small goals for yourself! 

Create a schedule too. Maybe each week or every other week, sit down and set more goals. Spend time evaluating where you are, where you want to be, and what you need to do to get there! And remember, these goals should be small and easy to achieve so you know you are making progress towards your overall goal of finding a job.

Having realistic, achievable steps to reach your long-term goal can help you make progress and take action. For example, if you are looking for a job in the real estate industry, setting a mini goal of getting your real estate license can help significantly as it shows potential employers that you have taken initiative and are knowledgeable about the field. It’s also important to constantly reevaluate your mini goals to make sure they still align with your overall career objectives so you don’t get lost in pursuing something unrelated to what you really want.

2) Stay Organized

When you’re job hunting, it’s important to stay organized and keep track of your applications, contacts, and follow-ups. This will help you stay on top of the process and avoid getting overwhelmed. The more prepared you are, the better!

Keep track of jobs you’ve applied for, where you are in that process, and keep any feedback you receive in a place where you can revisit it as you continue your job search — especially if you receive feedback after an interview. Tools such as Asana are great for this.

3) Surround Yourself With Positive People

One of the best things you can do when you’re feeling down about your job search is to surround yourself with positive people. These are the people who will listen to your venting, offer words of encouragement, and help you stay motivated. So reach out to your friends and family, and let them know what’s going on. You’d be surprised how helpful they can be!

4) Remind Yourself Why You Want the Job

It can be easy to forget why you wanted the job in the first place when you’ve been looking for a while without any luck. But reminding yourself of your reasons can help you stay motivated. Maybe you want the job because it will help you gain experience in your field, or because it offers good benefits. Whatever your reasons, keep them in mind and let them inspire you to keep going. If you start getting frustrated, think about how happy you’ll feel once you land that job!

This is a great time to create a dream board and keep it where you can see it daily. Boards can have photos of your dream job, motivational quotes, etc. If you place it someplace visible, you can always glance over at it to remind yourself why you want the job.

5) Do Something Fun

When you’re feeling down about your job prospects, it can be tempting to just veg out on the couch and watch Netflix all day. But that’s not going to do anything to improve your situation. Instead, try to do something fun every day, even if it’s just for a few minutes. This will help you maintain your energy and enthusiasm levels as you continue your job search.

Most importantly of all…DON’T GIVE UP! Sometimes it takes time to find just the right job, and that’s okay! What are ways you stay motivated during your job search? Reach out and let us know!

 

 

Stay in Touch!

* indicates required


User Type


Continue Reading

Do Personality Tests Help Employers Find the Right Person for the Job?

Personality tests are often used by employers to assess job candidates in hopes of identifying the right person for the job, and they’re becoming more and more popular in today’s competitive job market. The number grows yearly, but right now 22% of businesses actually use personality tests to find job candidates. But are personality tests effective? Does your personality really determine whether you can do the job well or not? And should employers even be using them at all? Let’s discuss some of the pros and cons of personality tests and how accurate they are in determining how a person will perform on the job, as well as how to best use them when hiring someone.

Why do companies use personality tests?

Companies use personality tests when hiring to get a general understanding of an applicant’s character so they can make an informed decision. People with certain personalities tend to work better in certain roles, and personality tests can help companies spot these trends quickly and accurately — but just how accurate are these personality tests, truly? While there is some debate over whether or not companies should use personality tests at all, most experts agree that if used correctly, they are generally very accurate, but they must be used in conjunction with other measures such as cognitive ability.

How do personality tests help companies?

By providing a fast, accurate, and standardized measure of the five primary personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism), personality tests help companies narrow down their search to applicants who are most likely to succeed. For example, if an employer is looking for someone with a high level of openness but low levels of extraversion, they can save time by ruling out candidates who score poorly on that particular scale.

Are personality tests worth my time?

Yes, but only if you use them correctly. The key is to employ objective personality tests and a structured hiring process in which your hiring managers fill out personality tests at the same time. In other words, objective personality tests should be used to help hiring managers do the same thing they would have done otherwise—in essence, these psychological tools are just more sophisticated and more efficient than a good gut feeling. And for those taking the tests, it’s important to answer them truthfully to make sure you are a good fit all around.

In the end…do personality tests REALLY help companies hire the perfect person?

Yes and no. Personality tests can help you screen for the right candidate, but they are not the ‘end all, be all.’ We have seen these tests used successfully in the hiring process. In the most successful example we saw, the company sent the tests right at the beginning of the process to determine what type of personality traits they were looking for — but, they also had their staff take them (including the person who they were replacing) to help them narrow down what they wanted out of a candidate.

If they received candidates that tested at the complete opposite end of the spectrum from what they wanted, they declined moving forward. From there it was a sliding scale of what they accepted. The personality test, though, was just the beginning. They then had specific experience they were looking for as well as how folks answered questions in the interviews. As an employer, personality tests can really help when you post a job and you suddenly find yourself flooded with applicants. Just make sure it is not the only measure you are using

For employees out there, we know there are a whole host of different personality tests companies are asking you to take. It’s really up to you whether you want to invest your time in them or not. Some are fast and easy. Some are longer. You need to ask yourself, are you truly interested in the job in its entirety, or did it just sound okay?

And employers, that’s something you should think about too when adding in a personality test. How much time am I willing to ask from a potential candidate before things get serious with them? Because an extra long personality test given too soon at the beginning of the process might just chase your dream candidate away. It’s a balancing act, for sure. How does your organization handle personality tests during the hiring process? Reach out and let us know your take!

 

 

Stay in Touch!

* indicates required


User Type


Continue Reading

How do I answer job interview questions?

You already know what you’re going to be asked:

What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?

Why are you interested in this position?

Do you have experience with x, y, and z?

Every interview, you’re asked the same handful of questions. But, here’s the hardest one yet: do you know the best way to answer job interview questions?

Employers want to know that YOU know your stuff.

We recently participated in an interview for a marketing assistant position. When the job candidate was asked if they were familiar with Photoshop, they said yes, and then they defined what Photoshop is. While employers are happy to hear you know what is being discussed, they want to hear HOW you use it. Instead of defining it, explain that you’ve used Photoshop for many years to edit photos, specifically removing backgrounds and changing colors. Mention a couple of specific projects you’ve used it for.

On the flip side, if you have some of the qualifications mentioned in the job description but not all, let the job interviewer know that. Be honest, but tie it back into experience you DO have. Maybe you don’t have Photoshop experience. That’s fine! Maybe you have experience with Canva or Picsart instead. Let your potential employer know that you are happy to learn Photoshop, but in the meantime, you’ve used Canva or Picsart to create assets and do some photo editing within that online service.

Pay attention to who is in the interview.

Tailor your job interview answers based on who is in the interview with you. Are you interviewing for an accounting position, but a normal HR rep is conducting the interview? Or are you interviewing with the lead accountant? If it’s someone unfamiliar with the technical details of the position, make sure to not spend too much time on super technical answers, and don’t just use big buzzwords to sound fancy. For example, let them know you’ve used Quickbooks in the past to run revenue reports, but don’t go into a step-by-step process of how you ran those reports

If you find yourself with the lead accountant, take some time to get technical with answers of how past experiences apply to this new position; using the example above, mention that you’ve used Quickbooks to run reports for monthly and quarterly pre-tax revenue data points. This demonstrates that you really know what you’re talking about, and this can turn the job interview from an interview into a conversation. We’ve certainly found ourselves a time or two laughing and joking about crazy technical aspects of the job that we encounter daily.

The third option here is that perhaps you’re not sure what your interviewer’s level of comfort is with the topic at hand. Don’t be shy, ask them! Let them know you don’t want to waste their time with too vague or too specific of answers. Never be afraid to ask questions, and always try to ask a few of your own.

Employers ask strange questions out of the blue to see how you handle the unexpected.

Sometimes, you might find yourself being asked something that seems out of left field! One time we were asked, “What’s the most inspirational thing you experienced while traveling?” No, the job was not travel related!

Job interviews can be nerve wracking as is, so if you find yourself freezing up with a weird question, don’t worry about it. Let the interviewer know you weren’t expecting a question like that. If they admit it’s something along the lines of seeing how you handle unforeseen things, then bring the interview back to the job description and how your experience fits that. Give specific examples of how you’ve handled unexpected events. Then come back to the original question. If you can answer it, great! If not, just admit that’s a question you need to think on a little more.

A more tame version of this that we have encountered is that some employers have asked, “What are three values that matter the most to you in your life?” This question is a bit easier to tie into your past job experience, but it’s not a super common one. In one instance, an employer asked for the answer in a rapid response style to see what came to mind first. Answer honestly, then mention specific times you used those values in the workplace.

That all sounds great…but HOW do I answer job interview questions?

Let’s break it down:

  1. Give specific answers about past experiences.
  2. Bring the questions back to the experience you DO have that you bring to the table.
  3. Ask your own questions!
  4. Everyone is human. If you freeze up or stumble, admit it!

And if you need more resources on answering job interview questions, check out the 7 Tips to Rock Your Remote Job Interview. But really, when it all comes down to it, we are all human. If you get a weird question or your mind goes blank, let the interviewer know. We’ve all been there!

Before your interview, go through the list of qualifications the employer is seeking. Write down specific examples of how you’ve used those qualifications in the past, or come up with a list of things that are similar that you can mention instead if you don’t have exactly what’s mentioned in the job description. Having your notes nearby can help. Ask friends, family, even your kiddos to help interview you! In fact, kids say the darndest things (right?) so they might be a great way to prepare if they are old enough to help; it can even be a fun little game to play!

Now we want to know, what’s the WEIRDEST question you’ve been asked in a job interview? Reach out to tell us!

 

 

 

Stay in Touch!

* indicates required


User Type


Continue Reading

Do I need to respond to every applicant that applies for a job?

Are you familiar with the term ghosting? This refers to when someone just leaves a situation with absolutely no explanation. You may have experienced this when someone left you hanging and possibly puzzled you as to why.

Have you, as an employer, ghosted job candidates?

Everyone here understands the struggles of being a business owner: there’s never enough time in the day, never enough help when you need it, or there are days where nothing goes right.

All of that plays into how you go about the hiring process. As a small business, sometimes you just don’t have the manpower to do it all. 

You’re probably asking, when is it considered ‘ghosting’ during the hiring process?

To be honest, there isn’t a clear cut line. What we can say is that the further someone makes it into the hiring process, the more they want to hear a response either way. Each company has its own steps to follow, but if you reach out to a candidate to express interest, it’s at this point that most job seekers start to experience ghosting.

77% of job applicants have been ghosted. That might be after an initial screening phone call, after one face-to-face interview, or after multiple interviews. In fact, some candidates have said they were ghosted by potential employers after a final job offer was submitted to them!

As an employer, ghosting comes down to a judgment call. There are lots of tools available to help you not leave job candidates out in the cold as to where their application stands. One thing we recommend is to write a generic template email saying thank you but no thank you. You can send this to all the candidates at once that aren’t moving to the next round, and that lets them know you aren’t ghosting them — which they will appreciate! You’ll appreciate it too because sometimes ghosting job seekers can lead to more of your time being eaten up when they reach out via phone and email to follow up on their application’s status.

But, what about the flip side?

What should you do as an employer if a candidate ghosts you?

In 2020, job seeker ghostings went up 18% from the previous year. The number one reason job seekers say they ghost employers is because they felt the job was not a good fit. Many applicants ghost early on in the process, but job seekers can wait until the last minute too. In fact, employers have reported that a quarter of new hires don’t show up for their first day on the job.

We’ve experienced this ourselves. We have even experienced new hires showing up for the first few days then ghosting with no explanation. In situations like this, what should employers do? Clearly communicate all expectations from day one. Do not close a job application (or, at least, do not stop the interview process) until a job seeker officially accepts a final offer from your company. Encourage applicants to ask questions. Once they are onboarded, schedule regular one-on-one meetings with them to continuously review expectations and allow them to voice how they are feeling. Be open, and they will follow your lead. If you’re looking for more tips, check out these 3 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring.

We also suggest checking out these 10 Qualities to Look for When Hiring Team Members. Look for these qualities and their consistency through the interview process, and that will help you to not get ghosted once you’ve hired someone.

In a world of technology where we are all connected, we have never seemed further apart. Ghosting is happening on both sides of the aisle, but it’s for the same reason: either an applicant decided the job was not a good fit OR an employer decided the applicant was not a good fit. We suggest using tools available to send short notes to job candidates to let them know what is happening with their application, and be open and honest with your communication. 

Now we would love to know, do you send candidates something to inform them of your decision? How do you handle this process? Let us know!

 

 

Stay in Touch!

* indicates required


User Type


Continue Reading

5 Tips for Applying to a Job Listing that Doesn’t Include the Pay Range

You find an interesting job listing…

The company sounds great…

Your experience matches the company’s required qualifications…

This job sounds great! There’s just one problem: the job doesn’t list the pay range. What does that mean? Should you apply, or should you find a different listing?

Why do companies not list the pay range?

There are several reasons as to why companies post listings without salaries. These reasons range from employers hoping to avoid potential questions from current employees to trying to avoid a wage war with competitors. However, the number one reason normally has to do with finding the most passionate job seekers: if a company does not list the pay range, they hope to attract job seekers that are more interested in the role itself than they are the money behind it.

This can be tricky for job seekers, though, as money is obviously a huge factor, and no one wants to waste their time going through the hiring process if salary expectations aren’t the same!

So, should I apply if a job listing doesn’t include the pay range?

In the end, it all comes down to your personal preference. If the job sounds like your dream job, then go for it (and use these tips to make sure your application stands out above the crowd). If the job doesn’t sound like an absolutely amazing fit and you’re on the fence about it, maybe see what else is out there. There’s no wrong answer here! But, if you do choose to apply to job listings without salaries…

Here are 5 tips for when you apply to a job that doesn’t mention wages:

#1. Research what other, similar positions are offering. The job title can help you figure out what the industry standard of pay is for that position. If it’s not quite what you’re hoping for, then figure out what job titles you should be searching for instead.

#2. Go ahead and apply! Take a chance and see what happens. This might just be the position of a lifetime! If not, it’s a great learning experience. Don’t let fear of the unknown hold you back from applying to a potentially great opportunity!

#3. Ask what the pay is! Communication is ALWAYS the key. Ask right away. Establish if this is a good fit for yourself and for the company.

#4. Plan to negotiate your salary. If no numbers are listed, this means the discussion about pay expectations is much more open than listings that include numbers.

#5. Be reasonable, but make sure this is a good fit for yourself. If you learn the pay range isn’t quite what you want, make sure to figure out if the position is truly a good fit beyond that. Consider time management, budget, experience, etc. Is this a position that will help you grow and achieve your career goals? If the answer is no, it’s probably time to apply to another listing.

As mentioned above, applying to a job with no pay range listed is completely a personal preference. We’ve worked with job seekers that did not like applying to those positions because they felt salary expectations were always less than they hoped for. On the other hand, we’ve worked with job seekers that have negotiated an amazing wage that they might not have received with a different job.

Money is a big factor when finding a job, but it’s not the only thing to think about! How does this job fit within your schedule? Does it give you the freedom to learn and grow? Does the company offer benefits that outweigh pay discrepancies? 

Make sure you look at the job as a whole and not just the pay — and let us know: do you apply to listings that do NOT include the pay range, or do you pass them over?

Stay in Touch!

* indicates required


User Type


Continue Reading

What should I do if a company ghosts me during the hiring process?

It’s not even a spooky season, but you might find yourself encountering more and more ghosts on a regular basis.

Are you familiar with the term ghosting? This refers to when someone just leaves a situation with absolutely no explanation. At least, that’s what the kids are calling it these days! You may have experienced this yourself during the hiring process: you spent lots of time putting together the PERFECT résumé, answering questions in a phone interview, spending time through lots of face-to-face meetings, and then…NOTHING?!?

Ghosting is becoming an all too familiar phenomena in the world of job hunting. In fact, 77% of job seekers have said that potential employers ghosted them. There’s no clear cut line for where ghosting occurs, but you can probably agree that the further you make it in the process, the more a yes or no becomes important to you. But what should you do if you don’t hear back?

#1 Reach out!

Companies ghost candidates for a myriad of reasons, but sometimes they aren’t ghosting you — they’re just working their way through the hiring process which can take some time. It never hurts to reach out and ask about the status of your application. This can show the company your dedication and interest in the position, and it can also get you some peace of mind to know where you stand. 

It’s important, though, to move on if the company is ghosting you. If you have tried to contact them several times with no response, that’s a good indicator they are going in a different direction.

#2 Never stop searching.

Until you have signed a final agreement with an employer, do not stop searching for jobs! This will make sure the hiring process is not at a stand still for you, and always work on innovating. Tweak your cover letter with these 5 tips to stand out to potential employers. Practice your interview skills with family and friends. Ask for feedback from companies that have been responsive to understand what you can do better.

#3 Don’t take it personally.

It helps to put things in perspective and understand that it wasn’t something personal that caused a company to ghost you. We’ve seen situations where companies received over 1,000 applications in a very short period of time which caused them to not be able to respond to everyone. We encourage employers (and employees alike) to communicate instead of ghosting, but there can be extenuating circumstances that prevent that.

One of the businesses that uses HireMyMom wanted to share with you what happens on the business side of things when ghosting might occur:

“As a business owner, I appreciate the tenacity of the person following up. My advice would be to continue that practice, while learning to let it go after a period of time. In my business, it is part of the process. Applying for a job is sales. You make your pitch, follow up, then move on to the next. It has never been my intention to ghost anyone. However, the very fact I came to HireMyMom to get help indicates my own inability to tend to every detail. At least from my side, it’s less about being rude than simply scattered and trying to keep too many plates spinning. Please don’t take it personally.”

Don’t worry, these sorts of ghosts won’t haunt you! If you’re getting ready to start your job search, check out these 14 résumé skills to help you stand out to potential employers. Ghosting is not 100% preventable, but you can refine your materials and skills to the best of your ability to stand out and make it hard for companies to ghost you! Just be open with your communication as to what you expect with your potential employer, remember that it’s just business, and always stay on the hunt for new job listings.

Are you getting ghosted a lot in your job hunt, or is this something you’ve never heard of before? Let us know! 

 

 

 

Stay in Touch!

* indicates required


User Type


Continue Reading

Business Need a Boost? A Complementary Partnership Could be Your Secret Sauce

If you’ve ever visited a fast food restaurant and purchased a kids meal with a movie-themed toy or bought a box of cereal to get the special gift inside, you understand the power of complementary partnerships. While many people think of these types of partnerships as strategies for large businesses, as a small business owner, you are perfectly positioned to harness their power and reap important benefits.

The right complementary partnership can change the trajectory of your business and open up a world of opportunity for you. The HireMyMom team has seen several small business owners successfully pursue this strategy with great success. In this blog, we share why these arrangements are so powerful and offer some tips to help consider if this approach is right for you.

Understanding Complementary Partnerships

Simply put, complementary partnerships happen when businesses team up to promote each other’s products or services. The terms complementary partnership and co-branding are generally interchangeable. 

Complimentary partnerships allow businesses and organizations with different strengths to create something better than either could offer alone. It’s also a chance for sellers of products that are sold separately but used together to join forces and pursue customers together.

There are many ways to create these types of partnerships.

  • A business that offers a product can partner with a company that provides a different product that’s similar or different.
  • A business that offers a service can partner with another service provider or a company that provides a product. 
  • Small businesses can team up with other small businesses, larger businesses, local groups, nonprofits.

Here are some examples of complementary partnerships for small businesses:

  • A bakery opens up a corner of the shop for a coffee kiosk, allowing customers to pick up coffee and pastries in one stop.
  • A t-shirt shop creates a partnership with a nearby school to provide spirit wear for students and families. The school promotes the shop, and the shop promotes the school with joint social media posts, signs, and other promotions.
  • An Etsy shop owner pairs up with an animal rescue organization to create a product line celebrating the organization’s work. The rescue organization sells the merchandise, and the two groups promote each other’s work.
  • A virtual assistant specializing in creating mailing lists creates a partnership with a writer who specializes in writing blogs and a social media manager who promotes small business accounts. The three promote each other’s services to clients but operate independent businesses. In many cases, they serve the same client and refer each other to clients who could use the services each provides.

There’s no limit to the ways you can work with your partners. In addition to promoting each other, you can jointly sponsor events, run contests where you feature each other’s business, share resources, introduce a shared rewards program, and even share a website or back-office service providers.

Benefits of Creating Complementary Partnerships

Creating complementary partnerships offer many benefits to business owners, including:

  • Increasing revenue through more business.
  • Helping small businesses survive and compete with more established companies by gaining a competitive edge and boosting brand recognition.
  • Offering opportunities to acquire new customers, engage more fully with established customers and provide a seamless experience.
  • Retaining current customers through enhanced offerings.
  • Sharing resources for greater reach with lower costs for each business.
  • Reducing the loneliness that often goes along with entrepreneurship.
  • Creating access to additional expertise from the partner and opportunities to share expertise.

Keys to Success

If you are thinking of entering into a complementary partnership, it’s important to do your homework before you begin seeking a partner.

Start by taking a critical look at your business to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Knowing what you bring to the table and what you’d like to find in a partner are essential to successful partnerships. 

With a clear vision of what you have to offer and what you need, look for a partner business that fits the bill. 

Networking is a great way to find potential partners. Attend local business meetups, reach out to the Chamber of Commerce, and attend trade shows to find potential partners. Also, be open to finding a partner closer to home. In some cases, a nearby business may fit the bill perfectly.

As you engage in conversations with potential partners, make sure that you feel comfortable with the partner personally, her approach to business, and her business practices. Even though you’ll be running separate business enterprises, as complementary partners, you will be working closely together, and that will be easier if you are comfortable with each other.

Once you and your patterner settle on a plan for a potential partnership, work together to create an agreement for your work together. Outline:

  • The parameters of your work together.
  • How you will communicate.
  • The level of transparency you plan to maintain.
  • How you will define success.
  • Who will manage which tasks.
  • Checkpoints where each business will assess the partnership’s future to determine if it still makes sense.

Please share!

Forming a complementary partnership is a fantastic way to move your business forward. If you enter into one, please drop us a line and share your experience.

 

 

 

Stay in Touch!

* indicates required


User Type


Continue Reading

How a Great Elevator Pitch Can Win You New Clients

Imagine entering an elevator and finding that the only other person in the lift is your dream client or the hiring manager for your dream job. It’s just the two of you, and you are both riding to the 20th floor. You have about 30 seconds to introduce yourself and explain all the reasons why you–or your business–are the perfect fit for her needs.

You take a deep breath, smile, and deliver your best elevator pitch. 

As you reach the 20th floor, the person hands you her card and asks you to call so you can talk more. Success! 

If imagining this scenario has you wondering what in the heck an elevator pitch is and how to write one, this blog is for you. 

The HireMyMom team has seen firsthand how an elevator pitch can launch a career or change the trajectory of a business. Here we explain what an elevator pitch is, and share our best tips for creating and delivering one that works for you.

What’s an Elevator Pitch?

An elevator pitch is a short, well-rehearsed introduction of yourself and your skills/business. The pitch conveys all the vital information about you in around 30 seconds, using about 75 to 100 well-selected words.

It’s called an elevator pitch as a reference to a time when people generally worked in offices, and catching an executive in the elevator was an opportunity people sought.

Of course, the world has changed. In all likelihood, neither you nor your dream client is riding an elevator up to an office. But, the need for an elevator pitch remains as strong as ever, even if the pitch is delivered over Zoom or at a local networking event.

A good elevator pitch shows that you are comfortable taking the lead in conversations, makes it easy for you to introduce yourself to potential clients and employers, and helps you proceed with confidence when someone asks you to tell them about yourself.

The key is to develop an elevator pitch before you need it and then rehearse it, so you are ready to go when the opportunity arises.

How to Create an Elevator Pitch

Developing an effective elevator pitch is a process, and it takes some work and attention. But, the good news is that you are the world’s foremost expert on the topic of why you are a great find.

Write down some key points you want to include in your pitch to get started. In general, your elevator pitch should:

  • Start with an introduction. Include information about yourself. Share your name, add something about your education, and highlight your prior professional experiences.
  • Move on to a clear description of the problem your skill/business can solve.
  • Mention the customer/business who would most benefit from your skill/product.
  • Describe the benefits the customer/employer would enjoy from working with you.
  • Ask for a follow-up meeting.

Tell a (Short) Story

Once you identify your key points, start working them into a narrative that feels comfortable for you.

Here’s an example of an elevator pitch that someone launching a Virtual Assistant business might use.

“Hi, I’m Kate. It’s so nice to meet you! I have a degree in business administration and run a thriving Virtual Assistant business helping small business owners free up more time and space to focus on their core business. I do that by taking all the back-office tasks off their plates in a seamless way. I can book meetings, respond to customer requests, or take calls–I offer a fully customizable suite of services based on your needs. I’d love to talk more with you about how I can help make your business run more smoothly.”

Here’s another example of a pitch for a freelance graphic designer.

“Hi, I’m Lisa. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve always been interested in graphic design and recently earned a degree in the field. I’m particularly interested in creating gorgeous e-commerce sites for small business owners. I use my design and photography skills to make your products stand out. I’d love to talk with you about how we could work together if that’s Ok. Let me get your card or jot down your email and I’ll send you some additional information.” 

Here’s an example of a pitch that would suit someone looking for a full-time job.

“Hi, I’m Joanna. After several years of bookkeeping, I earned a certificate in Accounting and am eager to find a full-time position where I can use my skills and experience. Your company has a great reputation in the industry. I’d love to join your team to contribute while I continue to learn and grow. Do you have a card to share? I’d love to send you a follow-up email or set aside time to talk about opportunities.” 

Once you have a narrative you like, start saying it aloud. Try it out on a friend and make tweaks to sections that don’t feel comfortable. Pick up a pen (or keyboard) and make changes to sections that don’t feel natural or need a little polish.

After your tweaks, get out a timer and see how long it takes to deliver your pitch. 

  • If it runs more than a minute, sharpen it a bit so you can comfortably deliver the message in under 60 seconds.
  • If your message takes less than 30 seconds, look for a way to beef it up.

Practice Make Perfect

Once you have your pitch ready to go, you are confident in the content, and you know how long it takes to deliver it, it’s time to practice. The more times you say it, the more comfortable you’ll feel delivering it. 

As you say it out loud, you’ll get a sense of where you might stumble, the words you most want to emphasize, and the cadence that feels most comfortable. To get there faster:

  • Deliver the pitch to your spouse.
  • Share it with a friend.
  • Practice in the mirror.
  • Say it to yourself in the car.
  • Recite it as you pet the dog.

Tell Us

We’d love to hear about your elevator pitch. Tell us how you developed it, where you used it, and how it worked. We can’t wait to hear about it!

 

Stay in Touch!

* indicates required


User Type


Continue Reading

Embrace change: Top 3 Talent Acquisition Trends for 2022

The lasting implications of the pandemic and ongoing digital transformations within our working cultures mean that HR managers are dealing with more challenges than ever. Government payouts and forced remote policies are complicating hiring processes, while reimagined trends and new standards for consumer interactions are shaping what employees have come to expect. This leaves us with the decision to lay off employees, reposition them, or hire people with different skill sets.

It’s undeniable that finding talent might get quite expensive and time-consuming. According to Employee Benefit News, employers spend around 33% of a worker’s annual salary during the replacement process. And it takes approximately 24 days to hire someone—not including reviewing resumes to find the best candidates.

Due to the Great Resignation, the talent pool is wider than ever. The crux of the matter is that many of millions of job seekers don’t have enough experience to do the new jobs requiring new skills. Employers are facing a maze of challenges—and they need to find a way out to stay competitive in the market.

I have worked for years to upskill women and help them find flexible work opportunities. But the current work market needs are broader than that. Here’s my take on what you should do to navigate today’s recruitment challenges, only aggravated by the Great Resignation, pandemic, and global competition over talent.

Upskilling and reskilling to optimize employee performance

Transitioning existing employees into new positions is more cost-effective than recruiting. Furthermore,  workforce training allows companies to maximize employee potential and workers to keep their jobs by expanding their skills to different areas.  

A Gartner report shows that 33% of the skills listed in a typical job posting in 2017 are no longer necessary, and new job posts require 10% more skills than previous years. For instance, collaboration platform management, data engineering, being bilingual, and customer empathy are some of the skills in demand for tech companies.

The first step is to identify what kind of skill sets you need to have to run your business effectively and successfully. Then, you can pinpoint what’s missing and find out whom you need to train to close current gaps. Ultimately, team leaders should outline the roadmap towards growth—employee plans should include goals, training schedules, and a target date for completion.

Second, inspire your employees to join upskilling programs. You might want to avoid employee burnout. Remember that they are already very busy and often feel that they don’t have time to learn new skills. By setting learning time into the workload, you can encourage your employees to improve their skills. 

This way, you can have more qualified employees as well as foster loyalty. According to research by IBM, employees are 42% more likely to remain with a company long-term if they received training that helped them perform their work at a higher level.

As an added benefit, upskilling increases employees satisfaction and retention. The statistics are astounding. Companies with a comprehensive training program have a 218% higher income per employee than companies that don’t. They also have a 24% higher profit margin than companies that spend less on this kind of employee development. 

Industry giants have already put a significant amount of money into upskilling. For instance, Amazon invested  $700 million in training programs. I can hear you saying, ”After all, they have all the money—it’s Amazon.” You also have many options. Encourage knowledge sharing and empower collaborative work in your organization. Workshops can be more informative and inspiring than you might think. Creating a safe zone where constructive criticism and feedback are appreciated will help you point your employees in the right direction.

Take your time to explore platforms like Udemy, edX, or Coursera if you don’t have in-house training opportunities. Besides, some Ivy League universities share their lectures on YouTube. When you have the budget, you can offer to pay a certain percentage of tuition and fees towards a certificate or diploma in qualified fields of study.

Advance recruiter expertise for a better employer brand

According to Glassdoor, 86% of job seekers look at a company’s reviews before applying for a job—your reputation precedes you. But an interview with recruiters is the first personal connection with the company, putting significant responsibilities on recruiters’ shoulders. Not doing the job well means time and money lost as well as employer brand damage.

Make sure that your brand ambassadors—recruiters—represent the company in the best way possible. People say that ‘’The best interviews flow like a conversation rather than an interrogation.’’ It might be true—but it has some issues. You can go off the topic and leave some important questions unanswered. Moreover, being like-minded and having common interests can cloud one’s judgment. 

A structured interview helps you be clear about the role, set your expectations and non-negotiables in a candidate, such as skills and traits. This way, it’s more likely that you provide a better candidate experience. Why does it matter? Because 26% of people decline an offer because they had a negative experience during the interview process. 

Along with the skill sets, it’s key to identify if the candidate is a cultural fit for the team. In this context, I refer to goals and missions for both employers and employees. Choosing someone who is skilled but not a good match for your team can impact overall performance, success, and even disrupt company culture. 

Ask the candidates what type of work environment they are most productive in and what management style motivates them. You can also ask if the candidate has any concerns about your company culture based on their research before the interview. The answers will help you understand what the applicants are looking for. 

Lastly, word travels fast. Any negative experience will come back to you as comments on social media accounts, affecting your employer brand. If this has happened to you before, make sure that your HR team gives the appropriate answers. Job seekers are more likely to apply if your company actively manages its brand by responding to reviews and communicating on social media.

Remote work for freedom and flexibility

After getting a taste of freedom, many employees don’t want to go back to the office. One of the most notable benefits of working from home is being able to have a better work-life balance. On top of that, people can plan their days, have more flexible and appealing childcare and eldercare options as well as reduce some expenses. 

From an employer’s perspective, offering remote work is rewarding. Some recruiters simply realize that virtual interviews and remote recruitment are time-saving and efficient methods. Most importantly, offering remote work makes your talent pool the talent ocean.

Even if we’ve been talking about the benefits of working remotely for some time, 44% of companies still don’t allow it—and these companies are limiting their talent pool by simply not offering remote work opportunities. Your ideal candidate might be miles away from you—don’t let distance come between you and top talent. 

Digital nomads are living proof of rising remote work culture. There are more than 15 million digital nomads from the US alone. The ability to work from anywhere in the world, higher salary expectations, and flexibility won’t let digital nomad growth slow down.

Besides offering remote work, consider paying a competitive salary, offering out-of-the-box incentives and bonuses—while creating a work culture that attracts ideal candidates, you can boost employee satisfaction.

The bottom line is that the talent is out there, and you need to ensure that you set a productive environment for the arrival of future candidates and employees.

 

 

 

 

 

Stay in Touch!

* indicates required


User Type


Continue Reading

How to Avoid Common Scams and Find a Legit, Work-from-Home Job You’ll Love

Over the last few years, it’s been virtually impossible to miss news about the remote work revolution. It seems like everyone is working from home–either as a continuation of an arrangement that started due to the pandemic or as part of the great reshuffling.

According to a late 2021 Gallup poll, employees enjoy working from home and want to keep doing it. Many say they would leave a job if they had to be in the office every day.

But, despite the hype, you may be having trouble finding a work-from-home job. You know the one that lets you flex your hard-earned skills, develop new capabilities, set your own hours, eliminate your commute, and reduce the cost of child care. 

Indeed, more and more employers are actively recruiting home-based staff members, and the list of jobs done at home grows every day. But, there are also some scammers out there hoping to take advantage of moms who want to work from home.

So, what’s the secret to finding a “real” work-from-home job and avoiding scams? This blog spills the tea on how to find a legit opportunity and shares some red flags that a job posting may not be all that it’s cracked up to be.

Avoid red flags

Just like relationships, job posts can throw up red flags that mean it’s time to bow out. Here are some warning signs to look for:

  • Offers for jobs that you never applied to do. If someone reaches out with an immediate job offer after claiming to have found your resume online, it’s probably not legit. Proceed with caution and don’t give any personal information.
  • Jobs that sound good to be true–especially offers that arrive via email or phone calls. It’s easy for unscrupulous people to send out a batch of emails or make calls to job seekers promising a great job that doesn’t require experience. In many cases, the message asks for access to your bank account or Social Security Number to verify eligibility or asks for some other kind of personal information. Consider this approach a red flag and walk away.  
  • Jobs that require you to purchase specialized equipment or supplies from the company before you can start work. The same goes for employers who want you to send them money before you start working there. We’ve never heard of an employer who required you to make a significant investment in their products to start working for them. Consider this a warning sign.
  • Jobs that seem to pay much more than their competitors or ask you to start at a very low starting wage and then promise a significant raise if certain (yet unclear) requirements are met. Also, steer clear of jobs that want to send a “test deposit” to your bank account or propose paying you in an alternative currency, such as gift cards.
  • Recruiters who are unprofessional in their communication with you or don’t readily share details about the organization offering the job are often bad news. The same goes for unprofessional communication or high-pressure tactics to get you to move forward in the interview process. Consider these red flags and do more research before moving forward.

If you aren’t sure about a company or a job, do some research.

  • Conduct a Google search about the company. Do they have a website and a physical address? Do search returns list problems or issues, especially from job seekers?
  • Ask the person you are working with for references from other contractors. Legitimate companies are happy to provide references and more information about their operation.
  • Check with the Better Business Bureau to find out more about the company. Also, check out this helpful article about job scams from the BBB. If you think you may have been approached by someone running a scam, report it on their ScamTracker.

 

Look in the Right Place to Avoid Issues

Although there are scammers online, the internet remains a great place to look for jobs. One sure-fire way to make sure your job search is productive and as free of scams as possible is finding a job search partner that helps you narrow in on the right type of job with the right type of employer.

Signing up for a niche site like HireMyMom.com can save you time and hassle in the job search process because you get exclusive access to a curated list of legitimate work-from-home jobs offered by vetted companies. 

This cuts down on the legwork you’ll need to do to find a job, limits the pool of other applicants, and gives you peace of mind that the listing you are pursuing is legitimate.

When you join HireMyMom, you have exclusive access to a curated list of legitimate work-from-home jobs. Moms love us because they know all applications are going to real businesses looking for help. Employers love us because they know they can find high-quality, highly motivated candidates who want to work from home.  

To help keep the jobs legit and keep the pool of potential applicants exclusive, we charge job seekers a small fee. Based on our years of experience, we’ve found this is the best way to ensure the service works for everyone. Here’s why:

  • When you see a job post on HireMyMom, you can be assured it’s exclusive. We don’t pull jobs off the internet to fill our site. We only post positions that can’t be found elsewhere online.
  • You can feel confident when you apply for a job on the site because we aim to keep HireMyMom 100% scam-free. Our team reviews each job post to ensure that the company (or person) looking for help is legit. We have a list of red flags we look for and don’t hesitate to say no if we aren’t confident.
  • We don’t charge commissions from job seekers. Once you find a job, all the money you earn is yours to keep. We don’t take a commission of your earnings. Often, free job sites are only free until you find a job. Then, they help themselves to 10% to 20% of your pay as long as you have the job. 
  • The fee keeps the number of job seekers down, so it’s easier for you to stand out in the crowd. It also weeds out those who are not serious job seekers.
  • Businesses prefer to use HireMyMom because job seekers who have paid the fee are serious about finding work. And the volume of resumes that flow in is more manageable than the numbers that arrive when jobs are advertised on free job sites. 

In addition, HireMyMom offers helpful resources to help you in your job search. Offerings include:

You can also use our full menu of Resources and Training and join our popular Coaching and Mastermind groups to find like-minded people who share your values and professional drive.

Still have questions? Check out Why Does HireMyMom Charge Job Seekers.  

We can’t wait to help you find your work-from-home job!

 

 

Stay in Touch!

* indicates required


User Type


Continue Reading