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Leaving a Job with No Future

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If you are passed over for a promotion you truly deserved, it may be time to find a new job. After all, you cannot stay in the same position indefinitely and advance along your career path. If you are not finding the room to grow with your current employer, then you need to begin finding a new one now.

If you continue to be passed over for promotions, implement these guidelines to determine when a good time is to leave your job.

Consider Your Last Promotion

You typically should be promoted after 18 months to 2 years in your current role. This timeline may be less if you discussed it before being hired. If you have been in the same position longer than 2 years and have no opportunities for a promotion, you should find another employer.

Look at Colleagues’ Promotions

Determine whether similarly qualified colleagues with the same level of experience as yours have recently moved up. Also, find out whether IT professionals in comparable roles at similarly sized companies have been promoted faster than you. If they have, then you need to begin your job search today.

Write Down Your Contributions

Make a list of all the ways you provide value to the organization. This may include routinely helping to finish projects or making material contributions that lead to success. Use this list to determine whether you should be at a higher level than you are. If so, begin applying to positions that fit your skills and experience.

Talk with Your Boss

Meet with your manager to discuss a promotion. Prepare to talk about your contributions, achievements, and qualifications to move up. See whether your boss supports your request or provides concrete guidelines to be considered for a promotion. If not, begin your job search after work hours.

Enhance Your Skill Set

Find ways to gain or enhance the skills required for the job you want. This may include engaging in additional training, taking a class, or gaining certification. This can be beneficial in landing your next IT role.

Find a Higher-Level IT Job

Let a recruiter from RightStone help you find an IT job in line with your skills, experience, and interests. See which jobs are available today.

How a Staffing Firm Can Assist in Your Job Search

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Finding a job can be stressful. You may spend hours finding and applying for roles that fit your skills, experience, and interests and not hear anything. Or, you might interview for a position you truly want, then not receive a job offer. Fortunately, there is a way to reduce the time invested in finding a job you enjoy.

Discover how working with a recruiter from a staffing firm can help you land a job.

Access to the Hidden Market

Partnering with a recruiter lets you find job openings you would not be able to on your own. Because the recruiter builds solid relationships with hiring managers, the managers often turn to the recruiter to fill job openings not shared with the general market. Or, the recruiter may talk with a manager about the creation of a role based on their business needs and your skills and experience. This means you face less competition when interviewing, increasing your odds of receiving a job offer.

Insight into the Job Market

A recruiter lives and breathes the job-search process every day. For instance, they remain current on changes in the market, including the need for a particular skill or experience, to maximize your search results. Also, because a recruiter continually increases their knowledge of the market, they can negotiate a competitive salary, benefits package, and perks on your behalf. Plus, their ongoing experience with market changes means you receive practical advice on what to expect and how to proceed.

Coaching  

Partnering with a recruiter involves additional guidance with your resume preparation, the interview process, and more. For instance, because the recruiter has close relationships with hiring managers, the recruiter knows what each manager likes and dislikes and what they are looking for in a candidate. You gain additional insight into which information to include on your resume, what the manager’s personality is like, and how you can personally connect with them. This increases your odds of being offered a job and creating a long-term professional relationship.

Feedback from Employers

Working with a recruiter provides you with input from the interviewers you meet with. This means you can gain feedback about your performance. If you are not right for a role, you can use the information to enhance your job search and receive more favorable results.

Partner with RightStone

Find your next IT job with help from a recruiter at RightStone. Visit our job board today.

Is Temp-to-Staff Right for Your Company?

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A temp-to-staff work arrangement involves a role being filled for a set time with the possibility of a permanent job offer later. Whether a full-time job becomes available depends on the worker’s performance, budgets, economic conditions, and other variables that impact hiring decisions. This type of employment can provide a variety of advantages to your organization.

Find out how bringing aboard a temp-to-staff worker can benefit your company.

Evaluate a Potential Employee’s Performance

When you add a temp-to-staff worker to your team, you are able to see their work performance without making a long-term commitment. During the length of the assignment, you gain insight into the worker’s skills and comfort level with the work environment as they tackle your projects. You also see how well the worker blends with your team, coworkers, and company culture. Plus, you witness whether they show initiative, apply their training to their work, and find ways to provide additional value to the organization. This hands-on experience provides a realistic view of whether a permanent job offer should be extended.

Efficiently Use Company Resources

Hiring a temp-to-staff worker is a wise use of your company’s time and money. For instance, you can evaluate the worker’s performance during the trial period, which typically lasts 3 to 6 months. This equips you to make an informed decision about whether to offer full-time employment at the end of the contract period. You also avoid losing a significant amount of time and money, which happens when a bad hire joins your team. Plus, the temporary worker is likely to stay long-term if they have a permanent job.

Partner with a Staffing Agency

The best way to find a temp-to-staff worker is through a reputable staffing firm. The recruiters have the connections, skills, and experience necessary to evaluate candidates and ensure they are a good match for your business needs. The recruiter can negotiate a competitive salary, benefits package, and perks to help you attract top talent. Be sure to clarify what you are looking for in terms of knowledge, skills, experience, job duties, goals, and expectations.

Source the Best IT Talent

Find the temp-to-staff IT talent you need through RightStone. Connect with us today to learn more.

3 Tips for Performing an Effective Employee Review

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As a manager, one of your duties is to conduct monthly, quarterly, or annual employee reviews. These meetings let you talk with each employee about their accomplishments, challenges, and concrete ways to improve performance. Although these discussions can be difficult, they are necessary to ensure your employees align on shared goals and have a plan for future improvements.

Implement these three tips to conduct your next employee review.

1. Prepare Your Feedback in Advance

Gather your thoughts and data about the employee’s performance well before the review. Use the information to fill out the employee evaluation form. This can serve as the framework for your discussion. Make sure your remarks are direct, concise, and transparent. Include specific examples of what the employee has been doing well and how they can improve. This should clarify your goals and expectations and avoid confusion. Have a copy of the evaluation form ready to give the employee to reference and stay on track with the improvements you requested.

2. Maintain a Two-Way Conversation

Encourage an open discussion about the employee’s performance. You want to promote trust, clarity, and alignment with company goals. For instance, find out what they believe to be their greatest strengths, biggest challenges, and areas they can improve in within a month, quarter, or year. You may ask questions such as, “What is the accomplishment from the review period that you are most proud of?” “Which areas do you think you need to improve the most in?” Or, “How can I support you in reaching your goals?” Also, clarify your expectations and evaluation guidelines. In order to stay engaged, the employee should know the level they should be performing at and how their success will be measured. Additionally, actively listen to what the employee says. Repeat what you hear to make sure it is accurate. Ask follow-up questions to gather more information.

3. Focus on the Future

Share your goals and plans for the employee to improve their performance. For instance, involve them in creating an action plan to set milestones and reach objectives in line with company goals. Clarify that you want them to succeed and are available to discuss their concerns and challenges. End the discussion on a positive note with motivation and hope for the future.

Hire Top IT Professionals

When you need the best IT talent, turn to RightStone. Get more information today.

A Successful First Impression – 4 Unbeatable Job Interview Tips

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First impressions happen quickly, usually in a matter of seconds and even before you say the word “hello.” And those first impressions tell people a little about who you are. The first few moments of a meeting identify whether you’re trustworthy, charismatic, intelligent, or on an upward leadership trajectory.

Of course, first impressions aren’t everything. People change their minds when they get better information. So the first few seconds of your interview shouldn’t define the half-hour conversation. But it would help if you kept those first few seconds in mind when you plan for your interview.

How can you make an accurate first impression? You can use these four science-backed tips to get started.

1. Find a Great Interview Wardrobe 

The clothes don’t make the person, but they do spark a positive first impression. One Canadian study found that people who dressed in business attire believed the wearer was a competent worker on an upward trajectory to their next promotion.

Our advice? Find one great interview outfit that allows you to dress for the job you want. Then, move on to tip #2!

2. Wear Clothes Tailored to Your Look

A well-fitted interview outfit can elevate your interviewer’s first impression of you. In one study from 2013, participants looked at photos of men in suits and decided which subjects looked more successful. They almost always chose the men with tailored suits.

You don’t need a custom suit or bespoke outfit to go to an interview. Instead, take the outfit that makes you feel most confident and head over to a tailor or clothing alteration business to make a few easy adjustments and find the best fit.

3. Make Eye Contact

Making eye contact early and naturally can communicate that you’re a smart communicator! A 2007 study found that something as simple as eye contact makes others believe you are intelligent.

For some of us, making eye contact with strangers is easier said than done, especially after a year of minimizing social contacts. The best thing you can do is go out and practice. Make eye contact with the Starbucks cashier, say hello to neighbors you don’t know, and put in more effort to make eye contact on Zoom or video calls.

4. Use Your Body Language

Open body language tells others that you are powerful and occupying a space you deserve to be in. Standing or sitting up straight, moving your shoulder blades down your body, and slowing your breathing not only help you feel relaxed but project the right image to those around you.

Start Your Next Interview Off Strong in a Few Seconds

First impressions happen in the blink of an eye, but you can help people form better impressions of you by projecting the strong, intelligent person you know you are. Then, your interview’s first impression and second impression will be more closely aligned, giving them a fuller picture of why you could be a good fit for the job.

Are you looking for your next role? RightStone helps consultants like you find the right clients for your skills and personality. Get in touch to learn more about what it’s like to partner with a staffing firm.

Charge Up Your IT Career by Upskilling

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For the last decade, career advice has boiled down to a simple maxim: if you want a promotion, you need to change your job.

As more top-tier companies work to retain top talent, this advice no longer applies. Now, upskilling is one of the best ways to change the course of your career. By seeking new skills and reaching for new opportunities, you can find ways to move laterally or vertically in your company or into a new one.

Here’s how you can get started with upskilling in your career.

Make It a Habit to Learn Every Month

Upskilling works best when you commit to it long-term. However, you don’t need to enroll in a new certification or course every month. Instead, using bite-sized learning opportunities to pick up a new skill every month can help set you up for career-long learning.

Find something you’re passionate about, and get to grips with it piece-by-piece. You’ll find that you keep your learning achievable while also finding new ways to apply your lessons to your work today.

Learn from Team Members

Digital learning platforms are all the rage among Fortune 100 groups, but they can miss out on important learning opportunities that are right in front of you.

Your team members have more knowledge and skills than you know about. You can work together to ‘knowledge-share’ as a form of upskilling, which allows you to swap technical skills and practice teaching.

Invest in Your Soft Skills

Whether you work with technology or in technology, it’s important to remember that tech skills aren’t everything. Soft skills are also in need of continuous development, and they often get neglected.

Dedicate some of your time to developing yourself as a leader and a co-worker and honing your emotional intelligence. These skills will help you make the most of your tech skills and better position you for new opportunities.

Upskilling Can Change Your Life

Upskilling can do more than help you take the next step in your career. It’s also an opportunity to develop your passions, grow your life experiences, and enhance your ability to work and connect with others.

So whether your current employer offers a complete continuing education program or you need to cobble your learning experiences together on your own, upskilling is a worthwhile investment.

Are you looking to share your skills with the right client?  Visit RightStone’s job board to see what opportunities await you.

Leveraging a Staffing Firm During High Unemployment

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Over the last year, the U.S. has watched the unemployment rate take some deeply worrying turns. Although unemployment is now bouncing back slowly, the consequences of mass layoffs and upended industries are still making themselves known.

A staffing firm can be a valuable ally during times of turbulence, including this period of high unemployment. Here’s why working with a staffing firm could be the right business decision for your company.

Staffing Firms Hire Faster at a Lower Cost

With more people out of work, more talented candidates are on the hunt for a new role. As a result, you’re more likely to see a deluge of applications for every open post, which complicates the hiring process.

Staffing firms are more adept at sorting through large applicant pools, including greater numbers of unqualified applicants. They also have existing talent pools that they can leverage to shorten the time from job advertisement to hire.

In short, staffing firms have the resources to shorten the time to hire and manage hiring during high unemployment while staying on budget.

Staffing Firms Help Manage the Risk of Hiring

High unemployment often coincides with a difficult business environment in which organizations need more staff, but the associated costs can be a risk.

Staffing firms can work with you to fill contract roles that allow you to get the help needed without committing to permanent roles with benefits. Temp-to-Hire can be a smart option if you see the need extending in the medium to long-term, but your tolerance for risk is low for the short term.

Additionally, recruiters have a keen eye for the hiring process. They’re better able to find you better quality Temp-to-Hire or contract consultants, which add value to your business and are more likely to turn into long-term partnerships when the time is right.

Get Started with Hiring Experts

High unemployment grants businesses access to more talent with less competition, but these periods of instability rarely leave businesses themselves unscathed. Working with a strategic partner to manage your talent pipeline can ensure you mitigate risk and stay on budget while also ensuring you get the help you need in the office.

Get in touch to learn more about RightStone nurtures consultant and client relationships to find the right fit every time.

5 Tips for Interviewing a Candidate Older Than You

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Sitting down to an interview with someone older than you is not as uncommon as it sounds.

Whether you need to hire for a very senior role or you have an applicant who took a detour on your career path, there are many ways you could find yourself interviewing someone who started their career while you were still in school.

Although the initial realization may feel awkward, interviewing an older candidate than you doesn’t need to be different from any other interview. Here are five things to remember when you find yourself in this scenario.

Don’t Bring Up Your Age or Theirs

Age is just a number. So, please don’t feel the need to make light of your age or ask questions about theirs.

What’s important is their experience and whether they fit the bill for the job. Bringing up the age gap will just increase the awkwardness. Make it a point to leave the conversation at the door and focus only on their qualifications.

Do More Research Beforehand

Research the candidate’s background to better understand what their experience and skills bring to the team. Doing so will give you a chance to ask more in-depth questions, which caters well to candidates who are more experienced than you are.

Rely Heavily on Emotional Intelligence

For some people, returning to an entry-level or mid-career job is part of a big life change, such as returning to the workforce after years or decades of raising a family, overcoming an obstacle like an illness, or finally getting the chance to pursue their dreams.

Empathy and emotional intelligence will help the candidate feel more comfortable. And they will remember how you made them feel above all else.

Go for Common Ground

What experiences do they have that you also have? Finding a point that you can both relate to, whether it’s a course or certification or project, will help the candidate open up and create a more conversational interview style.

Consider Outsourcing the Process

If you want to hire to bring on a more senior position than you currently have at the company, then you might consider outsourcing the recruitment process. Recruiters with expertise in your field will forgo the awkwardness associated with age or experience and have a better eye for the kind of candidate you need.

Are you looking for a new senior role in IT? Get in touch to learn about the RightStone 360 process and how we place the right consultant with the perfect employer. 

Bored at Work? It Might Be Time for a Change of Scenery

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When you read about modern work, you hear a lot about the dangers of overwork. Overwork and the stress that goes with it are huge problems for workers and organizations alike. But there’s one feeling that’s more prominent than burnout: boredom.

Being bored at work isn’t the result of running out of things to do. It’s an emotional state where the things you have to do no longer stimulate you creatively. Maybe it’s repetitiveness, or perhaps you feel unchallenged. Either way, being bored is common, and it’s not good for your career.

Are you bored at work? Here’s what to do next.

Why Boredom is Booming

Boredom is perhaps a greater symptom of modern work than overworking. Many things that used to take decision-making, skill use, and relationship building are now automated, particularly in industries like IT, marketing, and customer service.

There’s an app, tool, or streamlined process for much of our work, and with the rise of AI, machine learning, and eventually, quantum computing, many of the tasks left today will disappear.

Does Boredom Mean It’s Time for a Change?

Being bored at work doesn’t necessarily mean it’s time to seek out a new role. In some cases, it’s a sign that you can be doing more in terms of challenging yourself. If you’re bored, you could upskill, take risks, and set bigger goals.

At the same time, much of what it takes to remove boredom from the workplace comes from the top down. Hiring better managers, increasing collaboration, reinventing workflows, and ensuring the job is as great as the person who occupies it remains up to leadership.

However, if you work somewhere where boredom is part of the furniture and your team isn’t receptive to the idea of reinvigorating your days, then it may be time to seek out greener pastures.

Whether You Stay or Go, Think Carefully About What You Need

Being bored at work isn’t necessarily a sign that you need to get out of your job. However, a company culture that is uninterested in shaking up the status quo could be a sign that things won’t change (and even that your organization isn’t sustainable).

Before jumping ship, think about whether you’re bored and why. Then, think about what it could take to help you enjoy your job again. Once you have an answer, you’ll be better able to decide whether it’s time for a new role and even what that new role should be.

Looking for a Change of Scenery?

Are you looking for a role that will challenge and inspire you? Let’s talk. We’re ready to listen. Get in touch with RightStone to learn how we place candidates with the right employer. 

4 Reasons Why Temp Work Might Be Right for You

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Traditional job hunt wisdom says you should seek out a full-time, permanent role. However, you have more options available to you than looking for a permanent position.

Temporary or contract jobs continue to grow in popularity among both employers and workers. Temp jobs and temp-to-perm jobs offer more flexibility for everyone involved.

Should you consider temp work? Here are some of the reasons workers prefer a contract.

1. You Prioritize Company Culture

More workers find that company’s culture is the most important aspect of their day-to-day life. But it’s hard to get a true sense of a company’s culture from their website, through their interview process, or even after a week on the job.

If you want to work somewhere with a specific culture, you may benefit from temp-to-hire work. It will give you a better idea of what it’s like to work in the office after the sheen of being a new hire wears off, which will indicate whether you hang on after the contract or decide to move on.

2. You Want to Practice New Skills

If you are in a career transition or hoping to make a lateral move within your industry, you may benefit from a temp job.

Even after training, it can be hard to walk into a position without a few years of experience with your new skillset.

When a job is temporary, many employers are willing to take a chance on promising candidates without direct experience in the role.

3. You Want to Get Hired Quickly

Companies hiring for a permanent job take their time during the hiring process. They don’t want to have to re-fill the role in a few weeks or months.

Because temp work comes with an expiration date, there’s less focus on finding exactly the right fi. You may find that you go through a speedier hiring process, particularly as temp jobs are used to fill roles that companies need to fill now.

4. You Want to Try Out a New Industry

Ultimately, temp jobs are a great way to gain experience quickly. And temp jobs make it possible to experiment while gaining that experience. You can transition between companies or even industries with less effort than it takes to change roles in permanent positions.

With the right team behind you, you can find the best fit before settling into a permanent role.

Try Out Flexible Employment with Temp Work

Permanent employment isn’t the only option on the table anymore. And for some workers, temp work or temp-to-permanent contracts can be a better fit because they offer more flexibility and room to experiment.

Are you looking to make a career transition? RightStone can help you take your career to the next level. Get in touch to learn more about the RightStone 360 process.