Thinking about asking for a raise, but still hesitating?

Well, maybe you shouldn’t be.  A recent New York Times article reports that median pay for top executives at big 200 companies was up 23 percent last year.  Corporate wallets are opening up.  It’s time to get your share.

Still, asking for more money can be daunting – especially if you don’t know how to do it the right way.  Use these tips to guide you through the process and get paid what you’re worth:

Conduct some research. Find out what others in your position make, using tools like Getraised.com, Salary.com or Payscale.com.  Be sure to factor in your level of experience and geographic area.

Prepare a presentation. Before you go knocking on your boss’s door, make sure you can justify why you’ve earned a raise – not why you need one.  Spend some time reviewing your strengths and accomplishments.  Develop a list of measurable results you’ve achieved, new skills you’ve acquired, additional work you’ve taken on, etc.  In addition, prepare what you’ll say if your boss turns you down.

Choose your moment. When it comes to asking for a raise, timing is everything.  The best time to ask for more money is shortly after you’ve accomplished a goal on the job.  Schedule an appointment with your boss, preferably at a time when he’s at his best (e.g., if mornings are hectic for him, schedule the appointment in the afternoon).

Keep emotions out of it. Whatever you do, avoid raising your voice or getting upset.  Never mention personal financial problems when asking for a raise.  Again, your boss is interested in why you deserve the raise – not why you need it.

End on a positive note. If you get what you want, that’s great.  But if your boss is unable or unwilling to give you a raise, develop a plan that will lead to what you want.  Before leaving the meeting, put together a performance plan with another review date so that your boss will be able to see what you’ve accomplished.

Find a Great Paying Job with Wood Personnel

Wood Personnel works with top employers throughout Middle Tennessee.  We will listen to your needs, help you determine what you’re worth and match you with a great-paying temporary, contract, temp-to-hire or direct opportunity.  Contact Wood Personnel today.

Wood Personnel employees choose temporary work for a variety of reasons.  Some like the extra cash and freedom temporary work provides; others want to gain experience; still others seek a full-time, direct position.

No matter what your reasons are for working as a Wood Personnel temporary, you can use these six tips to succeed while on assignment:

Prepare yourself. Buy a memo pad to serve as your temporary employment reference book.  Once you accept an assignment, be sure to write down the following details and take them with you the first day:  company address and phone; client supervisor’s name; dress code; hours; name and phone number for your staffing coordinator.  Having this important information available will help ensure you are on-time the first day and get off to a great start.

Display a positive attitude. When you work as a temporary, you are put into unfamiliar situations with people you don’t know.  Make a conscious decision to approach your new work situation constructively.  Choosing to display a positive attitude – even if you’re a bit uncomfortable – can help you manage the stress of your first day.  Your optimism will be appreciated by co-workers and assignment supervisor alike and set the stage for a great working relationship.

Listen. Although you may be accustomed to completing work a certain way, most employers have specific systems and procedures already in place.  When your supervisor gives you your work instructions, pay close attention and take notes (in your memo book).  If any instructions are unclear, be sure to ask for clarification.  Your employer will understand that you are new, and he will respect your attention to detail.

Stay out of office politics. Every company you work for on assignment will have a unique corporate culture.  As a rule of thumb while on assignment, strive to remain neutral, avoid office gossip/politics/arguments, and focus on the job you have to do.  If conflict is making your work difficult, contact your staffing coordinator immediately.

Take initiative. If you finish your work ahead of schedule, ask for something else to do.  You will earn a reputation (with both the staffing service and the employer) as a hard worker.  Remember, productive, proactive temporaries land the best assignments – and are the first to be offered direct employment.

Keep in touch with your staffing coordinator. Check in with him periodically to explain how your assignment is progressing.  If your assignment is nearing completion, let him know so that he can get to work lining up your next one.  Finally, tell him what you liked or didn’t like about the assignment once it’s complete.  The better he understands your areas of strength and work preferences, the better prepared he’ll be to match you with the ideal opportunity.

Get on the Path to Career Success

Find out how Wood Personnel can match you with the ideal employment opportunity.  With staffing offices in Nashville, Cool Springs and Murfreesboro, Tennessee, it’s easy to come in and learn more about our services, available jobs and what we can do for you.  Contact a Recruiter to schedule your appointment today.

Go Social!

Like Wood Personnel on Facebook.  It’s a fun, easy way to learn more about our company and our staff.

Recently graduated from college?  Here are a few facts about your Class of 2011:

• The U.S. Department of Education estimates that approximately 1.7 million students graduated with bachelor’s degrees in the 2011 winter/spring graduation season.
• Females outnumbered males, with the U.S. Department of Education reporting 140 females for every 100 males in the Class of 2011.
• This class is the most indebted in history, with an average personal debt of $23,000 after graduation.
• The National Center for Education Statistics estimates that the average starting job salary for graduates with bachelor’s degrees will be nearly $37,000, down from nearly $47,000 in 2009.

Undoubtedly it will be a tough go for this year’s graduates.  But if you’re looking for a job the news isn’t all bad:

• In a survey of approximately 4,600 employers nationwide, the Collegiate Employment Research Institute at Michigan State University found that hiring for graduates will increase about 10 percent this year.  This is significantly higher than the increase in overall hiring for all degrees, estimated at 3 percent.
• Another survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers reports similar findings.  According to this survey, employers across the country reported that they will hire 19 percent more new college graduates this year than they did in 2010.
• Hiring prospects remain better for college graduates than for non-graduates, with the unemployment rate for workers with bachelor’s degrees (or higher) at 4.5 percent.
• Although employers are still cautious about hiring, demand remains strong for college graduates in the healthcare, technical, engineering, construction and business sectors.  For a detailed long-term outlook on hundreds of jobs, follow this link to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook.

If you’ve recently entered the job market, here are a few tips to make your job search after college more productive:

• Make sure your résumé is up to date. Review your résumé to be sure it has all the latest information, including your college activities and your major.  You may even want to prepare multiple versions of your résumé that cater to different positions or industries in which you’re interested.
• Build your network. Many companies don’t advertise open positions, so networking plays an important role in finding job opportunities.  Keep in touch with family, friends, professors or past co-workers to learn about potential job opportunities.  Build your online network using sites like LinkedIn and Facebook to meet new people, garner recommendations and investigate potential job leads.  Be careful, however, to mind your online image, as a majority of employers are now researching job candidates’ backgrounds online.
• Use on-campus resources. College career centers usually welcome recent grads and can help in your job search. You also might be able to connect with other alumni who can provide advice.
• Consider an internship. Internships offer valuable experience and can provide an excellent introduction to the working world.  Beyond building skills, having an internship on your résumé shows a potential employer that you have the abilities to succeed in a job after college.  In some cases, internships can even lead to full-time job offers.
• Request informational interviews. Research companies you would like to work for and ask for informational interviews to learn more about these organizations.
• Meet with a Wood Personnel Recruiter. As Middle Tennessee’s leading employment services company, our recruiting and staffing specialists can be your eyes and ears in the hidden job market.  We can provide useful feedback on your résumé and interview skills, and match you with the ideal career opportunity or a promising temporary assignment.  Simply put, we want to help you achieve your personal and professional goals.
• Treat your job search as if it’s a full-time job. Bring the same discipline and work ethic to your job search as you would to your first real job.  Proactively build relationships, work closely with university career centers and capitalize on real-world job experiences through internships and temporary assignments.
• Be aggressive and persistent. Like it or not, competition for the best jobs is – and will continue to be – fierce.  Prepare yourself mentally for what may be a longer-than-normal job search.  While it may be tiring, and you may be tempted to give up, keep at it.  Staying positive, aggressive and persistent will help ensure that your job search after college is successful.

Technology vs. the human touch.

When it comes to your job search, which is better?  Job board technology is certainly efficient.  With a few clicks you easily can apply for several jobs in under an hour – all from the comfort of your own home.

But that same efficiency can work against you.  Jobs that are available to you are also available to literally anyone else with an internet connection.  When you submit your résumé, you may be one of dozens, hundreds or even thousands of applicants.  As the number of job posting applicants increases, so does the chance of your résumé being completely ignored.  How efficient is that?

Job boards do serve a purpose in connecting job seekers to employers.  But if you’re serious about finding a great job, here are several reasons why experienced recruiters, like the ones who work for staffing and placement services such as Wood Personnel, beat job boards – hands down:

Reach the hiring authority – 100% of the time. A good recruiter has the ear of prospective employers and will proactively market you directly to key hiring decision makers.  Recruiters keep your best career interests in mind and ensure your skills, experience and personal brand are presented in the best light possible to potential employers.

Access the “hidden” job market. Many Middle Tennessee employers know that they have greater hiring success when working with a recruiter.  These companies rely on staffing professionals to handle the time-consuming legwork associated with finding the best candidates and skip the job board route altogether.

Get inside information on employers and their hiring practices. If you are interested in a particular employer, a recruiter can use his knowledge of an employer’s hiring processes (including interviewers’ personalities and interviewing styles) to help you successfully navigate obstacles.  Likewise, he can provide valuable insight on a company’s corporate culture, helping you more accurately evaluate career opportunities.

Maintain job search control. A top performer who plasters his résumé all over every job board may suffer unintended (and unwanted) consequences.  Unethical staffing services may find your résumé on a job board and submit it without your approval or begin hounding you with phone calls.  With a good recruiter on your side, you can maintain control over your résumé and work with a single point of contact.

Manage job search anxiety. For many, finding a new position is extremely stressful.  Recruiters are experts at the process and can help guide you through the nerve-wracking process of interviewing.  By working with a recruiter you also enjoy peace of mind, knowing that you have someone else on your job search team.

Get a personal advocate and partner in your job search. In most cases (retained searches being an exception), recruiters aren’t compensated unless they actually place candidates.  Unlike a job board, they have a vested interest in ensuring the success of your job search.

Protect your privacy. If you think your current employer won’t find out you’re actively seeking another job, think again.  Many employers set up automatic search agents on major job boards which notify them if their employees are preparing to make a move.  When you work with a recruiter, you can rest assured that you will be represented anonymously, and that your job search will remain confidential.

Access contract opportunities. If you are out of work and open to temporary or contract employment, recruiters can place you in short-term assignments or project-based opportunities that get your foot in the door and may even lead to direct employment.

Wood Personnel – The Human Touch in Recruiting and Placement

Technology is an important component in your job search, but nothing replaces a recruiter’s human touch.  To us, you’re more than just a résumé or an application.  You’re our greatest natural resource.

We listen and take a real interest in matching you with an opportunity that suits your unique skills, needs and interests.  Contact a Wood Personnel recruiter today to learn more about administrative, light industrial, IT and executive opportunities throughout Middle Tennessee.

What do you think of when you hear the term “temporary employment”?

Most people regard temporary work as a means to earn extra cash, maintain a flexible work schedule, gain work experience or fill employment gaps.  Did you know, however, that temporary employment can also be a great option if you’re looking to change careers?

With a broad range of assignments and projects available, temping can be a highly effective way for you to break into a new field – but it probably won’t happen by accident.  To use temporary employment as a true career change catalyst, you must intentionally structure your work experiences.  Here are a few tips:

Choose the right type of staffing service for your career interests. Before registering with a staffing service, visit their website or contact the office directly to find out what types of placements they specialize in.  Some staffing firms place people in a wide range of industries and positions, while others specialize in a specific field.

Be upfront with your staffing specialist. When you interview with a recruiter, let him know that you are looking to change careers.  Tell him about your skills and experience and ask how they might transfer into a new field.  Discuss your need for challenging assignments that will help you try out different jobs, develop new skills and evaluate new career options.  When a staffing specialist understands your needs, he can do a better job placing you in opportunities that will drive your career change.

Treat every assignment as a learning experience. In addition to performing your required job duties, use each assignment as an opportunity to learn about the employer, the industry and potential career opportunities.  Ask questions, observe co-workers, talk to your supervisor and let him know that you’re looking to make a change.  Take as much knowledge and experience away from each assignment as you can.

Build new skills while on assignment. Most staffing services offer free skills training to individuals who register with them.  While on assignment, use non-work hours to take advantage of training resources, building skills that will help you in your next career.

____________________________________________________________

Tips for Managing Career Changes

If the thought of changing jobs and/or careers causes you anxiety, you’re not alone.  The truth is, there is a certain amount of instability inherent in changing jobs.  Here are a few suggestions to help manage the stress:

Focus on developing your skills. Choose projects/assignments/jobs that help you build new skills and develop expertise in a certain area.  When your learning curve flattens out, ask to be reassigned or look for another opportunity.  Continually building your skills will ensure you’re in demand.

Adopt a job changing mindset. Instead of focusing on the instability of a job change, view it as an opportunity.  Get used to the notion that you will change jobs frequently throughout your career.  When it’s time to make a move, your job changing mindset will make the transition much easier.

Keep your job changing skills sharp. You’re not going to stay at any job forever, and you don’t know how long it will last.  But if you keep your job hunting skills sharp – networking, interviewing, keeping on-top of temporary opportunities that serve your career interests – you will always be able to get work when your needs, or your company’s needs, change.

Wood Pesonnel – Your Career Change Partner

At Wood Personnel, we do more than just place you in a position.  We listen to your needs, learn about your skills and experience, and then present you with work opportunities that are a perfect match for you.  If you’re looking to make a job change, Wood Personnel is the ideal partner.  Contact us today to learn more about job opportunities throughout Middle Tennessee.

Smart work/life balance tips to reduce stress and give you more time

Meetings.  Soccer practice.  Long hours.  Project deadlines.  Yard work.

Given all the responsibilities you have both on the job and at home, you may feel that a healthy work/life balance is unrealistic right now:  spending more time at work may cause you to miss out on a rewarding personal life; but effectively managing the challenges of your personal life (such as coping with an aging parent or marital stress) may make concentrating on your job difficult.

So how do you strike a balance?  Implement just three or four of these ideas to make a measurable difference in your life.  They will help you lower your stress level, free-up more time, and put you on the path to a healthier work/life balance.

Drop unnecessary activities. Make a list of what really matters to you.  You may find out that you’re devoting too much time to activities that aren’t a real priority.  If at all possible, drop commitments and pursuits that don’t make the top five on your list of priorities.  Doing so will greatly focus your efforts and simplify your life.

Realize that time is often more valuable than money. The time you spend away from meaningful relationships in your life is time you can never get back.  With this in mind, consider hiring a lawn maintenance service, a handyman, or a babysitter (but always have a contingency plan in place).

Get enough sleep. Few things are as stressful and potentially dangerous as working when you’re sleep deprived.  Aside from feeling awful, you’re also more likely to make costly mistakes and be less productive.  So while you may be tempted to burn the midnight oil, it makes more sense to hit the sack and tackle your work with a fresh pair of eyes in the morning.

Plan fun and relaxation. Given the frenetic pace of our lives, nurturing ourselves just doesn’t happen by accident – but it’s still an essential part of maintaining a balanced life.  So set aside space in your weekly calendar for activities that are fun and relaxing to you.  Plan what you’re going to do and make necessary arrangements – reservations, childcare, etc. – to ensure you’ll be able to keep your commitment.

Use e-mail effectively. Use e-mail, as opposed to voicemail, to send detailed messages.  Try to respond to your incoming messages in groups – just a few times a day.  This way, you will interrupt your train of thought less frequently and stay more focused.

Learn to say “No.” Whether it’s a co-worker asking you to spearhead an extra project, or your child’s teacher asking you to be the head room parent, remember that’s okay to respectfully say “No.”  Once you quit doing things out of guilt or a false sense of obligation, you’ll make more room in your life for activities that are meaningful and important to you.

Exercise your options. Find out if your employer offers flex hours, a compressed workweek, job-sharing or telecommuting for your role.  These options may afford you greater flexibility to alleviate stress and free-up more of your time.

Master software packages. Learn the tips associated with the software packages you use most frequently.  They can increase your productivity.

Organize. If your insides are churning, create order outside.  Some people find that cleaning, organizing and reducing clutter actually reduce stress – both at home and at work.

Get a system. Develop a routine for tackling recurring tasks both at home and work.  If you drive by the dry cleaners and grocery store on your way to and from work, make a habit of bringing your shopping list and dry cleaning with you to take care of those stops en route.

Ask for help. Are you overwhelmed because you don’t have the support or tools you need to get your work done?  If so, don’t be a hero.  Approach your boss or loved ones and ask for the help you need to be more productive at work or at home.

Lighten up. Don’t take everything so seriously.  Nobody and nothing is ever perfect, so drop your shoulders and learn to laugh!

Reduce on-the-job stress with Wood Personnel. Our services can reduce headaches, eliminate process bottlenecks and free-up more of your time.  Contact us today to learn more about our staffing services for Middle Tennessee employers.

“Thank you for your time today.  We’ll be in touch soon.”

You’ve just walked out of an interview for your dream job.  Things seem to have gone well – you were calm and poised, answered questions intelligently, made appropriate eye contact, and really put your best foot forward.

Now what?

For many job seekers, walking out of an interview marks the start of a long and sometimes anxious waiting period.  I mean, there’s not much you can do, other than sit around and passively bide your time until you find out if you landed the job, right?

Wrong.  In fact, here is a list of 7 things you can do after the interview to edge out the competition for your dream job:

1. Always, always send a “Thank You” letter. While this may seem obvious, not everybody does it.  As soon as you get home (while the interview is still fresh in your mind), compose your note.  Instead of sending a generic “one size fits all” letter, step into the interviewer’s shoes and address the points which seemed most important to him or her.  Additionally, use your “Thank You” letter to restate your qualifications and identify relevant accomplishments or experiences that you did not mention in the interview.  While you want to include these details, remember to keep the letter both brief and professional.
2. Make sure your “Thank You” note is letter-perfect and timely. Gather business cards for everyone who interviewed you, use LinkedIn, or call the company directly to ensure correct name spellings and job titles.  Have a friend proofread your letter and send the note within 24 hours of the interview.
3. Confirm the best way to follow-up. Before you leave the interview, find out from the receptionist the way (regular mail, e-mail, FAX, etc.) interviewers would prefer you to contact them.  If you contact these people via their preferred method of communication, your follow-up will be better received.
4. Contact your references. Let them know where you’ve interviewed and that they may be receiving a phone call.  This way they can be prepared to help you shine.
5. Leverage inside references.  If you know anyone who works at the company, contact him or her and describe your interview experience.  This contact may be able to provide you with inside information on the hiring process or even offer to put in a good word for you.  A word of caution:  never pressure an inside contact, or ask your contact to apply internal pressure for information – doing so could backfire.
6. Send work samples. Depending upon the position, you may be able to create an additional follow-up opportunity by sending samples of your work (collateral, proposals, project summaries, etc.).
7. Don’t pester. Rules of follow-up etiquette vary, and it’s up to you to determine the appropriate timing and frequency of follow-up.  If a hiring decision is expected to take 30 to 60 days, it’s completely inappropriate to call every day.  On the flip side, if the position needs to be filled immediately, don’t wait two weeks before following up.  Your goal should be to follow-up appropriately, consistently and using the interviewer’s preferred method of communication (see #3).

Wood Personnel Can Help You Land Your Dream Job

As a leading Middle Tennessee staffing and placement firm, we match job seekers like you with rewarding employment opportunities every day.  Contact us today to learn about temporary, contract and direct hire opportunities throughout Middle Tennessee.

Should you stay or should you go?

In a time when good jobs are harder to find, you may be tempted to just “stay put” – even if your current position lacks the potential you desire.  But if you look at your career from a strategic point of view, there are several reasons why it makes sense to change jobs every few years:

Find your career passion. Career passion is an essential component in long-term success.  How passionate are you about your current role?  Does your work take advantage of your biggest strengths?  If not, you may want to explore career opportunities that will spark more engagement and key into your natural talents.

Broaden your experience and skills. Every job has an initial learning curve during which you acquire invaluable knowledge, skills and experience.  After a few years, however, you become competent in your current role.  Learning diminishes, as does your professional development.

Increase your earning power. When you strategically seek out opportunities with greater responsibility, you accelerate both your promotion cycle and wage /salary increases.  Be careful, however, not to make a strategic change based solely on pay.  Keep your work/life balance, career passion and long-term development in mind as well.

Considering a Job Change?

If you are thinking about making a strategic job change, keep these important steps in mind:

Create a plan. Develop a focused vision of where you want to go – and what you want to do – in your new role.  Write it down and use it to guide you as you make important career decisions.

Test the waters. Find out what job opportunities are currently available.   Wood Personnel’s Job Board makes it easy to learn about potential opportunities throughout Middle Tennessee.

Get advice and help if you need it. Our employment experts can help you:

• Critically analyze your experience, strengths and goals, to map out a strategy for your long-term career success.
• Confidentially explore career opportunities while you’re working.
• Access unadvertised positions that may promote your career development.
• Conduct a more efficient job search, by bringing the right job opportunities directly to you.  This way, you don’t have to “troll” the Internet and sift through countless job listings that aren’t the right fit for you.
• Get started in a temporary or contract position, allowing you to build new skills, try out different types of jobs / employers, and find your employment niche.

Ready to make a strategic job change for the better?  Contact a Wood Personnel Recruiter today.

Let’s be honest – finding the right job opportunity is hard work.

Today’s job hunt is about more than just posting résumés and calling a few work contacts.  Finding your dream job involves a combination of working closely with professional recruiters, networking with second and third generation decision makers, and good old-fashioned hard work.

But like most things in life, the more time and effort you put into your job search, the greater your chances of success.  So as you start the New Year, get organized, get down to business and make finding a job a full-time job:

• Determine what type of job you really need to continue your career development and set some short- and long-term goals to get you where you want to be.  Let these goals drive a prioritized to-do list, broken into manageable, productive job-search tasks.  You’ll be much less vulnerable to distractions if you stick to this list and track goal attainment.
• Devote time to job-search activities in proportion to their importance.  Blanketing potential employers with digital résumés rarely produces results proportionate to the effort expended – so manage time spent on this activity carefully.  While it may be easier than interviewing with a recruiter, or face-to-face networking, it’s not the most productive use of your time.
• Establish a daily routine that simulates a work day.  Get up early, exercise (if that’s your routine), shower and get dressed.  You don’t need to don a suit, but dress nicely enough to make yourself feel both positive and productive.  Take a look at your prioritized to-do list, establish a game plan for the day and tackle your highest priority tasks first.  Before you end your job-hunting day, plan out the next.
• Schedule informational interviews.  While they may not lead to immediate job offers, this low-stress form of networking can be a high-yield career development tool. 
• Work with Wood Personnel.  When you work with Wood Personnel, you have access to temporary, contract and direct hire opportunities with leading employers throughout Middle Tennessee – many of which are not advertised elsewhere.  If you haven’t already registered with us, you can get started right now by contacting a recruiter.  And if you are currently registered, remember these quick tips to maximize the value we provide:

Send your updated résumé to Wood Personnel.  Have you gained new skills, experience or responsibilities since you first sent us your résumé?  If so, please let us know so that we can update your profile and consider you for additional opportunities.

Search all of Wood Personnel’s open jobs periodically.  Set-up a regular reminder in Outlook, on your mobile phone, or in any other scheduling software you use.  We receive new openings daily and update our job board frequently.

As we look ahead to the promise of a new year, we also hope that 2011 presents a lot more opportunities for us to work together. 

From all of us at Wood Personnel, we’d like to wish you a happy, healthy and successful year ahead.