Looking for a Job?

by Reliance One

Control what you can control!

At Reliance One we consult with our clients to solve their staffing challenges.  This consultative approach to our business takes a lot of time and preparation in order to deliver the desired results.   We work just as hard to advise and prepare our candidates with their career search.  As a job seeker, it is important to prepare yourself for the evolving market; the best way to do this is to control what you can control.

As one of Top 20 largest staffing companies in the metropolitan area, we guide and coach candidates to do the things they need to do to be successful in today’s job market.  We take pride in spending time with each candidate; the process usually starts with a close look at their resume.  We work with job seekers to inventory and take credit for all of their past experiences in their previous positions.  This requires the candidate to think about all of their employment history to ensure they are accounting for all past knowledge.  We then recommend the candidate to include this relevant content in their resume.

Once the resume is polished, we take a look to see what the candidate is doing to network with people that can help them.  This includes attending industry events, as well as, utilizing online networking opportunities.  Despite popular belief, there are industry seminars and networking groups in most every line of work.  Whether the career field is Information Technology, Finance or Engineering, there are groups with which to network.  By taking advantage of networking, it allows candidates to meet people currently employed in positions and industries where they are looking to gain employment.  Another great way to network is utilizing online social media tools, such as LinkedIn or Twitter.  These networking sites allow job seekers to connect with groups and individuals in the specific industry that they are looking to obtain employment.

If we have been able to arrange an interview for a candidate, the individual must understand there is a lot of preparation necessary in order to set them up for success.  The candidate should spend time going over their relevant work history and form correlations to the position for which they are interviewing.  This may include refreshing their knowledge of key skill sets the potential employer has listed as necessary for the position.

The next thing a candidate should do is research. They will need to research the company they are interviewing with, as well as, the individuals that are assigned to conduct the interview.   This may include, but is not limited to, going to the company website, using search engines to learn the latest news on the company, and searching social media sites to understand the audience.  This research will ensure the candidate is familiar with the company’s current forecast and will provide a deeper understanding of why the company is adding to their team.  In addition, through research the candidate may find a shared connection with the interviewees which may create opportunities to connect on a different level; you may have attended the same college or have similar hobbies.

The last thing we do is help the candidate prepare themselves for the interview.  There is a lot of emphasis on the first impressions for both our candidates and clients.  We coach our candidates and advise them to present themselves professionally – typically suits are appropriate; cleaned and pressed, as well as shoes that are business professional and polished.  Grooming and personal hygiene are also emphasized.  We encourage the candidate to practice their responses to commonly asked interview questions and feel comfortable explaining experience in previous positions. The candidate should also prepare some well thought out questions that are pertinent to the company and position for which they are interviewing.

We instruct and encourage our candidates to do all the things within their control to be successful in their job search.  There are plenty of things that we cannot control, but by making sure you have represented your experience to the best of your ability, networking with those in your industry and preparing for your interview opportunities, you will put yourself ahead of the other job seekers.

Rob Wicker is the VP of Recruitment at Reliance One.  He is highly experienced with consulting organizations in areas of Information Technology, Marketing and Management.  He is characterized as a career coach and communications leader.

Interview Mistakes – Phone and In Person

Written By: Sean Hill, Talent Acquisition Manager

 

One of the most nerve-racking things we have to deal with in life can be interviewing for a new job. Whether you are a seasoned professional or an entry level candidate, there are some common interview mistakes to avoid in order to perform well for the interview.

 

Throughout my career, I’ve conducted hundreds of job interviews, but I continue to see candidates make these common mistakes.

 

1. Arriving Late To The Interview – Make sure you are at least 15 minutes early for your interview and in the lobby signed in if need be. Showing up 30 minutes early, or after your scheduled interview time is not acceptable. If for some reason you are going to be late, don’t wait until the last minute to call your representative/interviewer to notify them.
2. Unprofessional Appearance – Dress for the position you want. It is better to overdress than to show up unpolished in wrinkled or stained clothing. Make sure you select the proper outfit, brush your teeth and hair, and check yourself in the mirror prior to walking in. Check your breath and don’t smell like smoke or too much cologne or perfume.
3. Showing Up Unprepared – Always have a copy of your resume for each person you will be interviewing with. Make sure your resume is accurate and relevant for the position. Have a professional portfolio with a pen and pad to take notes or read your previously prepared questions. Bring a copy of the job description with you so you know which position you are interviewing for.
4. Bad First Impression, Lack Of Eye Contact Or Poor Body Language – Always stand up to introduce yourself and perform a firm professional handshake when you meet someone. Look your interviewer in the eye and speak clearly and professionally. Don’t slouch or be overly relaxed during the interview. Bring you’re A-game and enthusiasm for the company or the role you’re interviewing for.
5. Checking Your Phone – Make sure your phone is on silent and stored in your pocket or purse during your interview. Plan your time to be unavailable during the interview and don’t check texts, emails or phone calls until you have left the interview.
6. Bringing Drinks With You – Never brings coffee or large soda’s with you. The last thing you want to do is spill your drink on yourself or the desk. Having a cup can distracted you and make you fidgety during the interview. If you arrive and they ask you if you would like anything, maybe take a bottle of water depending on where you are interviewing.
7. Not Doing Any Research On The Company Or Position – Always conduct research on the company you are interviewing for and have detailed questions prepared about the company’s culture and organization. Search the company’s website and LinkedIn for details about what year the company was founded and what the organization does. Research the position you are applying for and also what growth opportunities you may have. Be careful to not overlook the position you are interviewing for. You can perform company searches and reviews online or ask any current employees you may know about the company you are interviewing with.
8. Being Too Comfortable Or Not Paying Attention – Listen to your interviewers questions and answer them quickly and professionally. Avoid using slang, cursing or having conversations that are too personal. Don’t zone out or talk too much to become distracted during the interview. Try to stay away from topics about religion, politics or race relations and keep it professional. Make sure you had as good night’s sleep and are fully engaged with your interviewer.
9. Canned Or Cliché Answers To Questions – You are not a robot, so don’t tell the interviewer the answers you think they want to hear. Make sure think before you speak and if you did your homework answer with confidence. Don’t use terms like “team player” and “people person” or any other Blah, Blah, Blah answer.
10. Bad Mouthing Your Current Or Past Employers – You should never say anything negative about a current or past employer. The interviewer may have a connection at that company and also feel you will speak badly about his or her company if you leave. As an interviewer, I want to know that you can get along well with others and can handle conflicts and resolutions properly.
11. Not Asking Questions When You’re Asked, “What Questions Do You Have For Me?” – Always be prepared to ask the interviewer questions. Even if you have interviewed with multiple people, ask each one the same questions. Their answer will be different from the other person because of the time with the company or role they play. Ask questions about the company and the other growth opportunities, and don’t focus on yourself.
12. Forgetting To Follow Up – Close the interview by letting them know you’re interested in the position. Detail why you think you’re a great fit, and ask them about the next steps in the hiring process. Don’t forget to ask for the interviewer’s business cards so you can follow up with a thank-you email or hand written note. You should follow up with everyone within 24 hours of your interview. If you don’t do it, some hiring managers may think you’re not interested in the position.

 

Making these mistakes can be crucial in you getting a job offer or not. These may seem like small things to you, but I see people make these mistakes on a weekly basis. Always conduct yourself in a professional manner, because it doesn’t matter if you are conducting a face to face, video or a phone interview.

 

When you are on the phone, you can’t see the person you are interviewing with. The only thing you can control is your tone and ability to answer the questions asked.

 

The best advice for you in a phone or video interview is:

 

• Have a copy of your resume, pen and pad in front of you with questions prepared
• Make a copy or screen shot of the job description
• Be prepared to speak about your background and why you would be a good fit for the position
• Have the company’s information or website available
• Place a mirror in front of you to Smile and project your enthusiasm to show them that you are interested in the position

 

Reliance One Inc. is a minority-owned, MMSDC-certified staffing corporation headquartered in Michigan with offices in Lisle, Illinois and Irving, Texas. Reliance One is focused on matching the ideal professional to a client’s specific needs for both long-term, short-term, or project based positions (including temporary, temporary to direct, or direct). Our sales and recruiting teams can be reached at 248-922-4500 or resume@reliance-one.com.

 

For additional media support, please contact:

Kristen Latimer

248-575-3413

klatimer@reliance-one.com

Prevent These 3 Mistakes On Your Social Media Pages When Looking For A Job

Written By: Rob Wicker, VP of Recruitment

Employers are seeking future leaders of their organizations. As such, they are using social media to determine what character traits potential employees have. As a company that spends a significant amount of time coaching candidates, Reliance One has put together a list of mistakes to avoid:

 

1. Stop the Drama – While the generation at hand is busy having texting, email and social media wars, employers are reading up on how employees respond to conflict and the person’s ability to work with others. As my parents taught me, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Social media should not be used as a battleground field, especially with controversial topics such as politics.
2. Define Professional – “Dress the part you want, not the one that you have.” If you want to be taken serious as a professional, then you must reflect that in all aspects of your life. The way you present yourself in photos, the content of your social media (from your friends too!!), your grammar in posts, etc.
3. Bashing Current / Previous Employers – Reputation and integrity are really important to employers. Just don’t do it!

 

As many as 60% of employers are using social media to review their candidates. “Hiring managers in information technology and sales are the most likely to use social networks to screen candidates; professional and business services were least likely.

• IT: 76 percent
• Sales: 65 percent
• Financial services: 61 percent
• Health care: 59 percent
• Retail: 59 percent
• Manufacturing: 56 percent
• Professional and business services: 55 percent” – Career Builder

 

Social media should be a positive environment for people to share pieces of their lives. Be sure to THINK before you post – it may cost you your future.

 

Reliance One Inc. is a minority-owned, MMSDC-certified staffing corporation headquartered in Michigan with offices in Lisle, Illinois and Irving, Texas. Reliance One is focused on matching the ideal professional to a client’s specific needs for both long-term, short-term, or project based positions (including temporary, temporary to direct, or direct). Our sales and recruiting teams can be reached at 248-922-4500 or resume@reliance-one.com.

 

For additional media support, please contact:

 

Kristen Latimer

248-575-3413

klatimer@reliance-one.com

Giving Back

Written By: Emily Qualls, Onboarding Specialist, Administration

 

At Reliance One, we build teams who work hard, play hard, but this goes much further than the office. More importantly, we like to give back to the community. From golf sponsorships to flip flops in the office, we support and strengthen the communities around us. We call this the R1 Impact.

 

On the Course: What better way to play and give back than a round of golf? You can find us on the course at some of these upcoming outings.

• Highlander Hacker 2017 – August 13th, 2017 (Benefiting Rochester Athletes)
• 2017 Lear Golf Classic – September 11th, 2017 (Benefiting Winning Futures) 
• The Cooper Standard Foundation – September 25th, 2017 (2017 Charity Golf Outing)

Red Nose Day: So, a little less “play” and back to that “work hard” stuff. Okay, okay, so maybe we clown around in the office sometimes, too, but for good reason! On March 24^th, R1 Impact took it a little bit further from home when every Reliance One employee was given a red nose to wear for Red Nose Day. Together, we can make a difference in a child’s life by raising money and awareness for kids around the world living in poverty, and have a little fun doing it, too!

 

Dreams Come True: The Rainbow Connection makes dreams come true for Michigan children with life threatening illnesses and offers support to the families. This hits us close to home since, well, it is close to home, and some of the children associated with program are children we know. The typical amount to grant a wish is around $5,000, give or take. Reliance One has been fortunate enough to sponsor 3 wishes since our journey with The Rainbow Connection, among other contributions through fundraisers like our Christmas Toy Drive and Bring Your Child to Work Day – Community Service Project. In order to make dreams come true, we need help from our team. We support our wish fund through some of these fun events!

 

Hat Day: There’s no rivalry the like one that occurs when everyone in the office gets to wear their favorite sport team’s gear! The R1 team made a monetary donation to wear their favorite hat for the day.

 

Flip Flop Day: Our team got to bring the idea of the outside sunshine into the office as they slipped out of their high heels and into their flip flops for the day!

 

Left, Right, Center: Grab the dice! Nothing kicks off an afternoon better than an intense game of LRC just after lunch. Each employee contributes $3 to the game. The winner takes half the pot, and the other half goes into our wish fund. If we’re lucky, we have time for another round before we call Zone.

 

Wrapping for a Cause: You’ll find us at Carson’s of Rochester near the holiday season wrapping customers’ purchases for donations. We may not wrap it like Santa’s elves, but hey, it’s the thought that counts, right?

 

We’re building teams here at Reliance One – teams who help communities and each other grow, and we have fun doing it!

Reliance One Inc. is a minority-owned, MMSDC-certified staffing corporation headquartered in Michigan with offices in Lisle, Illinois and Irving, Texas. Reliance One is focused on matching the ideal professional to a client’s specific needs for both long-term, short-term, or project based positions (including temporary, temporary to direct, or direct). Our sales and recruiting teams can be reached at 248-922-4500 or resume@reliance-one.com.

For additional media support, please contact:

Kristen Latimer

248-575-3413

klatimer@reliance-one.com

Safety First!

Written By: Katelyn Allinder, Human Resource Assistant

Employers across the nation face the risk of injury every day. Katelyn Allinder has recently spent time taking OSHA Education classes as well as attending Certified Risk Manager (CRM) training in Florida. As a result, she is passing along these tips to aid in injury prevention:

• Conduct pre-employment screenings/tests: this ensures that the employee designated to do a specific job has the experience and ability to do so.
• Educate and properly train the employees: continuing to educate employees on the importance of workplace safety can significantly reduce the amount of injuries sustained
• Provide appropriate personal protective equipment: enforcing the utilization of PPE such as safety goggles, face protection, hard hats, etc. can protect employees from major injuries and reduce the amount of risk they are exposed to.
• Don’t skip steps: the chance of accidents increases significantly when employees take short cuts and cut corners.
• Encourage employees to speak up: Getting feedback from employees where they see potential hazards can help the company stay proactive in managing risks.

Reliance One Inc. is a minority-owned, MMSDC-certified staffing corporation headquartered in Michigan with offices in Lisle, Illinois and Irving, Texas. Reliance One is focused on matching the ideal professional to a client’s specific needs for both long-term, short-term, or project based positions (including temporary, temporary to direct, or direct). Our sales and recruiting teams can be reached at 248-922-4500 or resume@reliance-one.com.

 

For additional media support, please contact:

Kristen Latimer

248-575-3413

klatimer@reliance-one.com

Building a Culture of Employee Appreciation

Written By: Kristen Latimer, VP of Administration

2017 has been a year of growth, change and uncharted territory. The Executive Team at Reliance One has decided to refocus efforts to increase retention, drive sales and foster a competitive environment. Employee appreciation has been a fun way to involve all levels of the organization and “give back” to our team. Here are the top 5 events for 2017:

 

1. March Madness “Pop A Shot” Competition / Party
2. Ice Cream Truck – Treat Dreams
3. Family Day @ the Tiger Stadium
4. Pancake breakfast served by the Exec Team
5. Cornhole Tournament

 

Our employees are engaged and have enjoyed the new events that we launched this year. Reliance One is at an all-time high of internal staff members and the feedback from the staff is very positive. What are some creative, fun employee appreciation ideas that you have seen or experienced? Feel free to share your ideas below!

 

Reliance One Inc. is a minority-owned, MMSDC-certified staffing corporation headquartered in Michigan with offices in Lisle, Illinois and Irving, Texas. Reliance One is focused on matching the ideal professional to a client’s specific needs for both long-term, short-term, or project based positions (including temporary, temporary to direct, or direct). Our sales and recruiting teams can be reached at 248-922-4500 or resume@reliance-one.com.

 

For additional media support, please contact:

Kristen Latimer

248-575-3413

klatimer@reliance-one.com

Did You Know: Fun Facts About Your Health Insurance

Written By: Kristen Latimer, VP of Administration

1. Preventative screening and treatment is fully covered without any out of pocket costs. For a list of what is covered, you can visit: https://www.healthcare.gov/preventive-care-adults/
2. Most health insurance carriers offer discounts with specific partners. For example, we offer HAP coverage and certain members are eligible for a discount for Weight Watchers programs. Visit your providers website to find more details on discount programs and partners.
3. Coverage until 26! Once you’re on a parent’s job-based plan, in most cases you can stay on it until you turn 26. Generally, you can join a parent’s plan and stay on until you turn 26 even if you:
   1. Get married
   2. Have or adopt a child
   3. Start or leave school
   4. Live in or out of your parent’s home
   5. Aren’t claimed as a tax dependent
   6. Turn down an offer of job-based coverage

For more information, check with your provider on specific rules and regulations.

 

Reliance One offers medical, dental and vision benefits to all full time eligible employees. If you are an employee of Reliance One and have questions about your benefits, please contact – Katelyn Allinder at (248) 922-4500

The Roundtable Effect

Written By: Kristen Latimer, VP of Administration

“Some of my best ideas came from someone else.” Think Tank, Vistage, MichBusiness Thrive Affinity Groups, Roundtable Discussions, etc. These are all groups of individuals that have one common goal – to present an idea, problem, or seek guidance and obtain information, ideas and advice. I took a leap of faith and joined the Thrive Affinity Groups in 2012 after hearing about them at a local conference. Being new to Human Resources as well as a one man show, I felt I could really benefit from other professionals. From sharing policies to unique HR situations, I have grown as a professional and learned an immense amount of valuable information.

 

I have spent the past 5 years working with professionals from a variety of backgrounds. The vast experience of these individuals as well as their commitment to the group has provided us the opportunity to grow a very trusting relationship. Some of the most challenging cases can be brought forth to try and prevent companies violating laws, losing key employees, or implementing change. The goal is to work together and utilize everyone’s experience to our advantage.

 

In the last year, I was given the privilege to host and moderate a group of my own. It has been great honor to be trusted with the responsibility of creating an effective agenda that includes meaningful content. It has been said many times that the group meetings are a top priority for members and the meetings are well attended. As always, we must follow the 3 governing rules: Confidential discussions, Commitment to participate, Consistency in attendance. It is amazing how many issues are resolved in just a few hours at each monthly meeting.

 

If you have found yourself trying to Google your way through an issue, or feeling overwhelmed with a new situation, consider finding a local group that allows roundtable discussions. Online forums are great for traditional HR issues that may present themselves, however, there is something to be said about effective, in person communication and the solutions that arise through a collaborative effort. For more information on the HR Thrive Affinity Groups, please visit: http://michbusiness.com/services/thrive-affinity-groups/