Although getting laid off can be a traumatic experience, experts say you shouldn’t panic. You need to be calm and levelheaded to plan a course of action for while you are unemployed and to plan a strategy for finding another job.

There are several things you can do to help yourself get through this tough time, according to Chuck Koeber, a professor at Wichita State University.

One of the first things you should do is apply for unemployment benefits. If you wait to file, you might not get reimbursed for the time before you applied.

Many employers and unions have resources available for employees who have been laid off, such as job counseling. Check with your former employer and union to find out what they have available and how you can access them.

Labor departments, at the state or county level, also have resources for people who have been laid off, such as help centers. You should make use of these resources as well.

Have a plan, Koeber says. Draw up a written plan of action with the things you are going to do, the strategy you are going to follow, in looking for a job. And use the plan to schedule your time. Don’t just make things up as you go along. This will only extend the time it takes you to find a job, needlessly drawing out the anxiety that goes along with it. Do a self-assessment to help identify your skills and abilities. There are many sites on the internet than can help with this, such as www.jobskills.info.

Don’t shut yourself off from your family. Talk with your spouse and children about what has happened and how they feel about it. Ask for their support.

Keep an eye on your budget. You are going to have to make changes in your lifestyle. Try not to run up too much debt. Watch your credit card use. Try to stay away from using retirement funds. If you need some financial counseling, groups like the Consumer Credit Counseling Service can help.

If you are depressed, or otherwise emotionally disturbed as a result of what has happened, look for professional help. Many communities and universities offer low-cost counseling.

And don’t forget engaging the services of a staffing service such as Winston Resources. We can help you secure temporary, temp-to-hire and direct-hire assignments with some of New York City’s best companies. We often find that our temporary workers eventually find regular, full-time work via a temporary assignment. Contact us today!

When hiring for a job, it is the interview that is the most important element in the process for companies. But all too often job candidates do little, if any, preparation for the interview which, given its significance, is a serious mistake.

Personnel is the biggest expense for employers, so in hiring a new person, a company really wants to make the right decision, because a wrong one will be a great cost in time and resources. It is during the interview that the company tries to determine if a candidate’s skills and experience are a good fit.

Here are some ideas to help with the interview.

The first thing is to understand why you are there – what this process is about. It is first and foremost for you, to sell yourself, to put on, in effect, an advertising campaign for your abilities. The other purpose is for you to find out about the company and the position, to learn exactly what it is you will be doing and if it is right for you.

You are not just answering questions, but doing so with a purpose – to address the needs of the company. You and the interviewer are doing the same thing – gathering information, selling something and trying to determine if you and the company are a good fit.

Before the interview, take the time to come up with three to five achievements or skills that will be your main pitching points. Think about the times where you showed your enterprise and leadership, where you overcame challenges or solved a problem. When the interview wanders away from your talking points, see if you can steer it back again.

In the interview, try to adapt your communication style to that of the interviewer, to let him or her know you are comfortable. If the interview is very formal, you should follow suit; if more casual or lighthearted, follow the interviewer’s lead there as well. This helps to build up trust during the interview.

You can make the interview more relaxed and conversational by asking questions yourself. This will also show your preparedness and interest. You should come prepared with questions to ask.

There also are a few standard questions that almost always pop up in every interview, and so you should be prepared for them and have a good answer ready. Some of these questions include: tell me about yourself, where do you see yourself in five years, describe your strengths and weaknesses.

Finally, practice your answers, so that when you respond you can do so in a relaxed and confident manner.

Come to New York City’s premier staffing service, Winston Resources, for the chance to interview with some of Manhattan’s best companies for long- and short-term temporary, temp-to-hire and direct-hire opportunities. We look forward to hearing from you!

If you are a recent college graduate, you no doubt know that now is an exceptionally tough time to enter the job market. The unemployment rate is remaining stubbornly high at more than nine percent. That means there are a lot of unemployed people looking for work. So, even experienced workers are taking entry-level positions, making it all the more difficult for those just entering the job market.

So, what can you do to increase your chances of landing an interview, to make yourself stick out from the crowd?

One thing is to make sure that you are networking. Networking is something that everyone should be doing if they are looking for work. You need to make sure you are using LinkedIn and Twitter, which are the best social media sites for professional networking.

You also should check your college’s alumni office to tap into alumni organizations to see if you can make any contacts that way. In addition, check around for any professional organizations in your field or any other business groups, such as the local chamber of commerce, that you may be able to join. Volunteering also is a good way to make connections.

Make sure your e-mail and voicemail have look and sound professional. The funny music, jokey voices or other sounds on voicemail were fun in college, but they won’t go over well with possible employers. The same is true for e-mail. Anything that is humorous or off color will not look good to possible employers. For your e-mail, your name or initials will do.

Finally, keep your expectations realistic. The job search is probably going to take a while, and it will demand just as much effort as the job itself. The salary, the job’s duties – or both! — may not be quite what you expect. But you will get to where you want to be in time.

Aim to avoid the emotional roller coaster, the highs and lows that come with good news and bad, and keep steadily working toward your goals in spite of setbacks you’ll inevitably face.

Winston Resources can help recent Manhattan-area college grads get that all-important first “post-college” job. Contact us today so that you may learn more about how our staffing service can help!

When it comes to job interviews, there are plenty of things to think about, from the introduction, to your answers, to your enthusiasm.

But in running through your job interview checklist, don’t forget about how you dress. It is one of the first impressions you will make walking through the door. If you are not dressed appropriately, it may ruin the interview.

The way you dress should help you get across the image of yourself that you created through your résumé and responses during the interview. They should all work together.

You need to dress appropriately for the type of job for which you’re interviewing. For example, if you are applying for a job in a law firm, or in the financial services industry, a business suit is a necessity. And it should be on the conservative side. However, it is perfectly acceptable to add some personal touches to your outfit to help make an impression, although nothing too ostentatious. It helps the interviewer get a little better idea of who you are, and you will feel more comfortable during the interview.

Don’t overlook the smaller details – does your belt match your shoes, are your shoes polished? Are your fingernails trimmed and clean? Make sure you are well groomed. Getting a trim before the interview might be helpful as well.

If you are applying for a job in a more creative field, a business suit may not be necessary. But for whatever job you’re applying, you should never wear casual dress to the interview. If you are not sure how to dress, go to a business where people in your field are working and see how they dress. But if you are unsure at all what is appropriate, always err on the side of more formal dress.

Also, be careful about adding too many extras to your outfit. They might only get in the way. Try to bring no more than a briefcase or portfolio for your résumé and any other necessary documentation. That means also avoid bringing things such as cell phones, iPods, gum, cigarettes, or coffee to the interview.

Dressing the part is an essential part of preparing for any interview and should not be overlooked.

If you’re in the market for a great new job, bring your résumé to Winston Resources. We can help you move your career in a new direction with some of New York City’s best employers. Contact us today!

As employers increasingly use social media as part of their job screening process, job seekers are responding by changing their social networking sites to present a more professional image.  A survey of recent college graduates looking for entry-level positions found that more than one-third of  had changed or planned to change the information on their personal websites and/or on their Facebook  and/or MySpace pages.

MySpace, with more than 95 million members, has become the most popular social networking site in the world, and as a result, is popular with employers looking for information on job candidates.

While some people feel that employers using such sites is a violation of the job seeker’s privacy, the information is public.  As a result, it could hurt you in your job search, or even keep you from getting a job.  People need to realize that personal information posted on a social media site is easily accessible, say career counselors.  They need to use common sense and ask whether what is on the Web would be acceptable on a résumé.

Job seekers need to update their Web pages to show the image they want to project, and if they don’t want certain information to be seen by employers, they should not have it on the Internet.  For some, reworking the Web page has led to new opportunities.  One person who was job searching was contacted by a recruiter who had seen her name on a job board and had then looked at her website.  Her site helped her make the job connection.

In the survey, about 35 percent of first-time job seekers said they had changed their Web presence or planned to.  About 40 percent did not, and about 25 percent said they did not use Facebook or MySpace.

First-time job seekers need to be aware of the image they are putting out on the Internet, according to career counselors.  They should stay away from anything that might turn off a recruiter who looks at the site.  Pictures of a recent party or social gathering might not be the best thing to have on the site.  Rather, job seekers should use their site to help them stand out and to make a good first impression.

If you’re just out of college — or will be soon — bring your résumé to Winston Resources. We can help you craft an off- and online presence, as well as present your skills and background to many of NYC’s best employers. Contact one of our recruiters today.

Networking has gotten a bad reputation in some circles because too many people think networking is about only getting a job. Which makes one feel a bit squeamish about the whole thing: “If I’m out of work, I feel like I’m more ‘begging’ than ‘networking.’

But networking, when done well, really is about establishing relationships. Relationships that can help you make good decisions.

For example, let’s say you move to a new area and you’re looking for a good mechanic. Would you Google “mechanic” in a search engine (possibly), but wouldn’t you first ask co-workers and neighbors to recommend someone to you? Probably!

So when you think of networking, think of it as growing your list of personal connections, connections that can help you move forward in your career or profession.

Consider joining national professional groups in which you have a true and genuine interest. This way you can remain in the organization no matter where you work and no matter where you live. Aim to go to at least one of the organization’s meetings or activities a month.

In addition, routinely ask your friends, neighbors, colleagues, family members, and others if they know of anyone that they think you should speak or meet with. Anyone. He or she doesn’t necessarily have to be in a position to hire you, or work at a company at which you want to work. They just need to have something in common with you. This will help keep networking fun. Aim to meet with at least one new person a month.

Most people really want to help others. So don’t be shy about contacting someone to ask for advice. We love to give advice! As you get ready to approach someone, think about what you can offer him or her in return. Listen to the person carefully so that you can get ideas as to what he or she may need that you can provide. It may be as simple as the name of a good mechanic…or arranging for her daughter (who’s interested in veterinary medicine) to speak to you your sister-in-law, who is a veterinarian. Remember, the more you give, the more you get..

As for contacting someone, e-mail is usually better than a phone call today. Of course, if you’re at a networking event, a face-to-face approach works wonders.

If you end up meeting for coffee or lunch, be sure to pay for the meal or beverage. This helps put you on an even, professional footing with your contact. This is especially helpful if you are unemployed; it diminishes considerably the “poor, little begging me” factor. Be sure to write a thank-you note immediately after. If you’ve been able to call someone else your contact mentioned, or otherwise took a step on a recommendation your contact made, be sure to mention so in your thank you note and give the results. Say you’ll keep your contact apprised of your progress.

Then…be sure to do so: keep the contact informed as to your progress. Touch base every now and then to let her know of any career moves you’re making. If you hear that she has made a move herself, that’s also a great time to send a little congratulatory note. Once you have made real progress, in a few months, offer to get together again so that each of you may catch up on each other’s status.

Winston Resources has created hundreds of deep and long-term relationships with New York City’s finest employers. Let us help you “network” your way in to a great new job. Contact us today!

When interviewing for a job, you naturally are trying your best to impress a prospective employer, and much of your time has most likely been spent preparing for an interviewer’s questions.

But it is important to remember that a job interview is a two-way street.  You need to make sure that this is a place where you want to work, a place where you will be happy.  Toward that end, you need to do some interviewing of your own.  Your research about the company will probably turn up questions you will want answered at the interview, and you should have them ready, even written down.

One area to avoid, however, is salary and benefits.  Wait for the interviewer to bring up this topic before discussing it.

But beyond that, don’t be afraid to learn as much about the job as you can.  For example, you might ask about a typical day’s duties for the job you are applying for, what your top priority should be in the job, what the day-to-day expectations and responsibilities are, what the company’s management style is, what the company’s corporate culture is like, what the company’s values are.

Other possible questions: What is the policy on transfers to other departments and divisions, does the organization support ongoing training for employees to stay up to date, can you make a lateral job move?  You might even want to ask the interviewer why he or she came to the company and why he or she stays.  How long has he or she been with the organization, and what is his or her management style?  How has his or her career progressed within the organization?  What obstacles does he or she see in meeting careeer goals?

You may want to know how the department is viewed by other areas of the organization.  What are the advancement opportunities?  What are the characteristics and skills of the people who are the most successful in the organization?

You may glean some information about a company’s growth from research, or it may come up during the course of the interview, but if it does not, it is important to know if a company is growing or not, and where the growth is occurring.

Finally, if you are given a tour of the department, don’t be afraid to talk to current employees – or ask to talk to employees.   Ask them some of the questions outlined above.  How do they like working there?  What do they think of the boss?

Want to interview with some of New York City’s best companies? Contact Winston Resources. We are one of Manhattan’s premier staffing services and we can help you land great temporary, temp-to-hire and direct-hire assignments. We look forward to hearing from you!

When considering a new job opportunity, there are obviously many things to look at.  Salary may generally be uppermost in people’s minds when looking at a new job, but there are many other important factors to examine as well.  These factors are all key to determining that all-important fit between job candidate and employer.

1) One of the most important factors in job satisfaction is the relationship between you and your superior.  So when you’re thinking of working for a certain boss, you need to find out how she manages.  How does she make decisions?  How will she evaluate your performance?  In other words, you need to get a feel for a potential new boss’ personality.

2) Take a real analytical look at the kind and amount of work you will be doing.  Be wary if overtime seems to be the norm – for a professional job, occasional overtime may be necessary, but if it is common, it may signal a lack of resources or some other problem.  Also, what kinds of skills does the work involve – is it more project management, developing strategy, handling client relationships, or doing creative work?  How much autonomy will you have in doing it?  What are the opportunities for advancement?  Does the company have a practice of promoting from within, or does it look outside the company first?

3) How do you feel about the mission and values of the company, and the company’s leaders?

4) Also, don’t forget to take a look at the financial health of the company.  A good indicator of this is the earnings per share.  Has it been going up year after year, or have there been dips?

5) You will also want to know about the people you will be working with and how the relationships have been among employees.  What will they expect from you?  How interdependent will the jobs be?  When talking to prospective coworkers, get their take on the manager.

If you will have people working under you, try to get a feel for their strengths and weaknesses.  Will you be able to effectively manage them?

Another thing to think about is travel time.  Be honest with yourself in determining how long a commute you can manage on a daily basis.  Remember, it may not seem so bad for a few days or a week, but driving it for a number of years may be a different story.  How would such a commute affect your lifestyle?

9) And finally, that question about pay – are you being valued at your worth in the marketplace?

Once you have answers, make a list of pros and cons, assigning more weight to those items that matter more to you, before making a final decision.
Let Winston Resources help you find that next great opportunity. We have terrific temporary, temp-to-hire and direct placement assignments at New York City’s best employers. Contact us today.

If your Winston Resources staffing consultant contacts you about a temp-to-hire position, this is good news. It means if you take the assignment and do well in it, the employer may decide to hire you onto its own payroll.

A temp-to-hire assignment is really the best of both worlds. You can “try out” a company and job before deciding if it’s what you want to do. The company also is  taking a look at you to see if you’re a good fit for the position as well as the company culture.

In short, a temp-to-hire assignment is a terrific “foot in the door.”

However, you should know upfront that accepting a temp-to-hire assignment does not guarantee that you will be hired by the client company, even if you want to be. Things sometimes just don’t work out. The client company may decide it doesn’t need to hire a “regular” employee for the position after all. The person who left — causing a vacancy — returns. The company decides to tighten its payroll and eliminates the position altogether.

But when a temp-to-hire position doesn’t make it to the “hire” part, it’s usually because you or the company decides you’re not a good fit.

If the company decides to let you go, it may believe you don’t have the skills to do the job or the temperament to fit in with the company’s culture.

If you do decide you like the position and the opportunity it presents to you and you want to be hired by the company, here are some tips to help you do so:

• If the client company mentions to you that it would like to hire you, contact us immediately. You may been placed on what we thought was a temporary assignment, but your excellent skills and work ethic wowed the company enough that it decided it didn’t want to lose you. Do NOT work out the details of your hire with the client company; that’s our job.
• Do all you can to work as hard as others in the company who are doing the same job/tasks as you. In fact, if you can outperform those co-workers, all the better (just don’t be snarky about it).
• Always have a positive attitude. Think of yourself as already being a full team member; never have the attitude that you’re “just” a temp.
• Let us and the client company know you’d like to get hired on. Don’t announce this each and every day, but when you’ve decided that you enjoy the temp-to-hire assignment and  you feel working full-time at the company is in your best interests, let your on-site supervisor know. Let us know, too, so that we can make the proper arrangements.
• If you’ve been on the assignment for a few days or weeks and decide the position is just not for you, please let us know ASAP. We’ll work hard to find you another assignment quickly. We’ll also let our client know and we’ll begin finding another person to take on the temp-to-hire position.

Looking to take the next step in your career? Contact Winston Resources. We offer workers in the NYC area some of the highest-quality temporary, temp-to-hire and direct-hire assignments at some of New York City’s best companies.