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Atrium University is a two hour crash course that teaches useful tips to better navigate today’s job market.

Join us in our NYC office for this annual event!

Curriculum Includes:

30 minute ‘Resume Boot Camp’

30 minute ‘Social Media Must-Haves’

30 minute ‘Interview Techniques’

30 minute ‘Sell Yourself in 30 seconds!’

Available Sessions:

Tuesday, May 15th from 10:30am – 12:30pm
Thursday, May 17th from 6:00pm – 8:00pm

BE NAMED ‘VALEDICTORIAN’ OF YOUR SESSION AND
WIN A PRIZE VALUED AT $250!

30 minute reception to follow featuring drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and time to meet one-on-one with Atrium Staffing Consultants about your personal job search.

APPLY NOW: ATRIUMSTAFF.COM/ATRIUM-UNIVERSITY

Each week we are going to bring you career advice from our blogging friends around the web.

When it comes to work we want to share the good, the bad and the ugly in hopes that you will be inspired or maybe rehired!

Going back to a cubicle day after day, after day, can drive even the sanest employee nuts. Here’s some advice from the edgy blog Jobacle:

7 Ways to Make Your Cubicle a Positive Workspace Without Using a Single Motivational Poster!

The wide world of job searching can be extremely overwhelming, to put it mildly. You apply for job after job online and may feel like your application is just going into the abyss, never to be read or reviewed. I found this little ray of light from a blogger at The Business Insider who talks about how she got her last 2 jobs online and how she separated herself from the masses. Read on:

How I Got My Last Two Media Jobs From Internet Job Listings

Last week there was a major debate in the job searching space regarding interviewers asking candidates for their social media passwords. In the near future, that may become obsolete as many states are going to make this practice illegal. In the meantime, find out how you can gracefully decline to share this information.

Must you give a job interviewer your Facebook password?

Hopefully these bits of wisdom will help in your job search, cubicle revamp and with interview protocol!

- Allie B., Social Media Specialist

Before you buy a new car, you test-drive it. Why not test-drive your new job too?

More and more today, companies are opting to go with a hiring solution known as temp-to-hire (otherwise known as temp-to-perm, try before hire, or TTP). With this option, companies offer potential employees a “trial” period of sorts before bringing them on as full-time employees.

What does TTP really mean by definition? TTP is an employment service concept where a client company plans to make a permanent placement hiring decision during or after a temporary assignment.  Sounds very formal right? Basically, companies are looking for a flexible option when bringing on new employees.  During this probationary period, an employer has the ability to evaluate job performance and make more educated hiring decisions.

The majority of TTP solutions are facilitated through staffing firms, like Atrium Staffing, who will provide benefits to the temporary worker until they are hired by the employer full-time. While many job seekers are hesitant to accept a TTP job because it doesn’t seem as stable, there are also benefits of taking a test-drive at your potential new company.

What does this mean for the employee? This is your time to shine without being locked into a contract. As a temporary employee of the company you get a first-hand look at certain characteristics of the company that you might not observe during an interview. Is this somewhere you really want to work? Is it going to be a good cultural fit for you? What is the quality of work and/or work ethic going on around you? If you are concerned about the negative connotations associated with being a “temporary” worker, check out this article from CareerBuilder.

Take the temporary period to evaluate the company just as the company is evaluating you. Definitely take the time seriously and remember that you are being closely watched, not unlike any other new company employee. The end goal in any professional relationship is for a “perfect match” to be made. Temp-to-hire employment opportunities can be a great option for candidates who are accepting a new position for the right reasons!

Check out Atrium’s current list of open temporary-to-hire placements.

- Melissa F., Administrative Staffing Consultant

Social media is rapidly changing the face of job searching. The days of searching the classifieds seem archaic and even Craigslist is over-saturated with spam and scams. Job seekers are now flocking to social networks as a resource during their search. I am offering up a few helpful hints when using social channels, specifically Twitter, to navigate your search.

Follow Atrium on Twitter!

Twitter isn’t terribly saturated, yet, so it is a great way to find exact job matches if you know how to search for specific terms and/or jobs. Firstly, if you need to register for an account, head to Twitter and follow the sign up instructions. After you’re registered, let the job search begin!

Your Twitter bio is a great place to let employers and recruiters know you are actively job searching. Keep your bio simple and clear of any profanity. A good example of a professional bio might read something like, “Human Resources Professional open to being contacted regarding new opportunities.” Of course if you are currently employed, this may not be a good idea because public Twitter accounts can be viewed by anyone.

For those of you not all that familiar with Twitter, searching the site is simple! For starters, let’s say you are a job seeker in New York City. In the search bar at the top of your Twitter homepage, enter a term relevant to your search and simply insert a number sign, or in “Twitter lingo” a hashtag, before it. For example, if you are searching for jobs in NYC you might search the term #NYCjobs. Entering hashtagged words in the search bar will return all tweets with that same tagged keyword.

Another great application, called Nearby Tweets, allows for uber-targeted searching. This app allows you to search for location-based, relevant tweets.  Go to Nearby Tweets and plug in your location with a specific search term. For example: New York, NY – #prjobs. This will return a feed of all tweets coming from the New York area with that hashtagged phrase.

Once you’ve found a tweet regarding a job you might be interested in it would be a best practice to follow the account who posted the tweet. If there is a link within the tweet, click thru, if there isn’t, reply to the account and ask for more information. Replying to a tweet is simple, either click the “Reply” button under the tweet or simply put an @ symbol in from the of the account name and ask for more details. For example: @AtriumStaff, please tell me more about this PR position in NYC and how I can apply.

Additionally, you should follow accounts of companies that you may want to work for and tweet them with the @ symbol. If/when they follow you back, you now have a direct line of communication with them in the form of a “DM” or direct message. To send a direct message, go to the users page and click the little envelope under their profile photo. You now have 140 characters to make an impression!

More and more businesses are using Twitter to share their open positions and recruit employees because the service is FREE. It is free to them and free to you too, utilize it.

Hopefully you have found these tips informative. Now when you are searching Twitter for a job you are equipped with the right tools to cut through the fat and find the job that matches your search! Follow us on Twitter for more helpful tips @AtriumStaff.

- Allie B.

You constantly hear tips about best practices for a job interview…what to wear, what to say, what to bring. Well, today we are talking about what NOT to do in a job interview. I’ve polled counselors across all 8 Atrium Staffing offices and here are the top 10 tips on behaviors to avoid while interviewing for your next big opportunity:

1. Don’t forget to turn off your cell phone. There is nothing worse than your Lady Gaga ringtone interrupting your spiel on how professional you are.

2. Never, ever chew gum or bring coffee. If you are someone who gets dry mouth when you’re nervous, bring a bottle of water.

3. Don’t be unprepared. Come with a crisp copy of your resume and maybe even a back up. Even though you’ve already sent your resume via email, a hard copy is always welcome.

4. Don’t stay seated when the interviewer enters the room. Always stand and introduce yourself clearly, with a firm handshake.

5. Never bash an ex (or current) employer. It’s OK to explain your reasons for leaving a company, but try to put a positive spin on a negative experience.

6. Don’t drop the F-bomb (or use any other foul language for that matter). You’d think it goes without saying, but you would be amazed!

7. Try not to be too casual, even when you feel comfortable. A potential employer wants to come away from an interview feeling like they got a taste of the “real” you but make sure you don’t over share personal information.

8. Never keep your coat on. Even if it’s cold outside… take it off!

9. Be consistent. Don’t tell mismatching stories in the interview from what your resume reads.

10. Don’t delay in sending a thank you. We suggest an immediate email thank you and a handwritten note to show them you mean business!

Hopefully this will serve as a checklist to you before you head off on your next interview. Good luck!

You can find more Atrium tips on Facebook and Twitter. Follow us today!

- Allie B., Social Media Specialist

View the latest open jobs at Atrium