If you’ve just been called in for the first serious interview of your professional career, this step-by-step guide can take you through the next 48 hours or so and help you get ready for any surprises that may come your way.

1. First, thank the manager or HR employee who invited you to the interview. Make sure you confirm the time and place.

2. Map the route to your destination and determine how long it will take to get there and how you’ll accomplish this. Will you drive, take the train, or ask someone else to transport you? Clarify these details before you make another move.

3. Clear your schedule. If you have other appointments that may crowd into your interview time, cancel as necessary. Just because the interviewer says the meeting will take 30 minutes doesn’t mean it will take 30 minutes. Reset the entire morning or afternoon within an hour or two of your appointment time.

4. Choose clothing that shows respect for the occasion. A suit will usually work, but these days men can also wear a pressed shirt and tie, and women can wear a professional dress or blouse combined with skirt or slacks. Take your clothes to the dry cleaner if you need to.

5. Visit the company website. Find answers to these three questions: What exactly does this company sell or produce? What will you probably be doing every day in this position? How would you describe this company’s culture? I.e. does this seem a like fun/formal/ fast-paced/laid back/conservative/progressive place to work?

6. Come up with a clear, concise answer to this question, an answer you can deliver in less than 60 seconds: What makes you a great fit for this job?

7. Now answer this question: What can you bring to this position that no other candidate can? Practice both answers until you can deliver them in your sleep.

8. Print out ten hard copies of your resume that you can carry with you in a professional-looking portfolio. In the same portfolio, carry a pad of paper and a reliable pen you can use to take notes. (Unless asked, you won’t be taking out, looking at, or in any way fiddling with your phone during a professional job interview. Take a moment before you leave the house to silence all your ringers and alerts.)

9. Work on your body language and non-verbal gestures. Practice sitting up straight, work on your smile, handshake, and eye contact, and control your fidgeting.

10. Come up with five intelligent questions that you can ask your interviewer before the meeting ends.

Finally, confirm your transportation one more time, and then get a full night of sleep before the big day. Still nervous? Reach out to the IA staffing experts

at the Palmer Group and let us answer any final questions you may have about the process. Good luck!

As the day of your interview approaches, you’re ready for anything. Your suit is at the dry cleaners, you’re practicing your handshake on everyone you meet, and you’re getting plenty of sleep. While you check off each of these items, go ahead and add a few more preparation tips to your arsenal by going over the list below. Interview mistakes like the ones listed here are more common that you probably realize, but a little heads up may help you pay attention to what you’re doing and stay out of trouble.

1. Keep an eye on three items: your coffee cup, your coat, and your gum. Even if you don’t, your interviewer will. The coffee cup goes into the trash before you enter the building. The coat should be handed over if the interviewer offers to take it—otherwise it should be taken off and draped neatly over the back of a nearby chair. And the gum shouldn’t even play a role in this scene. Spit it out before you step within a mile of your interview destination.

2. Manage your hands and arms. Humans communicate with their hands just as much as their voices. And if you don’t control them, they’ll speak for you. They’ll say things like “I’m so nervous!” and “Please forgive me—I don’t know what I’m doing.” The solution: rest your arms gently at your sides, draped parallel with the arms of your chair. Keep your hands open and relaxed when you aren’t speaking. When you are speaking, bring in them in front of you to help make your points, then return them to a relaxed position at your sides when you’re finished.

3. Don’t act as if your interviewer is the only person on earth who matters. Inexperienced candidates tend to go into a trance all morning long, focusing on this one conversation to the exclusion of all else. They don’t make eye contact with the receptionist, they ignore everyone in the waiting area, and they fiddle with their phones so they won’t have to speak to anyone until they’re sitting across from their interviewer. Then they light up. Don’t do this. Relax, engage, look around, and connect with everyone you encounter on your way in and out of the building.

4.  If someone asks you “Why should you be hired for this job?” have an excellent, articulate answer ready, word for word, that you can deliver within 30 seconds. This question is a universal part of any job search, but candidates are continually caught off guard by it all the same.

For more simple tools and mental exercises that can help you control your nerves and think on your feet during job interviews, reach out to the Des Moines Staffing and employment experts at the Palmer Group.

When you submit your resume for a position and are later called in for an interview, you’ll want to make a great impression, of course. You want to come off as likable, reliable, stable, friendly, and committed. No matter what the position may be, these traits are always positives, and in most cases they represent the bare minimum necessary for consideration.

But in a tough, competitive job market, the bare minimum won’t be quite enough to set you apart. You won’t just need to prove you’re a great employee. You’ll need to prove you need to prove that you’re perfect employee for this specific job. So how can you do this if you’re not familiar with this company’s culture and you don’t know exactly what qualities these employers will be looking for?

You + This Job = A Perfect Match

1. Start by gathering all the information available to you and analyzing it for clues.  Examine the job posting and company website carefully and read between the lines. Even if the employers don’t specifically ask for a leader, or a follower, or a team player, which of these do you think will find the most success in this position? Which skills do the employers want to see most and which ones seem to be listed as afterthoughts or “pluses”?

2. Get some paper and list the qualities of a person you envision as an ideal candidate for this job. Put yourself and your own qualifications aside for a moment and just picture someone who’s likely to thrive in this role. Write down everything you know about this person, from personality traits, to skills sets, to likely previous employers.

3. List what you have in common with this person. If she’s a great public speaker, or a creative problem solver, or she keeps a cool head in a crisis, do you share these qualities?

4. Gather proof. Since these are the traits you’ll want to showcase to your potential employers, you’ll need to provide evidence to support your case. What have you done, what awards have you earned, and what accomplishments do you have to your credit that can help employers see you in this light?

5. Reduce your case to sound bites. If these employers will probably need a strong public speaker, and you’ve made a successful speech or two in your day, how can emphasize this in ten high-impact words or fewer? Work this out before the interview. Keep your messages short, strong, and memorable.

Contact the Des Moines staffing experts at the Palmer Group for more on how to make a simple, clear, and powerful case that you’re perfect for this job. We have the experience and tools you need to highlight the traits your employers are looking for.

To get ahead in a challenging career marketplace, you’ll need to find a way to stand out from the crowd. And since “standing out” is a full time job, it’s a good idea to create a personal brand that’s so strong and memorable it speaks for you, even when you’re off the clock. Make a name for yourself. Once you have a name that sells what you have to offer, you’ll be marketing and promoting yourself even when you aren’t. Try these simple moves and become the CEO of You, Inc.

Personal Branding in Four Simple Steps

1. Figure out what you’ve got. What do you have to offer that nobody else in the world can claim? What skill or unique combination of skills can you bring to another person’s life, company, or project? And how can these skills help that person or company get where they’re going? Are you the hardest worker in the room? Are you great with two or three different skills that are rarely seen in a combination like yours? What do you know about? What can you do really, really well? What aspects of the world do you understand on a level no one else can?

2. Figure out how others would answer this question. If your coworkers, bosses, family members or friends were to be asked about you, what would they list as your unique strengths? Their answers may differ from yours. But what they have to say is just as valid, if not more so.

3. Identify your target audience. Who are you going to have to impress in order to get the things you want? Who will you need to connect with, pitch to, or win over? Who will have to see your face, shake your hand, or observe you in action before you take the next step toward your destination? Make sure the people in your target audience fit two important descriptors: 1.) They have a need for what you have to offer, and 2.) they’re able to help you and move you toward your goals.

4. Finally, clarify your goals. Figure out exactly what you want before you take your first steps in that direction. Actually sit still and daydream for a while, and visualize your situation six months, three years, and five years down the road. Identify every important detail about that situation and then get a pen and write these details down. 

Now that you know where you’re going, who can get you there, and what you have to offer to these people, it’s time to get moving. Contact the Des Moines staffing and job search experts at The Palmer Group for additional tips and personal guidance.

What are some of the key differences between a hard worker and a workaholic? Here are a few tendencies that separate healthy commitment from unhealthy compulsivity:

1. A hard worker shows up every day, but when showing up isn’t possible, she demonstrates flexibility and takes the situation in stride. A workaholic will come in to the office despite illness, deep snow, and other life priorities, no matter how important they may be. 

2. A hard worker also plays hard. When it’s time to change gears, she’s as invested in her tailgate party, card game, violin recital, shopping trip, or beach weekend as she is in her job. The workaholic views these things as distractions.

3. The hard worker ignores her phone when she’s at the table with friends and family. The workaholic can’t leave her phone alone.

4. The hard worker takes yearly vacations. The workaholic doesn’t.

5. The hard worker is healthy and well-adjusted person with an active inner life, an active social life, and diverse interests. The workaholic is an unhappy person with frequent health problems, a limited social life, and few interests outside of work.

As a manager, guess which of these two people will be more productive in your workplace? If you guessed the hard worker, you’re correct. Workaholism benefits nobody, including the company to which the workaholic is so obsessively dedicated. While you encourage your employees to show commitment to your enterprise, watch out for signs that suggest an unhealthy absence of work-life balance. If you don’t, expect an increase in sick days and stress-related morale problems, and a decrease in innovation, teamwork, clear thinking, and flexibility.

If you see signs of workaholism creeping into your workplace culture, take these steps:

1. Actively reach out to identified workaholics. Chat with them in private and ask politely about the state of their health and personal lives. Listen closely to the answers, and if help is warranted, offer it without waiting to be asked.

2. Workaholics often need to be ordered, not invited, to take breaks and vacations. If necessary, deliver instructions to stay home or take time off in the guise of an official command. If something feels like work, or an order given by a boss, workaholics are more likely to comply.

3. Try not to support workaholics with a false sense of heroism. A toxic culture is one that encourages employees to come in when they’re sick, or to engage in cutthroat competition with their own teammates. If you see this kind of obsessive or competitive atmosphere taking hold in your workplace, put a stop to it. Start by setting a personal example. 

Don’t let workaholism drain morale and undermine productivity in your office. Reach out to the staffing experts at the Palmer Group for tips and guidance that can help you keep your employees not just busy, but also happy, healthy, flexible, innovative, and engaged.

Before you decide to launch an unpaid (or low paid) internship program in your workplace, it’s a good idea to ask yourself one important question: Why? What do you expect to get out of the process? A stronger foothold for your business? A way to give back to your community? Or both? Or something else altogether? Internship programs can be rewarding for both the intern and employer, but they can also lead to confusing relationships, mismatched expectations, and bad memories. The best way to launch an internship program is to start by clarifying your goals. When you’ve done this and you’re ready to move forward, keep a few considerations in mind.
 
Interns are Not Employees

Interns are usually college students or recent grads in their early twenties. They don’t yet have the experience they need to impress potential employers, and at the same time, their lack of experience means they have little to offer to most companies and can’t yet be trusted with much responsibility. An internship helps these young people cover the gap between academia and working life, and in exchange, the companies who provide this service receive an opportunity to help and inspire a young person who shows an interest in the business. Other than a feeling of altruism and a potential source of trusted employees in the future, companies have little to gain from this relationship.

But employers don’t always see things this way, and they make this mistake at their peril. Remember: an unpaid intern is not a source of free labor. If someone on the worksite is being paid less than the legal minimum wage, that person is not an employee. She should not be saddled with expectations, she should not be handed important responsibilities, and her presence should be understood as entirely voluntary. Everything she offers an employer places the employer in her debt. Move forward with your intern program only if you fully understand all the legal and ethical implications of this arrangement.

Structuring an Internship

Once you understand the nature of the intern relationship, structure your program carefully. Give interns low-responsibility tasks that expose them to as many aspects of the business as possible, and listen closely to determine their areas of interest. Allow them to see how the office and the business are run without allowing them to interfere, slow productivity, or cause potential harm. Keep these four important goals in mind. The intern should:

1. Get a sense of what the workplace looks, feels, and sounds like
2. Learn how the business model works and how the company makes money
3. Meet professionals in the business and get to know them personally
4. Have exposure to the expectations that will be placed upon them once they land their first jobs.

Make sure your interns are given a daily schedule which allows them to gain maximum exposure the items above without wasting their time. Also, make sure all interns are assigned to specific contact person who can provide information and answer their questions as needed. For specific guidance as you move forward with your internship program, reach out to the Des Moines staffing and employment experts at the Palmer Group.

If your job is a constant source of stress, or if you don’t feel you’re gaining the rewards, the advancement, or the sense of satisfaction that you need from your professional life, your list of New Year’s resolutions this year may have a strong work-related theme. But is it the right theme? And are your goals and resolutions actually ready to take your career where it needs to go? Here are a few things to keep in mind as you move forward.

Stay Put or Move On

If your list contains goal after goal related to trying harder, working longer hours, investing more, sacrificing more, and finally earning that promotion that you’ve been denied (twice), it may be time for a fresh approach. Throwing more energy into an uphill battle may be the answer, and a little more patience and elbow grease might be just enough to turn things around. But if your list is heavily weighed down with resolutions like these, it may be time to start looking for fulfillment, success and satisfaction elsewhere. This job may have its pros and cons, but if the list of cons is getting too long and it’s becoming a herculean task to simply get the basic respect and advancement you need, start scanning the market landscape and looking for better opportunities.

A New List of Resolutions

This means scrapping your current list of New Year’s resolutions. Instead of items like “try to finally achieve quota this year” or “finally figure out how to be heard in meetings”, try a new list. Think about where you’d like to be in a year. Form a clear picture of what you’d like to accomplish. To bring this vision to life, where will you need to be in six months? How about three months? Clarify a single long term goal, and then start breaking that goal down into smaller, more manageable projects.

By mid-January, you should have a plan of action and a polished, edited resume in hand. By February, you’ll have had lunch with at least five of your mentors and professional contacts. By March, you should be scanning job boards and applying daily for new positions. Figure out where you need to go, then start taking steps to get there.

Need some extra help and guidance to get your job search off the ground? Contact the Des Moines staffing professionals at the Palmer Group. We have the industry contacts, experience, and resources you need to move your career forward. Call our office and arrange a consultation today.

The mechanisms of job security doesn’t work exactly the way they did fifty years ago. Most employees in the modern world recognize that employment contracts aren’t binding, lifelong agreements, and that this loosening of obligation works in both directions. Just as employers now have more freedom to say goodbye to their staff when the business landscape changes, it isn’t expected—or wise—for a worker to stay with an employer when the relationship ceases to be personally profitable. So if we can’t depend on our employers to take care of us when the economy weakens or business models become outdated, what can we depend on instead? It’s time for us to start thinking of our social networks as an essential component of our job security and financial safety. What does this mean?

1. It means weaving a safety net long before we need one.

Most people start putting on their best fake “networking” smiles when they step in the door at the industry sponsored meet and greet, and they peel off those smiles the minute they leave. Students tend to scramble after their advisors and become ingratiating the day before they need recommendation letters, and employees tend to reach out to former bosses to reconnect the day before those bosses are contacted as references for a new position.

Try not to handle things this way. The strongest links in our network are built on real relationships, and real relationships are founded on contact, conversation, respect and trust. Even if you don’t need anything right now, take a few minutes every week to think about those in your circle.

2. It means testing and strengthening our connections now and then.

A real network is one that works in two directions. Instead of just asking for favors, review the list of people in your professional network and actively consider what you might have to offer them. Listen carefully when you speak to coworkers, industry connections and new acquaintances at parties. And don’t just keep your ears open for what you stand to gain—think about what you have to provide. 

3. It means knowing when it’s time to save our social capital and when it’s time to spend.

If your relationships are based on real contact and genuine respect, they’ll be there when you need them. Relying on your network is like performing a trust fall. The process works better if you have enough faith to be direct and simply ask for what you need. And of course, you’ll have to be there when your professional contacts reach out to you in a similar fashion. Answer the phone, return emails, and step up when you’re called upon.

Take networking seriously. Small talk and casual encounters may seem superficial, but every warm and genuine contact strengthens the thin fibers of a web that supports us all. For more tips on becoming a savvy network builder, reach out to the Des Moines staffing pros at the Palmer Group.

Most traditional job interviews involve one applicant facing the questions of a single interviewer or a small group. These standard interview settings can be challenging enough, but for a variety of reasons, some employers decide to raise the stakes by having multiple candidates respond to interview questions in a shared venue. This can help employers simplify the logistics of the hiring process and save time. But just as important, it allows the company to see how candidates interact with peers and competitors, not just hiring managers.  

If you find yourself facing a group interview, most general interview advice will apply. You’ll need to keep your posture straight but relaxed, stay engaged, control your nerves, and answer questions clearly and directly while making appropriate eye contact. But the additional challenges of the group interview come with an additional set of guidelines and warnings. Keep these group interview do’s and don’ts in mind.

Handle a Group Interview

1. DO pay attention to your interactions with the group. As you meet your companions or enter the room for the first time, be diplomatic, friendly, bold and direct. Take the opportunity to introduce yourself with a smile first, followed by a well-timed handshake.  DON’T be awkward, overly aggressive, or overly shy. This can be tricky when you know you’re being watched and observed, but do your best.

2. DO be respectful when questions are directed to others in the group. As you wait your turn, listen carefully to each participant. DON’T smirk while others are talking. This is a fast way to get yourself taken off the list of contenders. Make sure you watch out for other forms of disrespectful body language as well, including a slouched posture, disengagement, or disinterest.

3. When it’s your turn to speak, DO refer to the comments of other candidates as long as your references are positive. DON’T make negative references or compare yourself to other candidates in an attempt to make your skills or qualifications seem superior. 

4. DO modulate your voice. Keep your tones steady and even. DON’T let your pitch get too low or too high, and don’t rush your words. Don’t giggle.

5. DO be prepared for tricky or even embarrassing questions. Your interviewer may want to see how well you handle public pressure. DON’T be caught off guard or flustered by questions that seem to highlight your weaknesses.

6. DO end the experience gracefully. Stand up slowly, acknowledge each of the other participants, and shake hands with everyone, including both your competitors and the interviewers. Smile as you say thank you and goodbye. DON’T stumble to your feet and scramble off.

Group interviews can be rattling, but a little preparation can turn an ordeal into a great opportunity and an interesting learning experience. Contact the Des Moines staffing experts at The Palmer Group for additional guidance.

As you head into your interview, you may think you’re ready for anything. After all, you’ve been practicing your answers and preparing for challenging curve ball questions all week long. Your interview suit is pressed, you’ve mapped out your route to the venue, and there’s nothing that can catch you off guard. But you won’t be fully ready until you’re prepared for these common– but often rattling– interview styles.

The Friendly Approach

The friendly interviewer will welcome you warmly and let you establish the tone of the conversation. She’ll smile, she’ll listen carefully as you speak, and she’ll try to give you the benefit of the doubt at every turn. She’ll look for the positive in everything you say and do, and your dialogue will feel more like a pleasant conversation between friends than a serious job interview. But don’t be fooled. This interviewer is all business, and she’s not missing a detail. Stay professional and don’t become so relaxed that you forget to edit yourself.

The Rigid Approach

This interview follows a rigid set of protocols and adheres to very standard definitions of “success”. She’ll be impressed with your prep school background, your Ivy League degree and your science award, even if this job isn’t science-related and she hasn’t yet determined your exact course of study. If your credentials are conventional and universally understood, this interviewer is easy to impress. But if not, be careful. She won’t want to hear about your resume gaps, regardless of the reasons. And she won’t want to hear about your year off to travel, your unpaid volunteer work, or your failures, regardless of what you learned from them.

The Disinterested Approach

Some interviewers act as if they would rather be somewhere else, are too busy to talk to you, or are even annoyed at the intrusion of your company. If your interviewer can’t seem to look up from his phone or sighs with exasperation and checks the clock constantly while you talk, don’t take it personally. There are many reasons why this might be happening, none of which have to do with you. Stay engaged and polite and don’t pick up on the checked-out vibe he’s sending.

The Team Approach

Sometimes interviewers place a high value on objectivity, and some companies feel that when it comes to staffing and screening, many perspectives offer a more accurate picture than one. If you find yourself facing panel of interviewers all at once, stay calm and poised. Don’t fluster or fidget. During a group interview, your lack of jitters will be noticed, appreciated, and probably discussed, all to your credit. 

Reach out to the Des Moines staffing and job search experts at the Palmer Group for practice questions, resume tips, and additional approaches to various interview styles.