Midwest Professional staffing is happy to announce a new staffing manager.  Bridget Neiman has started with us a little over a month ago and has been finding job opportunities for great candidates throughout the Des Moines Area.  If your looking for a job opportunity give Bridget a call and she may be a good resource for you and your job search!

Are you looking for an office job?  Do you have at least 6 months of Experience working with in an office?  We want to interview with you!  We have over 100 positions to fill and can help you with your job search!

Call Archie or Angela today!  515-453-9575 

We had 100 people hired in the last couple of weeks.  We were busier then ever and I made some observations during this hiring process.  First of all, the candidates that dressed up and looked the part got hired 90% of the time.  Dressing for success still counts, and wearing the suit or nice outfit can land you the job with a company ready to hire.  The happy and confident candidates got hired.  Interviewing can be stressful and the pressure to find a job can be overwhelming however some people can keep a smile on their face and project a "you will enjoy having me work on your team" attitude.  Ability to work overtime and learn more then one task is important, and those that showed a wiliness to learn and the ability to be trained got hired.    Our company prides itself on helping people get the job.  Our % of hires were very high for this event.  If you are having a hard time getting hired in your job search and are opened for a little constructive intervention maybe we can help.  Remember, recruiting firms want you to get the job, we want as many people out working for us that we can however at the end of the day, it is up to the candidate to do a good job in the interview or on the temp assignment.  We can help, but its up to the candidates to deliver.

If you have office skills including Customer Service, Data Entry, or Loan processing we want to talk to you!  We have over 300 various office jobs to fill in the Financial area and would love to see if we can help you!  Call or email today for your interview!!

Please click the link above to watch the video of Bill Raine making his famous "Cheesecake-on-a-stick"! 

It's that time of year again for Midwest's famous Cheesecake on a Stick.  This year we are serving a raspberry cheesecake on a stick dipped in chocolate sauce then refrozen.  If we missed you the last few cheesecake runs, feel free to call or email your staffing manager from Midwest and we will bring you out a few! 

Midwest Professional Staffing annouces a partnership with Employee Relations Associates out of Rochester NY.  This partnership will allow Midwest to staff for even more great companies in the Des Moines area including one of the leading employers in the City.  If you haven't applied with us before, we would love to talk with you.  If it's been awhile since you've been in, please feel free to give us a call.  We are expecting several opportunities coming in over the next couple of months. 

Hello everyone!  We are seeing a real up-tick in all orders, in particular the office administration, data entry, customer service area.  We have been able to help more people in these last couple of weeks then in the last couple of months.  Come apply and hopefully we could help you find a job opportunity within an office environment.  You have to have good office skills and a clean record.

Volunteer work can look great on your resume and help separate you from other candidates.  Helping out at an animal shelter, serving meals, or serving on a race committee all shows you look at the world with a, "how can I help" set of glasses.  So volunteer this summer, you may not get paid but it may pay off in the long run when its resume time!

The Central Iowa SHRM group is having an ice cream social at the John and Mary Pappajohn education Center May 26th from 5:00 - 6:30!  come and make yourself a free Sunday or two and find out more about SHRM and if it's a good organization for you to join as a Human resource or Administrative professional.  For more inforamtion call 453-9575 and ask for Bill Raine

Are you in a job that you dislike but are to afraid to change because of the economy?  Now might be the time to get off the fence!  After a big year last year with temp placement, we had about 1/3 of our temps hired on.  Now companies are doing their own looking for permanent workers and over the last few weeks, we have experienced an uptick in temp to hire orders.  Start sending those resumes out, and reach out to your favorite recruiters.  There is some hiring coming and you want to be ready for it.

As some of you go after that first real job or have a child going after a summer job, remember any work experience (no matter how small it seems to you) beats out no work experience most of the time.  Babysitting, mowing lawns or volunteer work all helps fill out a resume and job application.  It also helps out when coming up with non relatives as references for an employer to know you are going to be a reliable .  Do all you jobs to the best of your abilities and don't burn bridges early in your career and it will help you start you career out on a solid foundation.

A person should always be able to see you before they smell you.

The first, most obvious offenders are smokers.  That is a smell that invades your car, your clothes and everything around you.  It can be a difficult smell to get rid of.  It is also one of the most offensive smells to non-smokers.

The second is the person who seems to have showered in their perfume/cologne.  Even the best of smells can be nauseating when they are too strong.  If you don't know how much to put on, don't put any on at all.

The third is an often overlooked mistake - smelly lotions.  It is nice that you can smell like any fruit, season or emotion by simply moisturizing your skin, but that aroma can be just as strong as the perfume/cologne shower you just avoided. 

I've never heard anyone complain that someone didnt' smell like anything, but I've heard many complaints of headaches, migraines and more just from someone's smell.  To make your life simple, I suggest avoiding all smells.  If you feel the need to spray something - try Febreeze! :)

If I typed your name in Google, what would I find?  Have you ever tried it?  Employers do.

It is very easy to find a person's FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube page, Blogger, MySpace, etc.  Other sites will show up that you have left comments on, journal entries you may have posted, photos you have tagged yourself in, and much more.  I've even seen dating site profiles show up as a result of Googling a person.

Once you've "cleaned up" your Google image, be sure to double check with a search on Yahoo or Bing.

The hiring process can be an expensive and time consuming process for a company.  For instance, running an ad online and in the newspaper can easily cost a company over $1000.  Add to that time spent sorting thru resumes, holding interviews and doing background checks - it totals up very quickly!

The sooner they find the right person, the sooner their job is done!

When you go into an interview, remember the person interviewing you WANTS you to be the right person.  They WANT to be done with the search.  They WANT to place you in that job!

Research has shown people form first impressions within 7 seconds of meeting a stranger.  It only takes 60 seconds of speaking to that stranger to develop our full impression of them.  Once that impression has been set, it takes 3 times the effort to change the image/assumptions we have for that individual.

What does that mean to you?  Your interview starts the moment the interviewer sees you and it's half done after 60 seconds of talking.  Your skill set and job experiences are very important, but you have to be the person they want to work with first!

How can you ACE your first impression?  

APPEARANCE - Fit the image of the job.  Consider your clothing, hairstyle, make-up, facial piercings, etc.
CONFIDENCE - Know that you are perfect for the job and let it show!
ENERGY - Be a happy, positive candidate so the interviewer can actually enjoy the meeting!

And never underestimate who might be your interviewer - they just may be next to you in the elevator or standing at the front desk as you walk in. :)

When meeting someone for the first time, you are usually faced with the inevitable handshake.  For some people this is not a problem at all, and for others it is terrifying!  Here are 4 basic rules to get you thru the experience.

1.  Shake the other persons hand firmly.  Unless you are Hulk Holgan, you are not at risk of breaking any bones.  The biggest problem with most handshakes is that the hold is too loose and unassured - often referred to as the "Dead Fish Handshake".  Err on the side of holding a little too tight instead of too loose.

2.  Eye contact!  If you are shy, it is easy to look at your hands shaking or the person's shoes, but that is not the confident first impression you want to give.

3. Speak slowly!  If you are meeting someone for the first time, this is when they get to learn your name.  The slower and better you pronouce your name, the better chance they will have of remembering it.

4. Repeat the other person's name (i.e. Nice to meet you, Jane).  This is great for 3 reasons: people love hearing their name, you remember it better once you've said it and most important, you can make sure you are pronouncing it correctly!

***Disclaimer: If you are ill, it is polite to skip the handshake and let the other person know you are saving them from the evil germs that have attacked you :)

What makes up a positive image?  Is it just the way you dress or communicate, or is it the image that a person has of you before they even meet you?  I've been a recruiter for 18 years and it's still amazing to me some of the phone messages I hear.  Anything from music with cuss words to negative language from the person. The negative image is nearly impossible to get away from.  Keep messages simple and professional.  More on email addresses later...

Relay Iowa, the worlds longest running relay, would like to remind any teams forming to relay across Iowa from Sioux City to Dubuque, June 10th thru the 12th, that the rates increase from $100 a person to $125 a person the first of April.  Also the first 20 teams to get signed up will receive a $25 gift card from Casey's to use for gas or snacks.  Get your teams together and check out the website at www.relayia.org 

Have you been thinking about changing jobs?  Nervous about what might be out there?  Now is a great time to get your resume dusted off and updated.  Invest in a word version that is at least in the 2000 and send your resume out to a few select places or a recruiting firm to take a look at.  The Market is starting to turn.  We just had several temps from several places hired and our perm division has been heating up which is the first sign of real recovery.  There will be some great opportunities opening soon and if you have been on the fence through the recession, its time to take some proactive steps so you don't miss out on this first solid round of hiring coming soon!  Remember it doesn't cost you anything to talk to a contingency recruiter like we have at Midwest Professional and at most of the other recruiting firms in the Des Moines area.  Companies pay us a fee to find them outstanding professionals in the Des Moines market that can help their companies stay competitive!

The new Cheesecake of the month is Mint Chocolate just in time for St. Patrick's Day!  Give us a call if you haven't had a cheesecake brought out to your office in a while and we would be glad to bring one over!  Have a great Day!!

As recruiters, we are in the business of setting up interviews on a daily basis.  We often find it interesting to learn what the definition of being on time for an interview is.  Candidates will be 1/2 hr early to fill out the job application to 1/2 late and wonder why it's a problem.  The rule of thumb is you are at the door 5 minutes before the interview.  Never be earlier then 10 minutes in the lobby.  The interviewer has a reason for the time they have given.  Wait in the car if you get to the interview more then 10 minutes early.  Never be late and a no call no show is a burnt bridge that on occasion can come back and bite you.

I was driving in this morning and heard it was Be Humble day!  I was thinking that can be hard to do in an interview.  After all, your suppose to talk about your skills and your accomplishments aren't you?  The answer is yes but you can do so in a complimentary or Humble way.  Whenever talking about a place you enjoyed working or a team you were a part of, you may want to start out with something like," I'm so proud of our team and what we accomplished, we had some great people working on that project.  Now my role on the project was _____________  and I believe it helped the team in ______________.  I would love to work with great, hard working people like that again."  By saying this type of sentence you humble yourself and at the same time show yourself as a valuable member of a team or project.  Have a great Humble Day!

In today's competitive job market how can you stand out?  One way is by staying involved in your chosen profession.  Did you get your degree in accounting 5 years ago and now have to start a job search?  Are you finding the going tough?  Do you have a first interview but not many seconds?  The problem may not be your interview skills it may be your involvement.  Back in the day once you had your degree and got your job you were done.  The idea of furthering your education or joining groups of like minded professionals was very much an after thought.  Now companies are looking for that ongoing involvement in something outside of your work.  Whether it's the Society of Human Resource Professionals if in Human Resources or the American Payroll Association.  The ongoing interest in your chosen profession can make a difference to an employer looking to hire someone that is keeping their skills updated along with the latest trends in their area of expertise. 

"So tell me a little about yourself?"  This is a standard interview question for many managers when first meeting a candidate for a job.  How the candidate answers this question can make or break the rest of the interview process.  Give too much information, the manager may think you're unfocused and to talkative for the job.  Give too little, and the manager may think you will be short with co-workers and won't be a "team player" What's the right answer?  First of all be honest, trying to be someone your not won't flow well and may trip you up.  Second keep it between 30-seconds to 1 minute.  Last but not least stay away from any polarizing issues.  Something like, "I've lived in Des Moines for the last 5 years and love it!  I love the big small town kind of feel it has. 2nd I enjoy volunteering at various events for my church and I think the last thing is I love the Hawkeyes and think there going to have a great team next year. Now, I hope that last one doesn't affect me getting the jobJ" 

Why those answers or those type of answers in that order?  First it is important to start out positive, no matter what happens always answer positive.  From "I hate the cold" to "the traffic is terrible today" You will be out of the interview before it even starts.  Also, most employers are looking for stability, mentioning how long you have been in Des Moines and that you like it here will make the employer think stable.  2nd point is a tricky one because you want to say something about yourself that can also be interrupted as a good, hard worker.   Have you volentered for some event or do something outside of your normal work schedule reflects a hard working person that can organize themselves and gives back to their community.  All good traits to have.  If you do not volunteer say something about a hobby you have but have something unique about youJ  the 3rd is some kind of ice breaker that signals you have a sense of humor and would be good to work with.  A favorite sport team can be fun to mention, a funny contest you may have won (no drinking games), and something kind of fun that is again uniquely you but may be memorable as the interview goes on. 

Long blog but you want to nail this question and practice it in your mind and out loud so it flows easily.  Good Luck!!

While talking to my peers in the recruiting business, a discussion on thank you notes came up.  The majority of my peers find it acceptable to be sent a thank you email.  As a matter of fact, some hiring managers will base a hiring decision on receiving a thank you or not.  A hand written card is still considered the best form of thank you, but not far behind is an email thank you.  So ask for the interviewers business card, go home, get on the computer and type something nice. You may just get the job for your efforts:)

An interview is no time to vent about your old job, your old boss, your old spouse or your old car.  Keeping things positive and upbeat is important in making a positive first impression.  Some candidates may feel a connection with the person interviewing them and open up about their personal life and problems they may be having.  To many interviewers this is a bad sign. If you open up with your problems so quickly in a 20 minute interview, how long will it take for you to talk about your problems to the staff and become a distraction to the team/office which then may impact the production of everyone?  Remember, keep it positive and professional when answering questions in an interview and when making small talk.

Today is officially Compliment Day!  Which got me thinking about how you can increase your chances of getting a job just by being nice!  Many of our clients will ask the receptionist how a candidate acted and if they were nice to them while the candidate was waiting to be interviewed.  If the candidates are rude, they reduce their changes of getting the job.  Be nice and complimentary when your out on your job search!  Happy Compliment Day!!

These days locating where your going before an interview or temp assignment is easier then ever!  Google Maps and Mapquest among just a few ways of looking up a business location and getting directions to get there.  This means companies a less forgiving when a candidate is late for work or an interview by saying they couldn't find the business or got lost.  Do your homework online and increase your chances to get the job!

Bill Raine, operations manager for Midwest Professional Staffing, is also the Race director for Relay Iowa.  A 340 mile Relay Run across Iowa.  Friday June 10th thru Sunday June 12th.  Learn more from this webcast about Relay Iowa and check out the website at www.relayia.org      http://www.livestream.com/desmoineslocallive/video?clipId=pla_fb10d48e-8590-40bf-a07e-7cfb8573d767&utm_source=lslibrary&utm_medium=ui-thumb.

We will be on a Webcast today tlking about a Relay Run across Iowa that We sponsor to help Iowa Family's with Cancer Support.  The Webcast is at noon and is at www.webcastonelive.com  Watch if you like

This is a new cheesecake for us to make.  It follows the same recipe as our other candy bar cheesecakes except we crush a Butterfingers bar on the top along with the Butterfingers bars in the middle.  Our taste testers say it one of the best so call your staffing managers to have you bring one over to your business!