How to Avoid the Summer Job Search Meltdown

It's very easy to get distracted by the sun, hot weather and seemly endless summer events. Smart job seekers know that finding employment is a full-time job, and while you can give yourself a "mini-vacation" for a day or two, you need to remain dedicated. Here are a few tips to keep your search strong in the summer months:


Network, network, network: You don't have to be at an organized networking event to meet new people. Take advantage of the different festivals and events around town to expand your contacts and volunteer to beef up your resume. You never know who you could meet that can help your job hunt in the future.

Use job board alerts: Most online jobs boards allow you to use an RSS feed or another method of notifying you when new positions are posted. Take advantage of this tool to give you a leg up on other job seekers who might not be searching daily.

Practice makes perfect: You can never have too much practice when it comes to interviews. Have a friend prepare a few questions and do a mock interview. Don't review the questions ahead of time and answer as if you were in an actual interview. This will help ease your nerves the next time you interview with a hiring manager.

Keep a job hunt journal: Keep a written list of positions you've applied for that you can monitor, following up on open positions and updating your list when positions have been filled. You can also use this list to target companies that are in similar industries and would have similar positions.

Be proactive: If you find a company that you admire but they are not hiring, send them your resume and a cover letter detailing what attracted you to the company. Ask that they keep your information on file for the next open position they have. Connect with the hiring manager on LinkedIn and keep tabs on any company news.

61 percent of Wisconsin and Illinois workers do not expect raise in 2010

QPS Employment Group surveyed more than 300 companies including manufacturers, banks, printers, distributors and information technology firms throughout Wisconsin and Illinois as part of its quarterly employment forecasting survey.
The survey found that 61% of respondents are not expecting a salary increase in 2010. 39% said they do expect a raise. Of those 39% the average salary increase expected is 2.76%

Are you expecting a raise this year? If so, how much do you think it will be?

Worst Office Phrases: It's time to retire some of these sayings

CNN had an article today about the 10 Worst Phrases to Use at the Office.

So let me pick your brain: what is your least favorite office catch-phrase?

Unemployment decreases in November, Temp services on the rise

New unemployment figures have been released from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. According to the report, unemployment dropped from 10.2% in October to 10% in November.

Employment in professional and business services rose by 86,000 in November. The report says that "temporary help services accounted for the majority of the increase, adding 52,000 jobs. Since July, temporary help services employment has risen by 117,000."

To learn more about QPS and the staffing industry, visit http://www.qpsemploymentgroup.com/