Signature Source Blog

Is the Great Resignation Just a U.S. Thing?

Great resignation

The pandemic quite literally changed the way people live and work. From “zooming” to hanging with your “quaranteam,” employers learned new ways to work with their employees. Nowadays though, companies are dealing with a new obstacle: the Great Resignation. What exactly is happening with the Great Resignation though, and is it just a U.S. phenomenon?

What is the Great Resignation and Why is it Happening?

According to CNN, the Great Resignation is a high number of people quitting their jobs for numerous reasons. Many employees are realizing that they’re not satisfied with their job after working through the pandemic. They’re quitting in search of higher pay, greater managerial treatment, more flexible schedules, and better benefits.

CNBC noted that 4.35 million workers left this past February and 6.27 million were counted as unemployed. In addition, there are 11.27 million job openings left. This leaves a huge discrepancy, with estimates that there are 1.8 jobs for every one person unemployed. Education and health services had the highest levels of job openings, followed by professional and business services and finally, trade, transportation, and utilities.

Is the Great Resignation Just Happening in the U.S.?

While not as stark as the U.S., employers around the world are also experiencing the effects of the Great Resignation. Quit rates have jumped in countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, and France, and surveys have shown that Germans, Japanese, and Singaporeans are thinking about leaving their jobs in the next few months. Similarly, LinkedIn data this past January showed that people in Spain, the Netherlands, and Italy were looking to switch industries.

Some would argue that other countries handled the pandemic better (testing out more flexible work days and higher pay), but many of the same issues that U.S. employees are feeling are taking hold across the world too. A lot of employees cited burnout, a lower salary, and wanting to find a company that aligns more with their values as reasons for wanting to leave. Tony Wilson, director of the Institute for Employment Studies, thinks that the Great Resignation won’t hit other countries as hard, but it’s still something that is on the minds of employees around the globe and offers potential opportunities for career happiness. As Patrecia Ming Buckley, a Sydney-based employee, said:

“I don’t think people woke up one day and were super unhappy with their jobs. I think it’s been building for years and years and years.”

Despite what the Great Resignation might mean for employers, there are still job seekers out there who are looking for their perfect job. As a globalized talent acquisition firm, Signature Source vets best employees for your company. Start by contacting us on our website or by calling 1-888-613-4179.

The Secret to Getting a Top Job Interview

Secret to getting top job interviews

You’ve done the research on the company, dressed the part, and now it’s finally happening! You’ve snagged an interview! It doesn’t matter if it’s your first of several interviews or you’ve made it to the final round. Here are some things to keep in mind so you don’t ruin your chances at getting the gig. Below are tips from job coach Adunola Adeshola.

Don’t Be Afraid to Brag A Little

While no one likes someone who thinks too highly of themselves, don’t be too modest. Adeshola says that it’s OK to highlight some of your best accomplishments and to avoid negative language. The interviewer wants to talk to you because they think you could be right for the job, so don’t downplay what you’ve done as a humility tactic. She said:

“Instead of disqualifying yourself, go straight into the experience and skills you do have. Either show how your experience has prepared you to be an asset or show how your background has equipped you for this new challenge. Identify your specific results and the impact you delivered and then highlight that in your interviews with confidence.”

Oftentimes potential hires don’t want to talk about their skills in case they get hired. Other times they want to show they’re a team player by saying “we” instead of “I.” Adeshola said that doing this diminishes your role and gives the impression that you’re taking credit for someone else’s work.

Be Aware When You’re Using Filler Words or “Rambling”

When you’re constantly saying “uhmm” and “ahh,” you give off the impression that you lack self-confidence and that you didn’t prepare well for the interview. Perhaps you’re trying to avoid answering a specific question, or you want to appear neutral in your answer, or you’re trying to frantically kill time as you think of an answer. Adeshola suggests:

“To prevent dancing around a question and rambling, get clear on what you bring to the table before the interview and decide on the skills and stories you want to use to back up what you can do. If you are asked a question that catches you off guard, request clarification and lean into the value and skills you know qualify you for the role.”

She suggests researching the company and making sure that you understand what their mission is. Companies want to hire people who have the same passion that they do. When you appear confused as to what the company does, it reflects negatively on you. Adeshola also advises practicing answering some of the most common interview questions or brainstorming potential questions that could come up. This will help you feel more confident and relaxed.

Interviewing for jobs is always a nerve-wracking process, but Signature Source can help. We have the resources and tips on how to ace a job interview. Plus we help connect qualified candidates with employers. Learn more by contacting us here.

5 Soft Skills Employees Need To Succeed In Hybrid Workplaces

Five Soft Skills Employees Need For Hybrid Workplaces

It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people work. While some companies have changed their workforce to permanent remote work, others have taken on a hybrid model. According to a survey of 1000 global business leaders from Ernst & Young, about 90% of employees “desire greater flexibility in where and how they work.” However, with hybrid work comes a new skillset to thrive in a workplace that straddles the home and the corporate office. New research from FlexJobs and PAIRIN identified the five most important “soft skills,” or interpersonal skills, that focus on communication, leadership and teamwork. Brie Reynolds, the career development manager and a career coach at FlexJobs, shared some insight to go along with each of these skills:

Supportiveness

Supportiveness means the drive to assist, protect and provide for others in emotional or physical need. This is especially important in a hybrid work environment because you’re likely to be working with people in a physical capacity and a virtual capacity, and showing that you’re willing to help out shows you’re kind and proative. “Check your schedule each morning and if you have a light day, reach out to the colleagues you work closest with and offer to help them out. Message them and say, ‘Hey, I have some extra space in my schedule, can I take something off of your plate?’ says Reynolds.

Assertiveness

Assertiveness means you express and interact with boldness, enthusiasm and confidence. Whether it’s an in-person meeting or a virtual meeting, being assertive shows that you’re interested and listening to what is being said. Reynolds says, “If a manager is seeking ideas or feedback during a meeting, raise your hand, offer your opinion or vocalize support/add to a co-worker’s idea. Even when you don’t have something new to contribute, you can say, ‘I really like this person’s idea, it makes the most sense to me.’”

Compliance

Compliance means to maintain self-discipline and conform to another’s plan, rules, will or direction. This doesn’t mean to let others take advantage of you though. Rather, being skilled in compliance means that you can show your supervisor that you’re aware and responsible when it comes to the job’s expectations. “Write out a to-list or develop a method for keeping track of the work you need to accomplish each day. But also show your manager or tell them how you’re organizing yourself so they can see that you’ve got self-discipline and can be responsible for meeting the job’s expectations without constant supervision,” explains Reynolds.

Conflict Management

Conflict management means the ability to effectively negotiate and resolve disagreements. Similar to being supportive, conflict management is a very important skill because a hybrid work model doesn’t make it easy to spot conflict. You can read body language much easier in person as opposed to over a video chat right? Reynolds says to “[a]ssume mistake over malice when something goes wrong. We can’t see physical cues that a co-worker is struggling over the computer like we might at the office, so it’s better to problem solve, and offer solutions, versus name calling and creating an unnecessary conflict.”

Relationship Management

Relationship management means the drive to draw close and remain loyal to another person or people — to truly connect and enjoyably engage with them. Many employees have learned that it can be hard to maintain relationships virtually, even though you could literally access the person at any time in any location. You need to be more mindful of actually reaching out and cultivating connections. Reynolds suggests, “Start a meeting with some small talk, like, ‘How was your weekend?’ or ‘What are you looking forward to this week?’ You should also plan 20 minute coffee chats with co-workers to learn more about them as a human outside of work and what their interests are to build a connection.”

Do you have more questions about incorporating these soft skills into your workplace? Check out our website and contact us with any questions.

Does Job Hopping Hurt Your Career?

There are some red flags for employers when looking at resumes. First the obvious; seeing someone was fired or finding someone lied about their job history. Then there is calling a reference and hearing negative things about the potential employee. However, there’s one thing potential hires may not realize is hurting their chances beyond the aforementioned. That critical item is hopping around from job to job.

How Does Job Hopping Hurt Your Employment Chances?

Job hopping doesn’t immediately mean you’ll be disregarded. It will ring some alarm bells for some hiring managers. Kevin O’Leary, a judge on CNBC’s Money Court and O’Shares ETFs chairman, said, “Companies don’t like it because they invest in you. If you’re going to leave them after a few months, that’s a total waste of money for them.” O’Leary cites that many companies have to spend money to train you and buy equipment or other necessary items for work. If someone is going to end up leaving after less than a year, there’s no point in spending money on them.

This lines up with a 2018 survey by job site TalentWorks, which looked at a sample of 7,000 job applications in different U.S. industries and found that employees who held their previous job for less than 15 months were 43% less likely to be hired when applying for new jobs. This is because most hiring managers aren’t likely to give the applicant the benefit of the doubt or think “deeply” about each applicant. Even more worrying? The survey also found that having a short stint at your previous job was equivalent to wiping out about five years of experience from your resume.

How Long SHOULD You Be Staying At A Job?

According to the Harvard Business Review, it’s become very common to jump between jobs more often. As a result, employers are less likely to hold it against you. There are some guidelines to still keep in mind. As O’Leary still recommends that employees invest at least two years to a job.

“Have a mental commitment, whether you like [the job] or you don’t, to stay there for at least two years,” he said. “If you’re asking to become part of a team as an employee and represent that company, you’ve got to have a minimum of a 24-month commitment.”

Suzy Welch, the bestselling management author, said that there’s an exception though. If you’ve been at previous jobs for a longer period (e.g. you were at a company for five years), then there’s some forgiveness with hiring managers if you have some stints that are only six or eight months long.

Do you have a lot of job-hopping on your resume? Signature Source can help you turn your various jobs into a positive! We help people write resumes that will help them stand out as a potential hire. If you want to learn more, check out our website here.

How To Answer The Interview Question “Tell Me About Yourself”

executive job interview questions

The job interview process is by far one of the most nerve wracking parts of the job search. You aced the resume and found your dream job. Now you just have to get through the interview! No matter how much you prepare, job seekers tend to get stuck on one particular question: tell me about yourself. While it’s an innocuous question, it tends to trip people up, which is why Signature Source is here to give you some tips on how to answer this question.

What Hiring Managers Really Want To Learn From This Interview Question

The reason the question “tell me about yourself” seems so difficult is that it’s very broad. It’s hard to decide what should be highlighted and what you should be talking about? Do you need to mention the hobbies that you do in your free time? Is it important for them to know about that time you built a castle out of cardboard, which in turn kicked off your interest in architecture? Ultimately, the question is used to get a better sense of you in a professional setting. Career coach Phoebe Gavin says, “[T]hey’re trying to understand what your professional narrative is. How did you get to this point, and why does it make sense for you to be here talking to me about this job?”

How To Answer The Question “Tell Me About Yourself”

Talking about your professional narrative is easier said than done. Below are three tips to help you come up with an answer that will blow the hiring manager away:

Come up with a theme. A theme can help you stay on track and give you an outline to follow when answering the question. This theme can be a passion, a skill, a mission, that you’ve portrayed throughout your job history. For example, maybe your theme is “creating a sense of community” and you can talk about activities your third grade class did that encouraged teamwork and the work you did as an event organizer. Once you’re confident in your theme, use that to frame your work experience.

Follow this formula. Gavin says she often suggests clients use the following formula when answering “tell me about yourself”:

Introduction: take 2-3 sentences to summarize your career thus far
Resume highlights: pick a few experiences from your resume that strongly support your interest in the job you’re interviewing for. Take a few minutes to explain how these experiences have prepared you for the position
Conclusion: to conclude, take 2-3 sentences to summarize why the job, company, and/or team is of interest to you

Add some personal touches. While you don’t want to go off on a tangent about your porcelain teapot collection, adding some personal stories can actually make you stand out to a hiring manager or even point out specific skills. For example, Gavin often mentions that she comes from an impoverished background. This gives some context as to her work history and also weeds out employers who act turned off that she comes from an impoverished background. Gavin also notes that some hobbies can highlight skills, such as how being a marathon runner has helped someone break down bigger goals into smaller, achievable steps.

We hope you found this post helpful. If you have any questions about answering the interview question “tell me about yourself” or just job hunting in general, feel free to contact us.