Career Advice

Not ready for a full-time gig and tired of hunting for temp jobs on your own? A “temporary employment agency” might be the place to turn. They’re a type of recruiting firm for people just like you. If you qualify, they’ll send you out on short-term assignments to their list of employers who need help. In some cases it could evolve into a permanent role. Though a temp agency operates somewhat differently than regular recruiters, you approach (and impress) them in similar ways. Know what to expect so you can nail it first time out.

The Recruiter Roundtable is a recurring feature that collects career and job-seeking advice from a group of recruiting experts. The question we put before our panel this month is: What buzzwords or phrases do you feel have lost meaning because they are all too commonly used by job seekers in resumes or interviews?

A professional resume is a key to your job search—this, you know. It must highlight your skills, experience, work history, and notable accomplishments so that hiring managers can determine whether or not you’re qualified for a job.

Oh no. You’ve been fielding interview questions from a hiring manager, and you suddenly realize you flubbed an answer. The interviewer knows that everyone is human—so you can move on and pretend you didn’t just accidentally bomb on one of the most common interview questions, right?

Creativity and innovation are the cornerstones of many successful companies. Think about Apple, Etsy, Spotify, Peloton, Pinterest—they all brought something new and different to the table. Creative thinking results in some pretty awesome stuff. For some people, creativity is innate, while others must work harder to tap into their creative sides—but that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible. With the right tools, environment, and encouragement, you can flex your creativity muscles every day—and help your employees do so, too.

You crushed it in university, but now you’re struggling on the job front. This is how you get unstuck.

Resumes will undoubtedly vary depending on whether you’re a recent graduate, changing careers, or looking to move up in leadership. But no matter what your level of experience is—or what industry you’re in—experts say the following are the core parts of a resume.

In the office, it pays off to think outside the box. The best ideas — the ones that are surprising, yet perfect — come from the fringe. They’re not predictable or anticipated, and they certainly don’t follow any rules. Let’s face it; no-one ever got ahead by solely doing what’s expected of them. Originality and creativity come from taking risks. The same goes sartorially. This fall, don’t fade into the sea of navy suits and pencil skirts. Anyone can follow an arbitrary dress code, but it takes a leader to write her own styles rules.

Congratulations! You strolled across the stage and picked up your well-earned diploma. Now it’s time to figure out what to do after college. One obvious option is to go after what you spent four long years working toward your first job. Your job search will no doubt have its ups and downs (and ups, downs, and ups again). To help you navigate the job hunt and, ultimately, land your first job, you’ll need some direction. Get started by asking yourself these questions: