Staffing and Recruiting Blog Houston

Things To Consider Before Making a Career Change

2/1/2021

Sometimes in our careers, we can feel like a significant change is needed. Whether it’s to light a spark, to have a change of scenery, or it could even be that you’ve gone as far as you feel you can on your current career path.

Whatever the reason that you might be in the process of considering a career change, it’s vital to be sure you’ve taken the time to figure out why. Understanding why you want to undergo a career change can be incredibly important to the entire journey before you even begin. As a Houston staffing agency, we are frequently a big part of many people’s career change. Sometimes it’s because we are helping them find a new position. In other cases, they want to experience several different careers and jobs to find out what fits best.

Before you commit to the journey, we feel that there are a few things you should ask yourself and take into consideration before making a career change. Especially before you reach out and connect with Houston recruiters, be sure you can articulate the intricacies and feelings around why it’s time for a career change. This is more true for people who have been rising the ranks within a career path for many years than it would be for those who’ve just started on their journey.

Either way, here are some things that we feel that you should have honest answers to as a Houston staffing agency.

1. Why switch careers?

Why is one of the most critical questions to anything we do in life, isn’t it? In your case, you may be feeling drawn to what it would be like to change careers. Or you may even just be fed up with circumstances within your current employer. Either way, take the time to identify why you want to make your career change now.

What is motivating the urge or need? Is it a passion for something that you’ve always wanted to pursue but never had the courage till now? Are you bored? Frustrated? Undervalued? Or do you feel like it’s the right time?

Whenever you get to your “why,” be sure to take a moment and ask yourself if you may still end up in the same place in the new career.

2. Is it financially possible?

Changing careers can be a costly feat. You never really know how long it will be until you find a new job you love within the career path you’re choosing to transition to. It could take months, even with Houston recruiters like our team here at Clayton Services assisting with your transition.

And in many cases, when switching careers, you don’t have a lot of experience within that particular industry or field. This means that you will often need to start with an entry-level position that doesn’t match the financial stability you have at your current job.

3. Is it time to invest in yourself?

This is a question that only you can answer. No one else can do that for you, which is why you must understand your “why” intimately. You may feel like you want to go back to school, and there are inherent costs to consider. Every choice you’re making as you transition into a new career is an opportunity for you to invest in yourself. If you ever second guess yourself or an option at any point along that path, then it might be time to stop and take a step back. Our guts can be incredible tools to understand if we want something or if a big decision is the right one.

4. Do you have an opportunity waiting in the new industry?

You may have been a teacher for years, every day standing up in front of the class teaching English. Until one day, you finally listen to the urge to explore getting that novel published that’s been tucked away for years. In this case, leaving may not be a sound choice unless you’ve already lined up a publisher, then fly away to your new career!

The rest of us need to understand what career growth and opportunities are within the new career path and the industry you want to explore. If opportunity and growth aren’t there, it may not be the right time to seek a new career.

If you’re considering changing careers, be sure that you have the answers to these questions. For guidance in the best ways to seek out a new career path enlisting a Houston staffing agency service can be a truly invaluable resource to have. Call Clayton Services today to find out how we can help you as you make the transition into a new career.

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The Best Questions To Ask An Employer In An Interview

1/25/2021

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When it comes to a job interview, it is in your best interest to be fully prepared. You know that the person conducting the interview will have a full list of questions for you about your resume, your experience, and how you approach your job.

As the leading staffing agency in Houston, we believe it's vital for every person that steps into an interview to be as prepared as they possibly can. This is why we think you must have a list of questions about the position you're interviewing for, as well as the company itself. These questions will give you a clear picture of your responsibilities each day, the company's philosophy itself, and more.

You must have as much information as possible before deciding which employment offer you're going to take. The last thing you would want to have happen is to take a job with a company whose approach and philosophy don't align with yours.

Today, we wanted to share what we feel as the top Houston staffing agency are some of the best questions to ask an employer in an interview.

1. What are the day-to-day responsibilities of the job?

Take this moment to learn as much as you can about exactly what will be expected of you on the job. The last thing you want to do is take a job, then discover the daily tasks involved aren't what you were looking for. Taking the time to learn what the job fully entails means you will understand the skill sets and strengths needed to complete the job.

2. Will the responsibilities of this job change in the next six months to a year?

A question like this one will give you an in-depth look at what their vision is for the position you're interviewing for actually is. You'll know instantly if there is an opportunity for growth within this particular position at the company.

3. What are some of the projects that would need to be addressed by the person you hire?

This question will allow you to discover if the company you're interviewing with is a well-oiled machine or not. Not knowing what kind of situation you would be jumping into on your first day is just bad information gathering. Know what you're coming into so that you see the scope of why they're hiring for this position in the first place.

4. Can you describe the culture of the company?

Find out if the company's approach to their employees, the growth of the brand or business, and more align with the way you work. If you're not comfortable with the company's culture and dynamics, it's not worth taking the position, even if it is offered.

5. Where is the company headed?

This is one of the most important questions as a staffing agency in Houston we recommend an applicant ask of every potential employer. You want to ensure that any job you take on with a company is within an organization that is growing and will continue to do so.

6. Who is your top competitor?

You've already done your research, so you have a firm idea of the answer to this question before you step into the interview. But it's crucial to ask them who they think their top competitor is. And ask them why they feel they are a competitor. This will help give you an insight into the way they approach their competitors and their own company.

7. What does the career growth look like for someone in this position?

Asking this question will give you critical information as to whether or not the company prefers to promote from within or not. They will also outline how career and position advancement works within their organization. You'll also be showing them an interest in growing within their company.

8. What are the expectations you have for someone in this role within the first 30 to 60 days?

This question is just smart. It will lay out for you what they're expecting, as well as allow for you to decipher if their expectations are realistic or not. If they expect whoever fills the position to take on more than they can swallow and bring results, you'll have a clear idea of what you're in for.

These are some of our top questions to ask in every interview you do. As with any job, the more information you have before you accept an offer, the better prepared you will be. As the leading staffing agency in Houston, we're always here to help at Clayton Services.

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Business Casual or Business Professional? We Break It Down for You

1/14/2021

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Perhaps you have been working with excellent staffing agencies in Houston like Clayton Services and are interviewing for the employment opportunity of your dreams or maybe your Houston recruiters have helped you land a job! No matter what your situation is, there will be several things that you will need to do to ensure that you are prepared and ready to go. One of the most important of these will be choosing appropriate work attire.

When staffing agencies in Houston match you with an interview or position, they will most likely give you advice on what the expected dress code will be. Typically, those will fall under the category of business casual or business professional. Now, you may be thinking that these sound the same, but they are not. Today we are going to help you understand the distinction between these two fashion categories so that you do not have an awkward moment of showing up underdressed or overdressed.

Let’s take a moment to break this down a bit further:

Women's Business Professional

Although it may feel daunting if you are not typically a “dressy” person, we can make business professional simple. In general terms, if you are asked to dress in this manner, you will want to choose matching pants or skirt suit in dark colors. Any patterns should be subtle, and the blazer sleeves should be long. In addition, you will want to wear a formal blouse underneath and be modest. You can finish this look with a low, closed-toe heel. Tasteful and simple gold or silver jewelry always pairs well with this look.

Women's Business Casual

Staffing agencies in Houston and their best Houston recruiters will tell you that women’s business casual attire provides more options than the more strict category of business professional wear. Conservative shirts and blouses, along with regular or cardigan sweaters are appropriate within this category. When it comes to pants and skirts, twill and cotton options are great choices. These items should be properly fitted without being tight and skirts should be fingertip length or longer. Dressy boots and low heels that are closed or peep-toed are good footwear choices. If you decide to wear jewelry, it should coordinate with your outfit and not be distracting.

Men's Business Professional

There are few things that make for a sharp dressed man better than a well-tailored suit. If your employment situation calls for business professional wear, it is time to break out such a suit and be ready to impress. A proper business professional suit should be correctly fitted and in a darker hue, such as black, navy, or charcoal. They should be paired with a solid, button-down, long-sleeved dress shirt and conservative tie. Tie patterns should be kept subtle and coordinating to the suit and shirt. Understated matching dress socks in a dark color should be worn with black or brown dress shoes. A gold or silver watch and tie clip can finish off this look well.

Men's Business Casual

A work environment with a business casual dress code will open up your fashion choices, and allow you to select a wardrobe that has more variety. You will be properly dressed in this situation by choosing khaki or dark pants with a brown or black leather belt. Long-sleeved dress shirts in cotton, or in some cases even collared polo shirts are a suitable choice. No matter what shirt selection you choose, they should be tucked in. If you go with a dress shirt, a coordinating tie, sweater, vest, or sport coat can make an excellent pairing. Finish off your ensemble with matching dress socks and brown or black dress shoes, and you will be ready to go.

In the end, much of what you are going to be wearing will be dependent on the specific situation you will be going into, but you will also want to consider the following, regardless of the outfit, you will want to have styled hair and clean manicured nails. Also, you should smell fresh, but not overdo it on colognes and perfumes. Finally, make sure that your teeth are freshly brushed and free of food particles.

When you keep all of these things in mind, staffing agencies in Houston, like Clayton Services, agree that you will be dressed for success! We look forward to working with you to match you with the perfect employer who will help you reach the career goals you have set.

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