Here at ComputerPeople, we are proud to be citizens of the United States of America.
Our office will be closed today as we celebrate our wonderful country and spend time with our friends and families. We will reopen on Thursday, July 5th.
We hope that our customers, clients, friends, family, and fellow citizens have a safe and happy 4th of July. If you don’t have plans for the day yet, check out this link to see some of the public events in the Buffalo area! Happy 4th everyone!
We all have hobbies. Some are fun, some are relaxing, and some are just habit. Our brains are designed to develop new connections and pathways during stimulating activities and these connections can actually increase our intelligence. Here are five hobbies that are great catalysts for doing just that.
What hobbies do think make you smarter? Send us your comments!
Written by Kaitlyn Gahagen
If you have been to our main ComputerPeople office, you probably know Marilyn. She has been a part of our team for four years and she is always willing to help out wherever she is needed. Currently, Marilyn is our main receptionist, but she also serves as an accounting assistant, data entry extraordinaire, and provides assistance with HR filings and marketing/sales assistance. Marilyn is also a force to be reckoned with on the golf course – she plays multiple times every week! We sat down with Marilyn to find out a little bit more about her and her view of ComputerPeople, and here is what she had to say.
What sets ComputerPeople apart in the recruiting/business world?
What sets us apart is how important it is to us that we find the right candidate for a job. We spend a lot of time searching and following up with candidates to ensure a perfect fit. Also, everyone on our staff takes pride in their work and goes beyond the call of duty. The goal is always to do a great job instead of doing “a job” that is expected.
What is your favorite office tradition at ComputerPeople?
It would have to be Christmas and birthdays. Around Christmas time, we gather as an office for a meal, gift exchange, and to spend time together. It is always a lot of fun! For Birthdays, we celebrate by bringing in a cake/dessert and taking time out of our work day to spend time together.
What is something most people probably do not know about ComputerPeople?
I don’t think people realize how much time and effort is put into finding the correct candidate and following up to make sure everyone is on the same page.
What is something most people probably don’t know about you?
I volunteer at Millard Suburban Hospital in the Pre Administrative office and love it!!!
Thanks for all you do, Marilyn! You are an amazing addition to the ComputerPeople team!
Written by Kaitlyn Gahagen
Most full time employees work around 40 hours a week. For some, this time goes by quickly and it doesn’t feel like work at all. However, a recent Forbes Article divulged that about 70% of Americans are to some degree unhappy during the 40 hours a week that they spend at the workplace. Are you one of them? While the obvious answer may be to find another job, we believe that there are a few things that you can do to really improve your happiness at the workplace.
GET ENGAGED. Studies have shown that employees who jump into the work environment, interact with those around them, and really get to know their products are much happier at work. Go to work functions after hours, participate, and get to know the people in the break room.
STAY ACTIVE. Although it may be sometimes necessary to stay at your desk most of the day, employees who keep physically active are overall much happier than those that do not. Go for short walks, stretch, and maybe even get some exercise during your lunch break if you have the opportunity.
BE COMFORTABLE. Talk to your employers about maintaining a comfortable thermostat (between 65 and 70 degrees), reducing noise, and utilizing adjustable chairs and desks. If you are uncomfortable, you are not going to be able to set yourself up for happiness at work.
In short, if you are really unhappy with the work that you do or the company that employees you, you may need to start looking for other options. But, there are a lot of unconscious factors that could lead to increased job satisfaction that you may not even realize. If the opportunity is there, you should always get engaged in office activities, move around, and maintain a comfortable workspace.
Written by Kaitlyn Gahagen
There are a few things that really set us apart from others. Our longevity in the market, the tenure of our in-house employees, and the relationships that we have built through 50 years of doing business in the Buffalo community definitely set us apart from the crowd. However, I am most proud of the fact that we make it our business to understand our customers culture. We do this in order to do a better job of determining the best candidates for a company to create the perfect employer-employee match for every job order.
I play the piano and I love flower gardening!
Cindy, we all appreciate everything you do to make ComputerPeople such an amazing place to be!
Written by Kaitlyn Gahagen
Resume templates are amazing tools. They allow candidates to create stunning resumes in a short amount of time. They are usually easy to read, cover all the details, and look very professional. However, if you use a template resume, there are a couple of mistakes that are easy to make. Read on to find out some of the most commonly made mistakes when using a template resume and how to avoid them.
Not filling in all of the sections. This seems so simple, but you would be surprised how often we see things like [company name here], [more detail about your role here], and [add your reference here]. Recruiters and hiring managers usually take about 30 seconds or less to review a resume, but that is an extremely noticeable mistake that will ALWAYS be caught. Employers want to know that you have attention to detail, and this is a quick way to get yourself dismissed from the candidate search. You can avoid this my reading over every word of your resume out loud before you submit. When you read out loud, your brain cannot skip over things and you will catch the mistake. We also recommend having one of our recruiters or a trusted friend read over your resume before you submit it.
Not listing all of your experience. Just because your resume template only has three sections of prior experience does not mean you should only list three sections of prior experience. It is definitely okay to break the mold of the resume template if you have extra sections to add. Also, don’t forget to add things like relevant skills or experience if that information would be applicable to the job. You can avoid this by brainstorming all of your experience and skills into an unformatted “master resume.” When you apply to a new job, make sure to highlight the most relevant things from your “master resume,” and do not include the things that are not relevant. You never want to lie or exaggerate on your resume, but it is definitely a great idea to tailor your resume to the job.
Not fixing your spacing. You should do everything you can to try and keep your resume down to one page, especially if you do not have a lot of experience. If you absolutely have to go on to two or three pages then that is okay, but do everything you can with spacing and margins to reduce the amount of pages in your resume before you submit. Your first priority should be that your resume is easily readable, but you also want to keep it as short as possible while still including details about your skillset and experiences.
Is your resume based on a template? Comment back with the mistakes that you caught or lessons that you learned!
Written by Kaitlyn Gahagen
It’s Monday and I think we all need a little humor to get us through the week.
Here are some terrible and corny IT memes that we complied from the internet. We hope that you can relate to at least a few!
2. Via FunnyAnd
3. Via FunnyVid
4. Via Call Center Memes
5. Via JokeAZ
Do you have some awful IT memes that are so bad they are good? Share them in the comment section below! And then check out our open Buffalo IT jobs here!
Written by Kaitlyn Gahagen
Bill Bilson has been a recruiter at ComputerPeople for two and a half years. We love having Bill in the office because he is an amazing listener, he always has fresh ideas, and he is pretty darn good at his job. Additionally, the name Bill Bilson is extremely fun to say. Bill is also known in the office for taking some of the coolest vacations ever, and it is safe to say we would all let him plan our next trip [proof is in the above photo]. We asked Bill some questions about being a recruiter, and here is what he has to say!
How do you find candidates for a new job order?
I’d say the most common methods are searching through our database, searching LinkedIn, and contacting candidates who apply through our website/job boards. I also utilize both referrals and people I’ve met at networking events to fill positions.
What is the most important quality that a candidate can have to make them standout from the rest?
Tough question, as it really depends on the position/company. For me, I think it comes down to personality. If multiple candidates possess comparable skills and are interviewing for the same job, the person whose personality best fits the environment is going to land the job. Remember to always be yourself when applying for a new job.
What advice do you have for someone that is just starting his or her job search?
Try not to get discouraged because finding a new job isn’t easy. If you’ve been applying to numerous jobs online that you feel you’re qualified for, but you aren’t getting much response, review your resume and consider making some edits. Applicant Tracking Systems are told to look for “buzz” words, so comparing your resume against the job description can be extremely helpful in getting a reply. In addition, and I might be a bit biased on this, I’d recommend getting in touch with a recruiter.
What inspires you to be the best recruiter you can be?
Knowing that my job is ultimately helping others. Whether it’s our clients who have a hard-to-fill position or a candidate looking for that perfect next step, it is extremely satisfying when the stars align and a perfect match is formed.
What is something that most people probably do not know about ComputerPeople or CP Staffing?
CP Staffing is a small company, but we have three divisions and two offices. In Buffalo, we have ComputerPeople (IT focused recruiters), FinancialPeople (finance and accounting focused recruiters), and Medicalpeople (Medical focused recruiters). In Pittsburgh, we have another FinancialPeople office.
Anything else we should know about you?
I am a guitarist and a drummer; in my younger years I was pretty active in the Buffalo music scene and a couple of our songs were featured on 103.3 the EDGE.
Thanks for being you, Bill. ComputerPeople is lucky to have you!
If you have any questions for Bill or you want to work with him as your recruiter, contact him at bbilson@cpstaffing.com
Written by Kaitlyn Gahagen
Do you have an interview coming up? We compiled some of the simplest things to remember when going in for an interview and divided them into lists of DOs and DON’Ts. Oh, and DON’T forget that our wonderful recruiters DO provide interview coaching if you need some extra help!
Do:
Do show professional body language. Do not slump or look too comfortable. Your body language will help the interviewer determine what kind of person you are within the first few minutes of the interview. Sit up and radiate confidence, professionalism, and fortitude.
Do focus your eye contact. Engage yourself in the conversation. Do not drift off away from the interviewer or look around the room. It is okay to occasionally look at any notes you may have, but be ready to maintain solid eye contact throughout the interview.
Do be prepared to concisely explain your job moves. That is going to be a question 100% of the time. You have to be able to articulately provide good reasons for moving around and this is something that often takes practice. Avoid “um” and “uh” by knowing what you are going to say ahead of time!
Do arrive on time. Not too early (desperate), definitely not late (irresponsible). Generally, walking in the door about 10-15 minutes ahead of time is appropriate.
Do bring a portfolio with paper, pen, the job description, your resume and references. This will show the interviewer that you are prepared and serious about the job opportunity.
Don’t:
Don’t touch your cell phone. Turn it off. Leave it in the car. Do not even give yourself the opportunity to look at it during an interview. If it goes off for some reason, discreetly turn off the ring without checking to see who is calling. You do not want to distract the interviewer away from your skills and accomplishments by allowing a cell phone to intervene.
Don’t trash your former company. This looks very bad on you, even if your former company was ridiculous. You do not have to lie or become your former company’s biggest fan, but always be respectful and gracious about your time with former employers.
Don’t behave anxiously. This includes moving around frequently, tapping your pen or foot, or any unusual movement or behavior. This distracts from your professionalism and credibility.
Don’t dwell on past accomplishments to the point of sounding conceited. You want to be confident and share your strengths, but you do not want to turn your interviewer off by making everything all about how wonderful you are. Besides, there will likely be plenty of interview questions that provide you with the opportunity to directly speak to what value you can provide.
We hope this helps you during your next interview! Comment below on the most important DOs and DON’Ts that you have learned (possibly the hard way) from experiencing interviews.
Written by Kaitlyn Gahagen
ComputerPeople Staffing Blog 