Simply Hired Blog

Reflecting on Your Past Work After Losing a Job

Though job losses are slowing as our economy recovers from the recession, 125,000 employees lost their jobs in June, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Being laid-off or fired is something many of us try not to think about. However, if you find yourself receiving that dreaded pink slip, Simply Hired has some tips on how to reflect on your past work so that you can move forward towards your next professional opportunity.

Take a Break
Losing a job and moving on to another is a major life change. You won’t be around the same people or doing the same work, and at first it may be hard to adjust. Use the time to clear you mind and relax so you can move forward refreshed.

Review Your Past Work
You may not realize it, but chances are you did a lot in your past position and had grown and learned a lot. Put together a list of new skills you’ve learned, new responsibilities you took on and your accomplishments in that position. Reviewing your past work and accomplishments will make updating your resume a much easier process.

Think About What’s Next
Did you love your last job or would you like to move into a different role? With a new job opportunity before you, take the time to consider what you really want in your next position. Think about the size of the company you’d like to work at, the management style you prefer, which industry you find the most appealing, if you’d like to take on more responsibility in your next role, etc. There may be other job opportunities that you are better suited for than the position you most recently held.

Learn a New Skill
With some extra time on your hands, this is the perfect opportunity to learn something new, whether it is in a classroom or online. To start thinking about where you might need additional training, run a job search for jobs just above what you’re qualified for to see if they require any specialized skills or training that you currently lack. These areas would be great to develop if you’re looking to move up in your next position.

There are plenty of resources out there for those who have recently lost their job, such as career development assessments as well as reasonably priced online courses at your local community college. By taking the time to really assess where you’d like to go with your career, you’ll be focused and prepared when you start applying for your next work opportunity!

Applying for Unemployment Insurance Benefits for the First Time

Even though the economy is recovering from the recession, many Americans still face the threat of layoffs at their company. If it happens to you, take comfort in knowing that applying for unemployment benefits is not as complicated as you may think.

Eligibility for unemployment insurance varies by state, so please check with your local unemployment office on how to file a claim and the requirements for receiving benefits. In general, you should plan to have your social security number handy along with a list of your past employers, their addresses and dates of employment. We recommend applying as quickly as possible after you find yourself out of a job as the first unemployment check will take a few weeks to arrive.

To maintain your benefits, most states require you to be able to prove that you are actively looking for a job. This is where Simply Hired comes in. To help prove your active search status, sign-up for Simply Hired’s email alerts and keep track of your process through a job search spreadsheet or track your job views and saved jobs in your MyJobs account. (Be sure to check with your local state agency regarding their requirements.)

Finally, it’s tough to be unemployed but it is important to stay positive. Unemployment is temporary, and by working your networks, picking up new skills and updating your resume, you will find a great job soon.

Good luck!

Introducing South Africa and Argentina!

Today, Simply Hired continues to expand its international presence by introducing new localized sites in both South Africa and Argentina. SimplyHired.com currently indexes more than seven million job listings worldwide, and now has 21 localized sites in six continents. 

Argentinean job seekers will have access to over 25,000 local job listings, and South African job seekers will have access to over 50,000 listings. Both sites will introduce the first personalized job search experience for job seekers in each country, allowing them to leverage their LinkedIn networks to get an inside track on a job. 

Check out the South Africa press release and the Argentina press release to learn more about the new sites.

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¡Presentación en Sudáfrica y Argentina!

Hoy, Simply Hired continúa expandiendo su presencia en el ámbito internacional mediante la presentación de nuevos sitios adaptados a los mercados de Sudáfrica y Argentina. SimplyHired.com actualmente indexa más de siete millones de ofertas de empleos en todo el mundo, y actualmente cuenta con 21 sitios adaptados a mercados en seis continentes. 

Las personas en busca de empleo en la Argentina tendrán acceso a más de 25.000 ofertas de empleos locales, y quienes se encuentren en Sudáfrica podrán acceder a más de 50.000 ofertas. Ambos sitios presentarán la primera experiencia personalizada de búsqueda laboral para quienes busquen empleo en cada país, lo cual les permitirá aprovechar sus redes de LinkedIn para obtener más información sobre un empleo.

Consulte el comunicado de prensa de Sudáfrica y de Argentina para obtener más información sobre los nuevos sitios. 

Simply Hired's Grape Adventure

Last week, Simply Hired headed to the mountains of Saratoga for a mid-year celebration of accomplishment at The Mountain Winery. We've been working extra-hard to create powerful products and tools to simplify the hiring process.

In the last six months, we've:

• Launched socialized search results pages through an expanded integration with LinkedIn
• Integrated with Facebook for the first-ever personalized job search
• Launched localized job search sites for Austria and South Korea
• Been named Best Employment Site in the Webby People's Voice Awards & won Bay Area News Group's Top Workplaces Award

… and that just scratches the surface.

Needless to say, we were in need of a celebration. At noon, we packed up the office and began our grape adventure at the winery which had views of the entire California Bay Area. We started off the afternoon with fruit and cheese appetizers and some wine, progressed to a tasty meal paired with different wines, and ended the day with more wine tasting and a tour of the estate. Did I mention we got to taste a lot of wine?

All in all, we enjoyed a relaxing day with yummy food, good wine and great company to celebrate our success so far this year. Cheers!

Make a Great Impression at Your First Job

It’s a tough economy for recent grads, so congratulations on finding your first job out of college! In the first few weeks, you may feel overwhelmed as you transition into your new position. Simply Hired has put together some tips for making a great first impression at your job.

Know Your Company
You probably know a good deal about your company from preparation for your interviews and speaking with the employees. However, it’s helpful to continue to do your research to immerse yourself fully in your new employer. To do this, follow the company on social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter to receive updates from them. You can also set up an alert (such as with Google Alerts) so you can receive any news about your new employer (or their competitors or industry) directly by email or through a feed to your RSS reader.

Don’t Be Late!
When your first day finally comes, plan to arrive at your new place of work on time or even a little early. Coming in late can send the message that you don’t care about the job or the company, or that they will not be able to count on you.

Dress Appropriately
Gone are the days when you could roll out of bed, pull on some sweatpants and head out the door for class. Although typical workplace attire can range from suit and tie to jeans and a t-shirt, dressing too casually or too revealing can leave others with a bad impression. Look clean and professional for the first few days; by the end of the first week you will see whether or not more casual attire is accepted.

Ask Questions & Take Notes
Despite being a graduate, you can still benefit from all of the Back-to-School sales that are already starting to pop up in stores. Until you know the ins and outs of your new position, ask plenty of questions and bring a notebook with you everywhere to write everything down. This way, you won’t have to ask your manager a question about how something is done more than once, and you won’t forget about any of your assignments.

Take Initiative
Your employer hired you because they believe that you will be an important contributor to their team. So don’t be afraid to speak up in meetings and offer your opinion in a respectful way. Ask what you can do to help the team and volunteer to complete or contribute to projects. Go above and beyond your initial position’s requirements to stand out and take initiative. This is a chance for you to learn and grow as a young professional and shows your manager that you’re not afraid to take on challenging projects.

Starting a new job can be overwhelming and even a little intimidating. But with these tips, you’ll start your new position off right! Good luck!