• Make Search Algorithms Your Best Friend- More than 22 million Americans have lost their jobs in the last month. Unemployment rates are the highest that they’ve been in decades and the volume of incoming claims is overwhelming state unemployment agencies causing major delays in payments. Tell you something you don’t know, right? This means employers are being flooded with talent and are relying on technology more than ever to help them pin point their next hire. Your resume absolutely has to have the critical keywords that are relevant to the role you are seeking. Important keywords to consider are: any licenses or credentials you have, software programs you are fluent in, machinery or equipment that you have experience in and details of your typical responsibilities. Think of your resume as precious real estate and make the most use of the space. You can impart your soft skills during an interview but your core experiences must be marketed on the resume.
• Check The Job Posting Date- Many employers were forced to send staff home immediately with stay at home orders. This means jobs that were posted for what were immediate openings, are now on hold yet may still be posted online. Be sure to sort listings by posted date and apply to the newest jobs first. Most job boards also allow you to sign up for email or text alerts when new jobs meeting your search criteria are posted. This is a great way to get your information in front of hiring managers right away.
• Partner With A Recruiter- Many employers will be apprehensive to bring on full time employees until they are certain that their business can sustain it. In previous economic rebounds a large number of employers looked to staffing firms to help them bridge this time period and hired the employees in permanently once business was more stable. A recruiter typically only presents an employer with 3 or less candidates for consideration, drastically increasing your chance for hire in comparison to an employer evaluating hundreds of applicants.
• Stay Fresh- Staying active and in your normal routine will absolutely increase your chances of interviewing and presenting as well as you did before this pandemic hit. Stay engaged with your industry through podcasts and online blogs. This will give you great ideas to bring to a new employer and give you some great topics for discussion during interviews. Be sure to be knowledgeable of how local and state pandemic restrictions may impact your future role and employer.

While certainly more difficult, it is absolutely feasible to land your next role during this pandemic. Many essential businesses are up-scaling their teams to meet the increase in business demand and are eager to find new talent for these roles.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Technical, and Trillium Environmental. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 35th Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2018 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

Why do you want this job? While the question is simple, the answer may not be. Our first instinct is to be transparent, regardless of what that means. Of course the underlying reason for the majority of us trying to get a job is the money. However, as this is a very obvious answer, employers also want to make sure that there is more to your motivation than bringing in a pay check. In addition, your next thought may be to flatter the company you are applying for by listing out all of the reasons why this is the company for you. This is also not the best route to go as the hiring manager typically already understands their company’s’ perks. What you want to do is outline how you feel this job may help to better yourself professionally and how your skill set will bring something special to the table. An employer will appreciate the idea that you are striving to improve your skill set through work at their company. The idea of self motivation and growth is huge in the eyes of an employer.

What type of questions do you have for me in regards to the job or our company as a whole? This particular question may appear in a number of different forms but the reason behind all of them remains the same. The employer is trying to gauge your eagerness to know about their company and the position and your willingness to do some research regarding what they offer. Regardless of where you are interviewing, you should always be prepared with at least a couple of questions regarding either the role itself or the company. Ask for clarification regarding benefits offered, job duties, company mission, etc., but make sure to use this time wisely. Most hiring managers are on a schedule and you don’t want to eat into their time too much with too many questions, at least initially. You can always save additional questions for a follow-up email after the initial interview. As long as you are focused on questions that pertain to the position specifically or better help you understand the role and how your skills may fit, the employer will will be more than accommodating.

The bottom line here is that we should all go to an interview prepared, regardless of the industry or position. However, it sometimes can come down to the quality of your responses and how they pertain to your skills rather than the length of your employment history or overall years of experience.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, and Trillium Techs. With approximately 90 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2015 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

For many college graduates, the prospect of finding your first post college opportunity can feel overwhelming and a scary prospect. However, there are few key factors to keep in mind while you are searching for employment in this tight job market.

1. Do some research and contact your local temporary agency. Working with a temporary agency will allow you to not only gain experience in your preferred industry but these types of agency can typically get you working in a shorter amount of time. In a job market as tight as this one, you are not the only group struggling. Employers and companies nationwide are having a hard time finding qualified candidates to fill their open positions, leading them to turn to temporary agencies.
2. As ideal as it would be for your first job out of college to be your long-term position, it will most likely be the first of multiple stepping stones. As it is becoming more common practice for companies to take employees away from each other, job length expectancy is certainly shorter than it used to be. However, employers are aware of this being an issue and are working towards a solution. Currently, there is a huge culture shift within organizations to put more emphasis on employee retention and recognition in order to secure top talent for a longer period of time.
3. Continue to develop your education and knowledge in your respective industry. While receiving a college degree is a fantastic accomplishment, it is only the first step in developing who you are going to be as a working professional. On the job experience is just as important to ensuring that you are forever adapting to changes in industry, technology and social economics. Regardless of your area of expertise and the level at which you are in your career, it is imperative to continue to stay on top of the best practices and changes in your respective industry as a whole. This may arise from on the job learning, online courses, company provided training, etc.

The main takeaway here is patience. We all want to graduate from college, land our dream job and be done with it. The reality is that through hard-work, determination and an eagerness to grow in your field, your dream career could be just around the corner, you just have to be patient and treat each job and opportunity as a stepping stone down your career path.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, and Trillium Techs. With approximately 90 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2015 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

This measure provides funding to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and its Directorate of Civil Works (for harbor maintenance, lock, dam, levee and environmental restoration), the Naval Facilities Engineering Command and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (for hospitals, medical clinics, cemeteries). As this is great news for those contractors that specialize in government related construction projects including infrastructure, VA hospitals, etc., there may also be room for smaller general contractors and subcontractors who are trying to get their foot in the door with military projects. For additional information on how your company may be able to get a piece of this lucrative pie in 2019, check out constructiondive.com for details and additional resources.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, and Trillium Techs. With approximately 90 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2015 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, riding a bus to school is 13 times safer than riding in a passenger vehicle and 10 safer than walking to school. The reality is that more children are hurt outside the bus. Given that pedestrian – vehicle injuries are a leading cause of death for school age children, it’s vital that truck drivers pay attention to posted signs, signals and traffic. Below are tips to help keep our kids safe this school year:

• Watch for school zones – Look for signs and flashing lights during school hours.
• Slow down in school zones and stay alert – Children are unpredictable.
• Watch for crossing guards.
• Watch for school buses – All states have strict laws regarding passing a stopped school bus.
• Never pass on the right side of the bus.
• Adjust driving hours if possible.
• Minimize use on secondary roads, use freeways and highways when possible.
• Have a heightened sense of awareness on rural highways and state routes for stopped buses.
• Be aware of traffic congestion in college towns.
• Don’t block the crosswalk.
• Never pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians.
• Don’t honk your horn or rev your engine to rush a pedestrian, even if you have the right of way.
• Make sure your headlights are on.
• Take extra care to look for children near schools, residential areas, parks and playgrounds.

While drivers are always safety conscious, it is important they not take it for granted. Don’t be tempted to make a call or fall victim to any other distraction that may take your eyes off the road. We all need to adopt a safety-first mindset if we are to keep accidents at a minimum and our children safe.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, and Trillium Techs. With approximately 90 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2015 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

“As in previous years, we owe our growth and success to the over 400 internal staff working across the country. Their dedication to attracting, identifying, and recruiting some of the best candidates in each line of work is what sets us apart from our competitors,” states René Poch, CEO.

Trillium follows a partnership approach by connecting high quality talent to compelling careers within diverse national markets. They achieve this through professionalism, honesty, and integrity as a recognized leader in the staffing and recruitment industry.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, and Trillium Techs. With approximately 90 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2015 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

“Many years ago when we started the company we felt that there were a couple of things that we needed to do particularly well. The first was to give great customer service, that means finding the absolute best candidate for the jobs that we have available. Today, we use a partnership approach between our candidates and our clients to find the best possible career matches,” states René Poch, CEO.

Trillium Staffing was founded in Battle Creek, Michigan in 1984, by founder and CEO René Poch. Since that time, René Poch has steadily expanded the employment service to include seven companies with over 95 locations across the nation. Today, Trillium is proud to be recognized as a national leader in recruitment and staffing, providing service to thousands of clients and employees in various capacities across the country.

The organization’s commitment to excellence has been the driving force behind its growth and expansion. Trillium is proud to employ a full time risk management team to help clients identify areas of liability and provide an unsurpassed safety program for their employees.

With a recruitment team of approximately 400 individuals nationwide, Trillium excels at attracting, identifying, and recruiting some of the best candidates in each line of work. Trillium uses the latest technology and sourcing tools available to locate and identify talent for some of the industry’s hardest to fill positions. Trillium employees have access to careers with some of the nation’s leading employers along with competitive pay and benefit options.

“We have the same commitments to each and every one of our employees as we do our clients. We have high expectations and our requirements are stringent. Once you become an employee of Trillium, we’ll do everything in our power to help you succeed and meet your career goals. When our employees are successful, we’ve done our job,” stated René Poch, CEO.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, and Trillium Techs. With approximately 90 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2015 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

I know it may be hard to believe that your summer job working at the local pool as a lifeguard or picking up part-time hours at the downtown ice cream parlor could have had a lasting impact on your your overall wellness and professional success. But in fact, that may be just the case. Here are a few benefits summer or part-time work can have as you start your career path.

1. Increased confidence and independence: Having the ability to earn your own money, no matter how much or how little can have a huge impact on a person’s confidence. It is during these first part-time or short term positions that we learn to trust our own abilities and grow confident in our still developing skill set. Customer service, patience and even interpersonal skills are all concepts that you may grow more confident in after your first opportunity for employment.
2. Time management: While balancing going to school and participating in extra-curricular activities during the school year can certainly help you to develop time management, these skills can lose their potency if you find yourself sitting around the house all summer. The best way to get prepared for college and adult life in general is to continue to practice prioritizing your days. The older we get, the more full our schedules seem to be. With that in mind, the time management skills we learn early on can help us be better prepared to juggle work, home life and even hobbies.
3. Stand out among your peers: After high school and even college, it is important that you have already started growing your work experience. While a summer gig at a fast food restaurant or mowing lawns may not necessarily prepare you for a future career in an office setting, you don’t want to walk in to any interview with a blank resume. Being fresh out of school and having work history already under your belt will set you apart from your peers as future employers will see this as a sign of your willingness to work and dedication.
4. Learn more about yourself: While many of us may think we know what we want to do for a career going into a summer job (means to an end), those experiences may actually help you get to know what you like and dislike regarding work related activities. For instance, working at that local ice cream parlor may make you realize that you truly enjoy working face to face with the public but it also may make you realize that the food industry isn’t for you. Anything you can gain from previous employment to help you make a better career choice down the road, can be more than beneficial.
5. Broaden your social and professional circle: It’s all about networking, networking, networking! Throughout high school and even college, you will consistently hear your peers and colleagues discuss the importance of networking. Networking allows you to meet new people that you may not have had interactions with previously which can open up the door for new opportunities for growth professionally and personally. You never know, you may meet a good friend or potential future employer while working that summer position.

The bottom line here is that although that summer gig is great to bring in some extra cash, it can also help to prepare you for college, future employment and simply growing as an adult. Keep in mind that just because these jobs are not the most glamorous or may not pay higher than minimum wage, it is the important skills that we learn in these positions that can help us on our way to the career we want and are striving for.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, and Trillium Techs. With approximately 90 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2015 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

At this point in the market, it would be typical for this large of a discrepancy to result in a demand for higher wages. However, economists saw an increase in wages of less than 3% from April into May which is anything but typical. What it is coming down to is that if employers want to find the qualified and skilled talent they are seeking, they will either have to raise wages or come with up creative incentives to lure new talent in the door. This job market is also instilling a lot of confidence in employed workers to jump ship and find a different job that may offer better benefits and incentives.

On top of the unemployment rate dropping to 3.8%, tied for the lowest rate since 1969, the number of individuals counted as not being in the labor force (ie retirees) is now at a record of 95.9 million, a 21% increase over the last 10 years.

What does all of this mean for employers? Not only is the demand for skilled and qualified talent continuing to rise, but it is projected that this trend is only going to continue as more jobs open up due to more people leaving the work force. Now is the time to invest in employee retention and build a company culture that will not only entice current employees to stay put but will encourage skilled and qualified talent to take a closer look at your company and what you may have to offer.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, and Trillium Techs. With approximately 90 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2015 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

1. No one is perfect so stop trying to be. This is a simple but very important tip to always keep in the back of your mind. Everyone wants to do their best in life in general but most of the time perfection is not attainable and trying to achieve it can cause physical and psychological damage. As you climb the professional ladder, responsibilities and duties increase and life can get more complicated. Rather than seeking perfection in what you do, strive for excellence.
2. Put your electronic devices down and slowly walk away. This is some advice we could all use, not only in our professional lives but in our personal lives as well. Whether you’re at work responding to emails or scrolling through social media in your spare time, we are constantly bombarded with screen time. This is not just hard on our eyes but can become overwhelming mentally. If unplugging all together seems daunting, try baby steps. Try not responding to emails while hanging out with family or friends and instead of scrolling social media during your child’s sporting event, sit back and enjoy. Remember, that it is okay to live your life in the moment and not feel the need to have constant updates and interruptions.
3. Exercise is important for not just your physical health but your mental health as well. Exercise, in any form, is a proven method to reduce stress. When trying to juggle a career with growing responsibilities at home, it seems that exercise is always the first thing to go out the window. This may be doing more harm than good. Exercise can include going for a walk with your family after work or even participating in meditation or yoga when you’re able. These less intensive methods of exercise can have some of the same stress reducing benefits as going for a run or visiting your local gym. In any way you are able, try to incorporate exercise and being active back into your lifestyle.
4. Focus on activities and people that benefit you. Finding yourself mindlessly scrolling Facebook or Instagram when you could be getting chores done around the house? Try and limit the time wasting activities to save room for things on your to do list. It may not seem like fun at the time but you’d be surprised at how good it feels to get items marked off. Continually getting cornered by the office talker in the morning? Politely excuse yourself so you can return to your desk and begin your day. This may sound selfish but it really isn’t. You can only be a good friend, co-worker, parent, etc. when you are feeling confident and organized throughout your day.
5. Consider re-organizing your life schedule and structure, switch things up! Where there is comfort in the predictability and knowing what to expect out of your day, sometimes this can actually add undue stress. As you grow in your career and personal responsibilities change, it can become difficult to keep up with old routines. If making dinner every night is causing undue stress, try planning out meals ahead of time or prepare freezer meals. If your daily trip to the gym in the morning is becoming too much a burden, try going after work or during your lunch. No one’s daily, weekly or monthly routine is necessarily set in stone. Simple, small changes can make a huge difference in your overall stress level at home and work.
6. Don’t over do it! As they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day so don’t expect to improve your work life balance overnight. The key here is to take small steps in an effort to make the change more feasible. You want to start exercising again? While it sounds like a good idea to set a goal of going for a walk everyday after work, it will be much easier to obtain a smaller goal of walking 1-2 nights a week. You can always build on your goals when you start to see success.

Striving to have a healthier work life balance is something that all working professionals should aim for. Today, it is estimated that 94% of working professionals are working more than 50 hours per week and almost half are working 65 hours or more. The hope is that these tips will help to remind you that regardless of what it means to you to have a solid work life balance, it can be attainable with small, incremental changes.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, and Trillium Techs. With approximately 90 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2015 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.