Brightwing

Career Growth, Hiring Best Practices, Job Seekers

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]The post-COVID Great Resignation is moving forward in full swing, with a record 4.4 million people quitting their jobs in September, and an estimated 10.4 million jobs still unfilled.

Given this environment, it’s completely natural to ask yourself: should you look for a new job?

Of course, job hopping for its own sake is never a good idea. It’s important to make a move that furthers your professional growth and enables you to provide value to your employer.

So before you start actively searching, let’s dive into signs that you need a new job, and how to job hunt successfully.

5 Signs You Need a New Job

Before you jump into a job search, it’s important to make sure it’s the right option for your career growth. Switching jobs is an involved process, and sometimes a lateral move in your current company is a better option. However, if you’re seeing any of these five signs, then a new job is probably the best solution.

1. You’ve exhausted your internal growth opportunities.

You should never stay at a company where there’s no room to grow. So if you can’t negotiate for more responsibility, compensation, or even a potential move to another department, then it’s time to move on.

2. You’re already looking for a new job.

It’s normal to have a bad day at work. But if you’re spending all your time thinking about quitting or wondering about what another opportunity might be like, then it’s probably a sign of discontentment. You should consider looking elsewhere.

3. Your conversations are mostly work complaints.

If every dinner conversation starts and ends with negative comments about work, it’s likely that you need to move on. A job that zaps your energy and takes up an undue amount of your “off time” is probably not a great fit.

4. You’re dreaming of retirement, even while young.

You shouldn’t spend your entire professional life counting down to a date that’s decades away. If you’re just putting off your happiness and fulfillment to some arbitrary future date, there’s definitely a better option. Consider moving to another company or job that will actually fuel and motivate you.

5. Your health is suffering.

If you’re suffering from lack of sleep, stress-induced symptoms, or an undue physical strain, then you need to look for another opportunity. No job is worth sacrificing your health.

7 Tips When Looking for a New Job

Job hunting is tricky. Doing it while you’re working an existing job is even tricker. To avoid shooting yourself in the foot while you search, here are seven tips you should follow.

1. Start with current connections.

A good place to start are places where you already have connections:

Previous companies where you left on good terms. You won’t need as much time for onboarding, are already familiar with the company’s technology and culture and can often contribute much more quickly.
“Boomerang” with companies that didn’t hire you, whether you received an offer and turned it down or just interviewed with them.
Seek referrals from employees within your top companies.

It’s important to balance networking with your current role. Early morning meet-ups, lunches, or even drinks after work can be great times to talk about potential opportunities.

2. Time your job search strategically.

If you’re trying to land a job while you’re still employed, you need to minimize the competition for available roles. That means being strategic about the timing of your search.

Late summer is a great time to launch your search, as the number of available roles stays pretty constant, but the number of active job seekers drops.

3. Keep it to yourself.

It’s never smart to lie to your boss, but it may be a necessary evil if you want to hold onto your current job. Some companies’ policy is to let go of people who are actively searching for a new job. So keep your job hunt on a need-to-know basis.

4. Don’t use company resources when searching.

Looking for a new job on your current company’s time (or dime) is never a good idea. During office hours, focus on your current job. Underperformance will tip off your boss and colleagues that something is going on (plus it’s just unethical).

5. Leverage social media to find a new job.

Social media, especially LinkedIn, is a powerful tool in your job search. It enables you to connect with employers and recruiters around the world, opening up your potential opportunities.

Pro tip: don’t just update your social media profiles when you’re looking for a job. That’s a dead giveaway to your boss!

6. Don’t bad-mouth your current employer.

No matter how bad your current situation is, bad-mouthing your current company isn’t going to help you. Instead, stay positive and focus on what you bring to the table. After all, if you’re willing to bad-mouth your current employer, what’s to stop you from bad-mouthing future employers?

7. Handle references with care.

You should always have three solid references from different employers. However, don’t put someone at your current company down unless you trust them not to spill the beans to your boss and others. Additionally, you should only give references when requested, and make it clear that your job search is confidential.

Final Thoughts: Find a Trusted Partner

The last piece of advice we’ll give is this: when you start looking for a new job, don’t go it alone. Doing so will only make the process take longer, and you may have trouble finding a great fit.

Partnering with a Brightwing recruiter can help you:

Screen potential opportunities in advance, so you know you’re only talking to potential good fits
Prep for the interview ahead of time so you maximize your chance of getting the job
Set boundaries with potential employers so you can work around your current job schedule

To learn more about what it’s like to work with Brightwing, click here. [/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639428840598{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

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February 2, 2022

The Costs of Job Tenure: Why You Shouldn’t Stay in a Job Too Long

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]There are generally two kinds of job seekers: those who’ve had ten jobs in five years, and those who’ve spent the last ten years in the same role.

Now let’s ask: if you’re entering the job market, which is the worst situation to be in?

Most people would probably say that it’s worse to be a job hopper, and they may be right.

But according to research on Forbes.com, staying in a role for more than two years could mean that you earn 50 percent less than those who leave.

This figure shouldn’t be surprising. Most employees will only receive a 3-5% salary increase each year within a single organization. But when you go out into the market to negotiate your salary, you may end up asking for 10-15% more than what you’re currently earning.

If you do this every 3-5 years or so, you can see how these increases could compound.

So having a long job tenure comes with its own costs. Read on to learn more about how this could impact your current and future job prospects.

Is Job Tenure Actually Hurting Your Career?

One of the hallmarks of a great professional is their ability to divide loyalties. While you should have some loyalty to your employer, you also have a responsibility to yourself. If you don’t own your own professional development, no one else will do it for you.

So while your loyalty to your employer may prompt you to stay in a job over the long haul, it’s important to seriously consider what this means to your career long-term.

When many recruiters and hiring managers look at lengthy tenures, it can give them the sense that:

You aren’t motivated or driven to achieve
You’re too comfortable with the familiar and unable to adapt to a new job, leadership style, or corporate culture
You don’t have a diverse enough skill set to thrive in a modern company and economy, simply because employees gain perspective about best practices as they move from one company to another

If you earn a promotion (and a real promotion, not just a job title change) within a company, that can help to soften the blow. In fact, vertical growth is a good sign, because it shows that you’re willing and able to take on new responsibilities and challenges.

But overall, while job tenure comes with significant advantages, there are costs involved. The costs just happen to be long-term; you won’t notice them until you have to get back out and search again.

How Long Should You Stay at a Job?

So that leads us to the million dollar question: how long should you stay at a job?

According to 2018 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, here are some of the most common trends:

Workers in management, professional, and related occupations had a median tenure of 5.0 years
22% of workers had tenure of 1 year or less
Younger workers were more likely to have a short tenure than older ones; only 9 percent of workers aged 55 to 74 had a tenure of less than 12 months
Median tenure for employees aged 55 to 64 (10.1 years) was more than three times that of workers aged 25 to 34 (2.8 years)

In general, three to five years in a job without a promotion is the optimal tenure to establish a track record of success without suffering the negative consequences of job stagnation. Of course, that may vary depending on your specific industry or role.

3 Signs You’ve Stayed in a Job Too Long

Not every problem can be solved with a job switch. Sometimes you need to stick it out and take advantage of all the opportunities that you have in your current organization before moving on.

But staying in a job isn’t always the solution either. There are many good reasons why you should move on to another organization or role. If any of the following red flags pop up, that’s a good sign that it’s time to think about a change.

1. Your job no longer challenges you.

If you end the day with time to spare, that means that you’ve almost certainly mastered your current responsibilities. While it’s great to be confident and knowledgeable, staying there won’t help you grow.

2. There’s no risk associated with your job.

No one likes being on the boss’s bad side. But if you find that you can make a mistake without consequences, odds are that you either are too good at your job, or you’re working for an organization that doesn’t value growth and excellence. Either way, remaining in those environments will cause you to stagnate.

3. It’s hard to justify sticking around.

Health insurance, vacation, and retirement contributions are all important benefits, but they shouldn’t be the sole reason you stick with a job. Other companies offer those same benefits, and they may be able to give you a job that challenges and fulfills you.

Final Thoughts: Is it Time for a New Job?

If you’re wondering whether you should consider a new job, you’re certainly not alone. The market is filled with people who are looking to improve their situation. There’s a good chance that you should join them.

Our recruiters have placed thousands of candidates in great-fit jobs & contractor roles. We would love to help you find your next best opportunity.

Click here to get in touch with a Brightwing recruiter.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639423677748{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

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February 1, 2022

Why Recruiting Is Actually A Great Job

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]In today’s labor market, recruiting is crucial, and there aren’t enough recruiters to go around. Recruiting has the potential to pay well, particularly because it is in high demand. Recruiting is a fantastic career opportunity that you may not have thought to consider.

Recruiters help match people with opportunities and fulfill job needs all over the country. They work on behalf of talent to help them fulfill their career ambitions, as well as on behalf of employers to help them power their teams. Sometimes, that need could be a temporary venture, or it could be the dream job of a lifetime. Recruiting is most definitely a rewarding and lucrative career option that you might not know about, so let’s dive into the details of why it could be the ideal career for you.

Recruiting Statistics

Here at Brightwing, we’ve been in the recruitment industry for 49 years, so we know why recruiting is such a great job, but don’t just take our word for it. Check out these recent recruiting statistics:

In 2021, the top priorities of recruitment professionals included: improving the quality of hires, increasing retention rates, improving time-to-hire, growing talent, and hiring diverse individuals.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 2020 median pay for recruiters was $63,490 per year or $30.52 per hour. That figure is now likely up from there thanks to high demand and low supply of recruiting talent. Depending on firms’ compensation plans, many recruiters’ pay far exceeds the national median. At Brightwing, for example, the average compensation for years 1-2 in your recruiting career is $50k; for years 3-5, $75K; and years 6-10, $120K+
The recruitment industry is projected to grow 10% from 2020 to 2030.

What’s not to like? Recruiting is in high demand, it pays well, and it’s expected to grow within the next few years.

Now that we’ve piqued your interest in recruiting, let’s discuss what recruiters actually do, the skills you’ll need to be a successful recruiter, and why recruiting is a rewarding career.

What Does a Recruiter Do?

Depending on the team structure, recruits may operate a full desk – where they spend each day seeking out job opportunities and finding excellent candidates – or they may focus on the candidate side. A recruiter has to be a “people person” through and through. Much of the job depends on relationship-building, so successful recruiters need to enjoy working with individuals and groups.

A person with talents and ambitions is exactly who recruiters look for, and they recognize those qualities because they also have them! Recruiting teams manage the talent acquisition process from start to finish, while facilitating relationships and finding new opportunities. Whether it’s helping someone find their dream job, aiding someone in need and finding them gainful employment, or keeping a small business from going under due to the pressures of our current labor shortage, each part of a recruiter’s job is beneficial and makes a real impact in the lives of others. Recruiters get to experience the joy that comes from helping multiple people and solving problems that nobody else can.

How to Be a Good Recruiter

A recruiter’s job is to deeply understand their clients’ needs and then find people whose talents and ambitions match the opportunity. They consult with employers or with their team’s account manager and reach out to qualified candidates who would fit the bill. If you’re asking yourself, “How can I be a good recruiter,” consider the following questions: Do you like working with people? Are you happy helping others? Are you willing to work flexible hours in order to connect with the right people? Do you enjoy working with a sense of urgency? These are important questions to answer as you consider how to become a recruiter.

Top Skills for Successful Recruiters

To be a successful recruiter, you should be or have the following:

Detail-oriented
Marketing skills
Communication skills
Relationship-building skills
Multitasking skills
Time management skills
Being patient
Listening skills
Ability to work in a team environment
Being reliable

At Brightwing, we can help you develop recruiting skills and set you up for success. In fact, we offer a training and development program designed to help people learn the business of recruiting and launch new careers in recruiting. We’re committed to giving our employees the support they need so their recruiting career takes flight. We invest in our employees and uphold a strong set of values across the organization.

Why Brightwing? Take it from Isaiah, a junior engineering recruiter who says, “I have long held the view that building relationships is one of the most important things in life. Brightwing gives me the opportunity to do that every single day.”

Recruiting Agencies

It also helps when you have a fantastic group of people surrounding you in a recruiting agency. An excellent job relies heavily on the people you work with! Any good recruiter can tell you that. That’s why working in a recruiting agency, like Brightwing, is terrific, especially when it’s done with other people who have the same goals and talents. Coworkers who lift one another, work together, and fight for each other are crucial to success in recruiting. Learning to be a good recruiter often comes from being around good recruiters! Recruiting agencies vary, so knowing what each agency might offer in benefits, perks, and other incentives is important.

Just listen to what Chris, a junior recruiter, has to say about Brightwing: “Recruiting at Brightwing lets me turn what I naturally love to do into a career: I love meeting new people, hearing their stories, and helping them start their next chapter. Every day is an opportunity to work with someone to make their life better, and I am excited to be a part of a team whose mission is built around that.”

Why Is Recruiting Worth It?

It is no secret that many people are unhappy in their current jobs. Somewhere between 40-50% of workers are considering leaving their current jobs! This is leading to a wave of resignations across the country. Companies everywhere are short-staffed, and much of it is due to unhappy workers. Having a job you love isn’t just a myth or a dream. Each and every person deserves a job where they feel valued and proud of their work. As humans, we spend almost a third of our lifespan at our jobs—an estimated 90,000 hours! If you want to feel engaged in meaningful work and like you’re contributing to a meaningful goal, then recruiting may be the ideal career for you!

Why Is a Recruiter Needed?

One of the biggest problems facing hiring companies is how limited time and energy resources are. If a company employs someone without proper screening, it could be disastrous for them. If an employee takes a job without really understanding it because of finances or other reasons, they may be unhappy in a year or even sooner.

For companies, a bad hire is a huge waste of money. A lousy candidate-job fit costs time, resources, and sometimes everyone’s sanity. A recruiter helps candidates find jobs quickly and efficiently, while taking the person’s wants and needs into account. On the opposite side, account managers at recruiting firms work with employers to help recruiters understand and find the person that will bring the most value to their organization — and, critically, stick around for the long haul. Sometimes, all you need to find a good hire or a good job is a connection, and that’s what a recruiter provides.

How to Become a Recruiter

Becoming a recruiter starts with one simple step: Applying. Find a recruiting company you love, with values that match your own. After you are hired, take time to learn about how to become a recruiter through working with others. Observe and learn! At Brightwing, all new hires receive a full year of training with a mentor, in addition to our Recruiting Development Program. We also offer full benefits and other perks that help our employees to stay happy! Becoming a recruiter starts with an application, so contact us today to see if this could be the place for you. [/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639423677748{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

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January 21, 2022

Taking Advantage of Remote Job Opportunities

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]During the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of people could not work in person. Remote job opportunities give people the chance to work from home (or from anywhere!) while still advancing in their careers. And remote work gives employers the power to build dream teams unburdened by the limitations of geography! The pandemic hasn’t gone away, and many people can return to work, but things have changed and likely will not return to pre-pandemic norms. Most companies incorporate technology into their respective fields, and some have even decided to work remotely indefinitely. Remote work can benefit not only employers, but employees as well. Taking advantage of remote job opportunities is a great way to save money, save time, and even increase your freedom. Despite all its benefits, there are some downsides to remote work that you should note. Learning what works best for you can help you have the best job experience possible!

Benefits of Working Remotely

The COVID-19 pandemic aside, working remotely has many benefits for people worldwide. Some of the most significant benefits come from the savings opportunities remote jobs offer. In fact, a Brightwing survey confirmed that 43% of people said they’d like to go all-in on remote whereas only 6% preferred that they work in the office all the time.

Cost-Effective

Working at a specific location always presents some costs. This includes the cost of professional or field-related clothing, transportation, food, supplies, and more. Working from home can save the average person up to $4,000 per year!

Time Savings

Another benefit is time savings. Most people spend about an hour each day traveling to work and back. Sitting in traffic always feels like a waste of time. Your commute is only a few steps down the hall when you work at home! This can be an hour saved and spent on much more fulfilling and productive tasks for people with families or pets. Having remote workers can also save time for a business. Meetings and other group-oriented tasks can take much longer in person. Online meetings require less time to coordinate, saving everyone’s time.

Productivity

Remote job opportunities may also lead to greater productivity. Many people feel energized and more organized when they don’t have to worry about outside influences. Some people are less stressed, which leads to improved work quality. Productivity varies from person to person, but overall, most workers find that working from home does not impede their production.

Flexibility

Arguably the best benefit of working from home is the increased flexibility it offers. People find time to travel the world through remote job opportunities while still working. People previously unable to have a pet can have one at home. Parents can work from home without the cost of childcare. You can adjust your schedule more easily, and employees find balance in their home vs. work life. Flexibility is one key component of working from home that almost everyone can enjoy.

Downsides to Remote Work

While remote job opportunities are ideal for some employees, there are some downsides to remote work that you can’t ignore. Some of these include problems specific to your field, difficulties with technology, distractions at home, or even reduced career opportunities. Whenever you consider a remote job opportunity, it is important to examine these downsides before deciding.

Technical Difficulties

Through technology, we can accomplish more than we’ve ever hoped. However, some people struggle using it to work from home. If you have a flawed computer system, working remotely has serious downsides. It also is not ideal to have your job depend on one piece of equipment, which may be difficult to replace if something goes wrong. Others may find it challenging to learn new systems or use unfamiliar programs. Finding and hiring IT professionals can be difficult in this market as well. While many millennial and younger hires find it easy to transition to remote work, a great deal of older and more experienced hires struggle with this.

Distractions

Another downside to remote work is that home life is distracting. Distractions abound in an office setting, but working from home can present new challenges. Parents who need to keep their kids at home may quickly find it difficult to balance their children’s needs and their work. Some workers also struggle to prioritize or find themselves playing on their phones or taking breaks instead of working like they would at an office. Those with peaceful home lives or fewer distractions have an advantage when working remotely.

Career Impediments

One of the biggest frustrations for many employees is that remote work may lead to a stagnant career. Less time in the office may mean fewer chances for promotion. This may be contribute to why the job market is flooded with resignations right now.

Connection

Among the other downsides to remote work is one key factor: Working from home is lonely. Most people need social interaction, and many depend on a sense of community or team to thrive at work. Socialization and a sense of being a part of something can be some of the most positive things a job can offer to you. While working from home does offer the benefits of working alone, working with others just can’t be replicated by a screen.

Remote Job Opportunities and You

While working from home may not be for everybody, remote jobs have many benefits. This is one of the best times to find a job in your field that fits your needs and wants! Finding a company in your field that offers remote work might be possible and ideal for you. However, some workers want the benefits of in-person work. Weighing your goals and options is key to your success as a worker in this job market! You deserve a job you love, and this is the time to make it happen. [/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639423677748{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

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January 17, 2022

Here Are the Best Paying Engineering Jobs

Engineering is one of the top-paying careers in the country. But what are the best paying engineering jobs? These may surprise you.

Here Are the Best Paying Engineering Jobs

Career Growth, Job Seekers

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=””]Engineering is one of the top-paying careers in the country. But what are the best paying engineering jobs? There are several that may surprise you.

While engineering makes up three out of the five most valuable college majors, engineering jobs vary considerably. Sure, some engineers graduate with a specific and tailored degree. Most, however, head into their first jobs and let what they learn guide their career path, gaining skills and specializing as they go.

For example, hundreds of job options are available with just a mechanical engineering degree. On the other hand, someone with an aerospace engineering degree may find their choices a bit slimmer, but they’ll also enjoy higher demand and potential for a higher starting salary.

How much do engineers make? Here are some of the best-paying engineering jobs we’re found.

Automotive Engineers

Car and truck manufacturers, as well as the suppliers that support these manufacturers, employ automotive engineers to design and build entire vehicles or individual parts and systems. Automotive engineers work on the vehicle’s engine design, aerodynamics, performance and fuel efficiency, safety features, and ergonomics. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, approximately 257,900 industrial engineers were employed in the United States, and about 18% worked in the transportation equipment manufacturing sector. To break into the field of automotive engineering, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree in automotive, mechanical, electronics, materials engineering, or a related engineering field. A strong background in math and physics is also beneficial. The median salary for automotive engineers in the United States is $88,340.

Computer Hardware and Data Engineers

Computer hardware and data engineering is a relatively new field, which has appeared due to large data sets and tech design growing into a highly competitive field for companies worldwide. Technology engineers develop, design, create and study computer data, hardware, and software. Data engineers design and build pipelines that transform and transport data into an organized format so when it reaches the data scientists or other end users, it is highly usable and understandable. Data engineers focus on data infrastructure, data warehousing, data mining, data modeling, data crunching, and managing metadata. To be a successful data engineer, you should be able to create software solutions around data.

Computer sciences are vast and varied, leading to a considerable pay range which leads people to ask, “What do technology engineering jobs pay?” Some suggest that big data engineers make on average around $150,000 per year, while computer hardware engineers make around $115,000. Other sources indicate that the median for technology engineers is closer to $90,000. Either way, this is a growing industry eager for new hires. Many engineering majors can find a job to suit their ideal work environment within technology engineering.

Aerospace Engineers

When people picture the best paying engineering jobs, they include aerospace engineers. These engineers design aircraft, spacecraft, missiles, and similar mechanical devices. This field is highly specialized and has a degree of variety in the different aspects of design vs. manufacture and even research or development. When it comes to pay, aerospace engineers make about $120,000. This job requires a bachelor’s degree, and the field has about 4,000 openings per year. This is a relatively stable job field, with new technologies and explorations occurring regularly. However, this job does depend somewhat on the government, especially in the United States. The privatized sector of aerospace is beginning to take off, but it may be several decades before it grows into a substantial force. This may be one of the ideal positions for engineers in a different engineering field to consider job-hopping in 2022.

Nuclear Engineers

A career as a nuclear engineer is technical and filled with discovery. As a growing career field in energy and nuclear systems, it is not a surprise that it is one of the best paying engineering jobs. This career is exciting, but it is not for everyone. It is one of the most dangerous engineering jobs and can be risky even on a day-to-day basis, depending on the exact job you choose. The high risk and intense amounts of study required are part of why this job pays around $105,000 yearly. Most candidates need a bachelor’s degree that focuses on physics and in-depth knowledge of chemical compounds and nuclear fusion/fission. One complication of nuclear engineering is that it may grow in the next few decades or almost disappear with the high risk of nuclear energy vs. other sustainable energy sources.

The Best Paying Engineering Jobs for You

While this list includes many engineering careers, other engineering fields like materials, biomedical, and environmental engineering are growing significantly and have a similar pay grade. Engineers have a hold on some of the most high-paying jobs in the country, and as such, there are many opportunities there. Finding a job you love with your degree and experience can sometimes be tricky. Engineers find open fields they hadn’t even imagined they’d qualify for, but they find a career they love. The average salaries are even within these top five best paying engineering jobs. Any answer to the question “How much do engineers make?” will likely not be comprehensive, though, thanks to shifts in the market and leaps forward in technology.

The best way to get a read on what the market can offer you is to talk to an engineering recruiter. At Brightwing, we focus on core skill sets in markets that we’re deeply connected to. That way, we’re doing what we love with people we know. We know engineering, (as well as IT, financial services, and operations), so if you’re looking for a great paying engineering job, reach out to us today![/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639423677748{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

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January 17, 2022

Job Hopping vs. Job Clinging: Which is Better for Career Advancement?

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Complacency kills careers. That’s why career advancement is a top priority for most professionals.

But what is the best way to move your career forward: hopping to a new job, or growing within your current organization?

That’s the question a lot of people are facing right now, especially as the Great Resignation continues in full force. A record 4.4 million people quit their jobs in September, and the number of unfilled positions stands at 10.4 million.

There are a number of reasons why people want to make a change:

Better hours & more flexibility (especially if switching from direct roles to contracting)
Advancement in responsibility & leadership
Learning new skill sets
Greater compensation & benefits
Ability to manage & execute more complex projects

If any of these are important to you, this blog post will walk you through whether job hopping or sticking with your current job is the best way to achieve them.

Why Career Advancement Matters

Thinking about career advancement is one way that you can set yourself apart from the crowd. Many employees focus only on their current job, or maybe are just looking ahead to the next promotion.

This kind of short-term thinking won’t help you. As you move up the ladder there are fewer opportunities available. Which means that if you want to have an upward career path, you need to intentionally take action to get there.

Now, this doesn’t mean you should always have your eye on the horizon and neglect your current responsibilities. Quite the opposite, actually!

Having clarity on where you want your career to go will help you put your current work in context. Being excellent at where you are now will only set you up for success later down the line. It also can help you figure out how to leverage your current role to grow any skills (both hard and soft) that you may be lacking.

The Career Advantages of Job Hopping

There are a few advantages that are most accessible when you job hop. Here are just a few of them:

Moving into a new role where you can gain new skills
Taking on more leadership responsibilities in a bigger organization
Finding a new boss or supervisor who’s willing to invest in your career advancement
Moving from a mid-level firm to one that’s more prestigious and has national (or international) brand recognition

The Career Advantages of Longevity

On the other hand, here are some of the growth opportunities that come from staying within your organization:

Internal promotion opportunities
Moving laterally within the organization or taking on more responsibilities
Building rapport with your current boss and developing a mentoring relationship
Taking the initiative to demonstrate leadership potential without the need for a promotion or advancement

5 Questions to Help You Choose the Best Path Forward

Now that we’ve walked through the benefits of both job hopping and longevity, here are some questions to ask that will help you figure out the best path for you.

1. Have you hit a plateau?

A sure sign that you should seek out a new job is if you’ve hit a plateau in your professional growth. Generally, this looks like the following:

You’ve become so competent at your job that it no longer challenges you
There’s no room for advancement within the company
You’ve been doing the same job for more than five years
You find yourself growing bored and dissatisfied with your work

Note that a plateau rarely happens early in your tenure. But if after several years you’re realizing that there are no opportunities to grow, you probably are better served by a new company and role.

2. Have you pursued internal growth opportunities?

If you haven’t made an effort to pursue internal growth opportunities, you may be jumping the gun by pursuing a new role. Here are some things you should try instead:

Job shadow other employees in the company to broaden your skills
Explore opportunities for lateral moves that broaden and deepen your experience
See if you have a professional development budget to attend classes, workshops, and training sessions
Seek mentorships from more senior employees
If you believe you’re ready for added responsibility, proactively seek a promotion

Companies that value you as an employee will find a way to offer at least some of these opportunities. If not, then it’s a good sign that you need to move on to grow yourself and your career.

3. Is the problem with the company, the role, or you?

Searching for open positions on job boards can be a great knee-jerk reaction when problems at work arise. But if the problem is actually with you, then moving on isn’t going to solve anything. You’ll just take the problems with you.

So get real with yourself and ask: is the problem with the company, the role, or you? If there’s anyone you trust inside or even outside the company, ask them for their advice. Getting an outside opinion is always a good idea.

4. What strategic opportunities can another company offer?

Don’t just leave your job for kicks and giggles. If you’re going to go to another company, make sure that it strategically moves your career forward.

This is where you need to spend some time figuring out exactly what is lacking in your career right now. Is it pay? Or is there a particular skill gap you’d like to close? Maybe you want to take on more leadership responsibility?

Whatever it is, get clear and use that as your North Star as you sort through job openings. This is going to help you weed out poor fits and find the best option for your career moving forward.

5. How will this choice impact your career long-term?

You should always consider the impact that your choice may have on your career long-term. Of course, there’s no way to know for sure what’s going to happen, but it still is important to think about.

For instance, job hopping with only a couple years’ tenure in a role can be a negative sign for future hiring managers. However, staying within the same role for more than five years comes with some financial downsides.

Final Thoughts: Stay Growing, Stay Active

Even if you choose to stay in your current job, you need to always be seeking new opportunities to grow. After all, like we said earlier, complacency kills careers.

Keep finding opportunities to take on new responsibilities in challenges. Keep your LinkedIn profile and build up your personal brand online. Not only will these benefit your own career, but they can serve as an added boon to your current company.

Most importantly, you should have an idea of where you want your career to be in three, five, or even ten years. Then start considering which steps you need to take to get there, and put one foot in front of the other.

To get started on your career growth, fill out the form below and a Brightwing recruiter will reach out to advise you on the best next step. [/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639423677748{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

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January 6, 2022

More Meetings Than Ever? 10 Ways to Make Them Better

Career Growth, Job Seekers

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]New research found the typical professional has ~5 meetings per day, up from ~3 per day prior to the pandemic.

So we conducted a poll asking: “How does the number of meetings you have now compare to before the pandemic?”

Here were the results:

54% — Way more meetings
30% — About the same
16% — Fewer meetings

With so many of us experiencing a sizable uptick in the number of meetings we endure throughout the day, it’s important to do what we can to make them better.

These tips may be straightforward and even obvious, but they require discipline. Even in the most familiar and comfortable situations, structure and clarity will help you to optimize your time, respect your colleagues’ time, and ensure your meeting invites don’t provoke a chorus of groans.

In other words, meetings are assumed to be a waste until proven otherwise…

WHEN IT’S YOUR MEETING, THE BURDEN IS ON YOU TO PROVE IT WAS WORTH IT.

Without further ado, here are 10 tips to make all your meetings better:

Choose the right format. In-person or remote? Sitting or standing? Video or voice? Whatever you choose, don’t let it be by default.
Keep your invite list tight. Every meeting attendee should NEED to be there. If you’re thinking of inviting someone just so that they can be looped in, don’t. Share information with them another way.
Share an agenda ahead of time. Outline what you want to accomplish, including why it’s important in the larger context. Even if your agenda is one sentence long, better to get your attendees in the right headspace beforehand than to leave them guessing.
Prepare your evidence. When you own the meeting, you’ve got the largest advantage: you know exactly what needs to be done. Come prepared with data that will help along decisions!
Start with the bigger picture. Why is what you’re meeting about important – in the context of the organization’s long-term version and of each individual’s role? Even when the meeting is not a waste of anyone’s time, it can feel that way if the greater purpose isn’t clear to everyone.
Beware meeting scope creep. The beauty of a well-crafted agenda is that you know what’s NOT on the table for discussion. Enforce it.
Encourage participation. Someone not chiming in? Direct an open-ended question their way.
Do not let who is responsible for what be ambiguous. Wrap-up by sharing takeaways out loud. Consider putting them in an email to everyone after the meeting to avoid any doubt.
Know when to end it: on-time or early. Just because you set aside 30 minutes doesn’t mean the meeting deserves 30 minutes. If you accomplish what you need to before time runs out, put an end to it! If you’ve hit the end of your slated time but you’ve got more to do, still end it. Schedule a follow-up to finish.
Don’t burn yourself out: schedule similar kinds of meetings in clusters. Recent studies have shown that fluctuating rapidly from feeling powerful at work to feeling powerless causes stress and reduces well-being. So: “consider reviewing your calendar from the past week to identify the types of experiences (meetings, tasks, etc.) that prompted you to feel more and less powerful. In the future, try to schedule tasks in clusters according to how powerful or powerless they tend to make you feel. For example, cluster tasks like giving advice or meeting with a subordinate on the same day of the week if possible. Similarly, consider grouping tasks on your calendar that are likely to make you feel unimportant and powerless — like asking for help or talking to your supervisor.” (HBR)

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639423677748{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

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November 24, 2021

Job Hopping: Will it Help or Hurt Your Career?

Career Growth, Job Seekers

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Given the plethora of job opportunities in the market right now, it’s natural to consider making a career change.

However, you may be thinking: “I don’t want to be a job hopper.”

We get it.

For years, we’ve all been warned about having short stints on a resume. The pressure to stay with a single organization for more than a few years is strong.

But this current environment could afford you the opportunity to advance your career in the direction you want. You don’t want to miss that.

So let’s walk through the pros and cons of job hopping to see if it’s worth it.

Be clear about why you’re making a change.

If you’re wondering whether someone will look askance at a short-term position on your resume, the answer is complicated.

According to recent survey data from Robert Half, a majority of workers — 64 percent, to be exact — favor job-hopping. That number is 22% higher than a similar survey just four years ago.

What’s more, the average number of jobs held by workers over a two-year period is 1.3, while over five years is 2.3. Given that we’re in a post-COVID world, it’s not unreasonable to assume that these numbers have increased in recent months.

It is true, however, that the average tenure does increase depending on your sector, according to an Economic News Release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Workers in management, professional, and related occupations had the highest median tenure (4.9 years)
Workers in service occupations had the lowest median tenure (1.9 years)

So if you have a tenure that’s less than five years, odds are the question will come up during the interview.

The key here is to have a solid reason why you’re making a change.

Employers value loyalty, certainly. And that’s why having a longer tenure can be valuable. However, good employers also want people who are growing in their careers, not stagnating.

Thus, making a change because you’re ready for a new opportunity will come across as a positive development, rather than a negative one.

Younger employees tend to job hop more.

The gap in employment currently is generational in nature. The median tenure for workers ages 25 to 34 is 2.8 years, while for employees ages 55 to 64 it’s 9.9 years.

Additionally, of all the workers who switched jobs last year, only 33% identified as Gen Z, and 25% as Millennial, according to a new study from IBM’s Institute for Business Value.

However, it’s important to note that job hopping isn’t a function of generation so much as it is of age. Take Baby Boomers born between 1957 and 1964. According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report, they have held 12.3 jobs on average, but nearly half of them have been when they were between ages 18 and 24.

On top of that, data from Steven J. Davis from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and John Haltiwanger of the University of Maryland indicate that job hopping has been on a decline since 2000. This may seem to indicate that, compared to other generations at the same age, Millennials and Gen Zers are job hopping less than their counterparts.

The fact that employees tend to job hop in their younger years shouldn’t be a surprise. There are a number of reasons to do so:

Building up different skills that will serve your career long-term
Trying different positions to find the best fit
Gaining experience working at different kinds of companies among different kinds of teams

However, once you start to build up experience, you’re more likely to take on positions that require more strategic planning and thinking. This naturally requires a longer tenure.

Plus, if you’ve spent all that time figuring out what you really want to do, once you find it you probably won’t want to leave!

All this to say: if you’re a younger employee, you’re probably safe making a change. And if you’re an older employee, odds are you have some respectable tenure in your work history, which makes job hopping less risky now.

Job hopping may result in greater compensation.

Staying in a job long-term may be good for stability. But in terms of long-term financial earnings, job hopping is a better bet.

A 2019 study from ADP found that when you stay at your current job, you’re likely to receive a 4% pay increase. However, switching jobs leads to a 5.3% salary increase.

In fact, staying in a job too long may be a detriment to your long-term compensation. According to research from Forbes.com, employees who remain in companies too long (in the article, he says that it’s longer than two years) get paid 50% less than their counterparts who leave and start somewhere else.

And for every year after the two-year mark, that number continues to go up.

But we should be careful not to over-glamorize job hopping. No matter your reasons, starting over with a new job means…well…starting over. That could mean that you lose your banked vacation time, potential retirement income, or insurance coverage, requiring you to switch doctors.

As a result, although there’s plenty of upside, be smart about how you make these decisions so you don’t end up making your situation much worse

Final thoughts: Be sure to gather advice.

A decision as big as a career change should never be made alone. So if you’re looking for a new job in 2021 or 2022, you need someone in your corner to help you make a smart decision.

When you work with Brightwing, our team provides unique insights into the market to help you find the best possible candidate, ace your interview, and set yourself up for success in your new role.

To set up an introductory call with our team, fill out the form below! [/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639428840598{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

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October 26, 2021

Why Your Next Best Role Could Be a Contract Position

Contractor Experience, Job Seekers

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”26732″ img_size=”100×100″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_separator css=”.vc_custom_1623697841834{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_column_text]BY MICK NARUSCH
VP, Practice Development[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]It’s no secret that we’re in the middle of a national talent shortage. And, unfortunately, the data seems to indicate that we’re in this for the long haul.

According to new research from Korn Ferry, there will likely be 85 million jobs unfilled between now and 2030 due to talent shortages, creating over $8.5 trillion in unrealized revenues during that time period.

This is true not only across the board, but also in specific sectors:

Automotive. The U.S. will be short approximately 642,000 automotive, diesel, and collision technicians by 2024 if current trends hold, according to a new study by TechForce Foundation.
IT & Tech. The latest U.S. labor statistics indicate that IT saw 1.4 million unfilled jobs at the end of 2020, with only 400,000 qualified candidates graduating each year.
Financial Services. According to Cerulli Associates, retirement is on the horizon for the majority of wealth advisors, as the average age is 51 and 43% are over the age of 55. In contrast, just 10% of wealth advisors are under the age of 35.

In the past, many of these companies would provide 1-2 year contracting opportunities for new employees, enabling them to get some time working for the company before they commit to a full-time role.

However, thanks to these massive talent shortages, many of these companies are skipping the “test” period and offering more full-time hire roles.

You may be thinking: That’s great! A full-time role is better than a contractor role, right?

Well, it depends.

There are certainly plenty of advantages that come with a full-time role. However, there are other unique benefits that happen when you work as a contractor.

Here are some of the reasons why you should seriously consider contract work when jumping to your next opportunity.

Wage & compensation increases.

Generally speaking, highly skilled contractors can receive greater compensation than those who choose a standard career path. Because employers aren’t on the hook for paying for taxes or benefits, they’ll often offer a more competitive wage. And since contractors have to pay a self-employment tax and cover their own benefits, they’ll demand that higher wage as well.

In many industries, especially automotive, engineering, IT, and finance, there’s another factor at play: the temporary nature of contract work. It’s common in these industries for employers to look for experienced leaders with deep expertise and leadership to shepherd temporary (e.g. 12-24 month) projects.

However, because they can’t guarantee additional work after that, they’re willing to pay a premium to attract highly competitive talent.

Finally, because contracting consists of an hourly rather than full-time wage, there’s a strong possibility that you’ll be working some overtime hours.

All in all, the financial bottom line of working as a contractor is very positive for experienced professionals, which is why you should consider it as an option for your next career step.

Direct hire roles aren’t inherently more stable.

One of the common objections to contract roles is that there’s a tremendous amount of direct hire opportunity out there that you’re competing against. Many roles seven to eight years ago that were exclusively contractors are now direct hire.

For candidates, there’s a clear reason why a direct hire role beats a contractor position: direct hire roles provide career stability, while contractor roles do not.

But the numbers just don’t bear that out.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average tenure of a full-time employee in a given job was 4.1 years, as of January 2020. Given the massive hits that companies took post pandemic, we can probably safely assume that this number is much lower now.

And according to our own research here at Brightwing, 54% of the professionals we surveyed believe that job security is either rare or a myth entirely.

The point is: a full-time, direct hire role isn’t going to provide the long-term security that you’re looking for necessarily. So that should be enough to at least keep the possibility of working as a contractor open.

Contracting may lead you to your dream company.

If there’s a certain company that you really want to work for, contracting may be the best way to get your foot in the door.

Although many companies are shifting to more direct hire roles, there are still a number of benefits they get from hiring contractors:

A test period to make sure that they’ve brought on the right person before making a long-term commitment
Fewer costs (training/onboarding, benefits, unemployment, etc.)
Flexibility (on both sides of the equation)
A development period to see if a candidate can grow into a particular role if they’re short of a few skills

If you rule out contracting roles altogether, you’re probably going to end up missing a great potential opportunity.

Final thoughts: You’re not in this alone.

Before we wrap things up, it’s important to note the main reason that people take a full-time role: the benefits.

Indeed, although there are plenty of compelling reasons to go out on your own, it’s hard to turn away the health insurance, vision, dental, vacation time, 401k, and more.

That’s one of the reasons that Brightwing works to provide that necessary support to our contractors. If you work with us, we provide all of the necessary benefits so your life can remain on solid footing.

On top of that, we also have people actively searching on your behalf for new opportunities. So when one contract comes to a close, you’ll have another one teed up and ready to go.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639429095888{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

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September 28, 2021

Why the Financial Services Job Market is Ripe for Opportunity

Financial Services, Job Seekers

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”26955″ img_size=”100×100″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_separator css=”.vc_custom_1623697841834{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_column_text]BY KIM LEWIS
Senior Recruiter[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Is my job offering me everything I want in my career? Or is there another role out there with more opportunity?

If you’re asking yourself this question, you’re not alone. According to CNBC, 25 percent of workers are considering quitting their jobs once the pandemic fully subsides.

When it comes to considering a job change, especially for financial services workers, a number of factors come into play:

Compensation & benefits
Job security & upward mobility
Office culture
Upskill opportunities

If you think that you’re starting to plateau in your current role and need a change, this is the perfect time to do it.

As the consumer market booms in response to the COVID-19 recovery, there are jobs opening up across all areas of loan servicing: approvals, operations, accounting, financial analysis, reporting & data science, risk analysis, BI, and more.

This is the case not just in banks, but other organizations that have in-house loan officers, like automotive dealers.

So if COVID-19 made you wonder “what’s next?” or “where am I going from here?”, take a look at these reasons why now is the right time to jump into the financial services job market.

New culture.

With all of the shifts and changes from last year, many companies had to come up with creative ways to maintain their culture in remote environments.

Since people weren’t physically in the office, the natural connections and relationships that form in those situations just didn’t happen. On the other hand, many people thrived in remote environments and worked more productively while at home.

As a result, you may have come to understand more about the specific type of culture that works for you:

More flexible cultures that allow more work-from-home opportunities and work-life balance
“Work hard play hard” environments where everyone is in the same office, hustling together
Traditional offices where everyone is available for meetings, but you’re able to buckle down and get your work done
100% remote environments, allowing you to work wherever you want and makes the most sense for your family

Ultimately, the goal is to find the organization that treats you well and provides the work environment that you’re looking for. If you aren’t finding that at your current job, then take advantage of the current state of the market and go find it elsewhere.

Better compensation.

There’s a reason we say that “money talks.”

Compensation certainly isn’t the only reason to take a new job. But if you feel like your earning potential has stagnated at your current company, now would be a great time to see if there’s a better opportunity out in the market.

Thanks to labor shortages and other factors, many companies are offering signing bonuses and other incentives for new employees to come on board. While a signing bonus isn’t the only reason to jump on board with a new company (after all, it doesn’t make up for a bad fit), it’s at least reason enough to start looking.

But if you can find a better fit and get a boost in compensation out of it, you may be able to snag a “best of both worlds” situation.

More security.

The acquisitions happening among various banks have caused some anxiety among financial services workers, which is to be expected.

Acquisitions are a double-edged sword. They can be a good thing and lead to new opportunities, or they can result in consolidations and layoffs, depending on the situation.

If you’re in the middle of one of these acquisitions, and wondering whether your job will be secure in 6-12 months, then now is a great time to start looking for a job with more security.

Keep in mind, however, that there’s no such thing as true job security. Even if you find a great new role, you never know if that bank will be acquired and you’ll be in the same situation.

Given the volatility in the market, this is why some financial services professionals are looking to independent contractor opportunities and other more flexible work, in addition to full-time career roles.

But if you face an uncertain future, market conditions are perfect for you to go and negotiate a more stable position.

Upskill opportunities.

We’ve all been in jobs that no longer challenge us, and where we feel there’s no growth opportunity. It’s possible that you find yourself in that position right now.

If you’ve truly exhausted all the growth opportunities in your current company, the worst thing you can do for your long-term trajectory is to stay in that role. Fortunately, there’s no time like the present to see which upskill opportunities are available in the financial services job market.

As we mentioned earlier, a lot of banks are expanding their departments. If you want to niche down into a particular skill set, finding one of those newly formed roles would be a great place to start.

If you’re looking to grow into a manager or leader, these expansions are opening up new leadership opportunities, making now the perfect time to level up.

These opportunities aren’t just inside traditional banks. Many companies hire finance employees in-house, where they handle the manufacturing, servicing, and crediting under one roof. This is especially common among auto dealers, as well as FinTech companies, who need people with finance backgrounds to help them build their technology most effectively.

Conclusion: Know why you’re looking for a change.

There are a host of reasons why a change may be a good idea. The question you need to ask yourself is: why are you looking for a change?

When you can identify what’s important to you and what your priorities are, that will drive your next step. All of the factors we mentioned above are great, but you need to find the one that you’re specifically looking for. From there, see if you can find another opportunity that will meet that.

And there isn’t a better time to try and find those opportunities than now. So go ahead and jump in.

If you want to look for a new opportunity but aren’t sure where to start, the Brightwing team is here to help. Contact us to set up a one-on-one conversation.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639174169594{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

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September 20, 2021

Mythbusters: 4 Common Misconceptions About Contract Employment

Contractor Experience, Job Seekers

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”26732″ img_size=”100×100″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_separator css=”.vc_custom_1623697841834{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_column_text]BY MICK NARUSCH
VP, Practice Development[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]COVID-19 brought a lot of disruption into the job market. But one of the biggest disruptions was shattering the illusion that there’s such a thing as job security.

The economy can take a downturn at any point. When that happens, companies will do whatever they can to stay afloat, and that often means letting go of personnel.

When you realize that, a natural question comes up: why am I staying at this full time gig anyway?

Contracting in the Modern Economy

In the modern economy, contract work is just as reputable a career path as traditional employment; not just for the employee, but the employer as well:

Lower costs to train and onboard, as well as fewer fringe benefits
The ability to test a candidate in a short time frame before making a full-time offer
Flexibility (on both sides of the equation)
Willingness to take a risk on a candidate who aspires to a higher position, to see whether they can grow into the role

Unfortunately, the benefits to you, the employee, are often obfuscated by some common myths surrounding contract work.

So in this article, we’re going to take the time to do some mythbusting. Let’s take four common misconceptions about contractor employment, and show you what the truth is actually like.

Myth #1: Contracting is just for entry-level employees.

A number of companies use contracting or contract-to-hire as a way to test out entry-level employees before offering them a full-time role. Because of this, contracting sometimes has a reputation of being an exclusively entry-level option.

But entry-level contractors make up only a segment of the broader contractor community. In fact, it’s common in many industries like IT, automotive, finance, and more for employers to look for experienced contractors with deep expertise, and even leadership experience.

The major reason for that is: these firms engage in projects that are temporary in nature. They may need an experienced engineer to come in for 12 months to shepherd a project through to conclusion, but can’t guarantee more work after that.

On top of that, experienced contractors generally get paid a higher hourly rate than a full-time employee, plus you have the potential to work overtime. So the financial bottom-line could be really beneficial to you.

This is why it’s important to judge each opportunity by the specific role, company, and day-to-day work you’ll be asked to do, not whether it’s contract or full-time.

Myth #2: Contract work is inherently unstable.

This myth stems from the idea that full-time employment provides more job security than a contract position. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case, especially considering that most full-time employment roles are entirely “at-will.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average tenure of a full-time employee in a given job was 4.1 years, as of January 2020. Given the massive hits that companies took post pandemic, we can probably safely assume that this number is much lower now.

And according to our own research here at Brightwing, 54% of the professionals we surveyed believe that job security is either rare or a myth entirely.

The point is: a full-time role isn’t going to provide the long-term security that you’re looking for necessarily. So that’s really not a compelling reason to discount it entirely.

On top of that, a lot of big companies use contracting as a way to test potential hires before offering them a full-time role. In those cases, taking a contract position is your surest path to a long-term career at that company.

But even if you don’t end up going into a full-time position, that doesn’t mean that your income is going to be in a constant state of flux. We’ve worked with a number of contractors who’ve spent 20+ years working with Brightwing, whether that’s been with recurring projects at a single employer, or working with a number of employers over those years.

Myth #3: Contracting won’t move your career forward.

Because most people refer to full-time employment as “career” positions, there’s an unfair assumption that contracting roles are the opposite.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

In fact, contracting could present an incredible opportunity to enhance your current capabilities:

Depth of experience. Contract roles are often more focused and project-specific than full-time roles, allowing you to focus on building skills in one specific area.

Breadth of experience. When you work in a variety of contract roles over time, you can build up different experiences that you wouldn’t get if you stayed in a full-time position.
Repositioning. You may have an array of experience within your particular sector, but maybe you want to take a different role than the one where you currently have experience. Taking a contract position can help you upskill and reposition your career without having to take a step back.

Most of the time, big brands won’t hire you unless you have experience working for another big brand. If you lack that experience, your entry into that role will almost certainly have to come through a contract position.

In that case, jumping on board as a contractor will certainly be a step forward, rather than a step back.

Myth #4: Contracting means you’re all on your own.

This is probably the myth that gets us the most fired up, because it hits close to home.

Just because you take a contract position doesn’t mean that you’re left without anyone to support you. In fact, that’s exactly why Brightwing is here to help.

We serve as a trusted partner to help you become successful in your contracting career:

We screen potential opportunities to make sure they’re a good fit
We negotiate on your behalf to the client to get you the best possible rate
We provide highly competitive benefits, as if you were our full-time employee
We are constantly on the lookout for new opportunities before your current contract is up, so you shouldn’t have any gaps

With a trusted partner like Brightwing, you’re bound to be successful in whatever role you take next. All you have to do is go for it. [/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639429065564{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

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August 30, 2021

Why Now is the Perfect Time to Level Up in Your Engineering Career

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”26483″ img_size=”100×100″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_separator css=”.vc_custom_1623697841834{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_column_text]BY MIKE GOURLEY
SR. TECHNICAL RECRUITER[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Right now, in Q3 2021, the job market for engineers is better than it’s been in a long time. Now is the time to dip your toes into the water and see if you should level up in your career.

The high demand for qualified engineers is due to a number of factors, one of which is the post-COVID recovery that is leading to a booming economy across all sectors. Businesses are becoming more certain about the future, so their budgets are opening back up.

This is exacerbated by a generational shift: many Baby Boomers are reaching retirement age, and are looking for qualified Millennials and even Zoomers to replace them.

The problem is that there aren’t enough qualified candidates to meet the demand. Which, from the candidate’s perspective, isn’t really a problem at all. It means that you have all the power, and can negotiate the best possible situation.

Here are some major trends in the engineering talent market that should convince you that now is the time to go after your ideal job, level up your skills, and move your career forward.

There’s a talent gap in the engineering sector.

There’s a growing number of job opportunities for qualified engineers, along with a shortage of qualified engineering talent. The result is a growing talent gap.

Although more people are graduating from college with engineering degrees, they don’t always have the requisite skills to succeed at top engineering firms. From conversations I’m having with employers, they’re finding fewer and fewer candidates that are qualified to work on their projects and replace outgoing Boomer talent.

If you have experience in the sector, this puts you in a powerful position. More opportunities plus less competition means that you basically have your pick of the jobs available. So if you’ve got a dream job or company that you want to work for, now is the time to go for it.

Candidates have the power.

Just a few years ago, we were experiencing a talent surplus and highly competitive market. In that environment, the employers had all the power.

Now the script has flipped completely. As the candidate, you have the power.

Not only can you more easily find your way into your dream job, you also have a better chance at negotiating for better opportunities & benefits:

Salary + benefits (some candidates can ask for $20K more than what they were making just a few years ago)
Responsibilities and upward mobility
Specific projects
Additional education and training

The ideal situation is when you’re able to combine a great, reputable company with exciting work and excellent compensation. With the market the way it is, there’s no reason why you can’t have all of that.

So if you’re in a situation where you’ve had to choose one or the other, now’s the time to jump into the market and see if you can level up.

Innovation & specialization are in demand.

Making a job switch shouldn’t only be based on the short term, but the long-term impact it could have on your career.

Given the demand for very specialized skill sets among engineering firms, one question you should ask when looking for a job is: Will I work on projects here that will allow me to gain new specialized skills?

For example, in automotive engineering, there is a lot of talk around autonomous & electric vehicles. The autonomous vehicle sector is slated to grow 39.4% by 2026. Additionally, most of the major OEMs have set net-zero emissions goals before 2030, meaning that they are investing heavily in electric vehicle development.

Some of the other skills that we are seeing increased demand for are:

Electrical engineering
Embedded systems
Software systems
Hardware design
Program management
Technicians
Engineering managers

As these skills become more in demand, you will become much more marketable as a candidate if you have experience in these areas. So be sure to highlight your areas of specialty on your resume, and during your screening calls and interview.

But more than that, if there are firms where you may be able to pick up some of these skills, consider prioritizing those during your search. Those may be the jobs that take you to new places in your career.

Engineering firms are looking for new leadership.

As I mentioned earlier, many senior engineering leaders are aging out of the workforce. This is resulting in not only a skill gap, but also in a leadership gap.

Not all engineers aspire to corporate leadership. And that’s totally fine. But if it’s something you’re at least open to, you’re probably going to be in a stronger position going in.

Granted, you don’t want to walk into an interview saying “I want to be a leader.” That’s not going to get you anywhere. But you can demonstrate strong leadership skills during the interview in a much subtler way:

Active listening and response to the interviewer questions
Empathy
Initiative (i.e. don’t wait for the interviewer to ask questions, you ask questions too)
Curiosity (again, ask questions)
Positive response to constructive criticism (e.g. ask them if they have concerns about your resume/experience)

By demonstrating that you have the capacity for leadership, you’re demonstrating that you can potentially fill more than one void that the market is leaving open.

Conclusion: The market is all yours.

If you want to be in the strongest position possible as a job seeker, now is the time to get into the market. You’re going to be hard pressed to find another time when the market is placing this much power into candidates’ hands.

This applies no matter where you are in the process: whether you are looking to advance to the next level, just starting out, or a tenured engineer ready for a new challenge.

Reach out to Brightwing and our trusted, people-first process can help you find your ideal job match. [/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639428925781{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

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August 2, 2021

How to Make a Career Change: Timing Your Next Career Move

Candidate Experience, Interview Tips, Job Seekers

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=””]Some know from a very early age what their calling is. But for many, the vision of the right career is not so clear.

As with anything, it may take trial and error to discover.

Truth is, it’s hard to find that sweet spot: where what you like to do overlaps with what you’re better at than most AND with what others need.

The meeting of competitive advantage with passion is where brilliant careers are born.

After a lot of trial and plenty of error, how do you know when it’s time to change fields? And is it ever too late?

Let’s walk through how to make a career change in a way that’s smart and sets you up for success.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text]

How to know it’s time to change fields.

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text css=””]Have the ups and downs of recent years opened your eyes to grim aspects of your job or industry?

Does time drag minute by minute, leaving you drained at the close of each work day?

Are you burnt out?

If yes, you’re far from alone.

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“A recent Pew Research Center survey found that 66% of the unemployed have ‘seriously considered’ changing their field of work, a far greater percentage than during the Great Recession. For example, people who used to work in restaurants or travel are finding higher-paying jobs in warehouses or real estate. Many have reconsidered their careers for something more stable and less likely to be affected by a crisis like the recent pandemic.

Even among those who have jobs, people are rethinking their options. Front-line workers are reporting high levels of burnout, causing some to seek a new career path. There’s also been a wave of retirements as workers over 50 quit because they don’t want to return to teaching, home health care, or other front-line jobs. Many workers retired as their retirement portfolios surged and they rethought their views on work. This past year taught many that life is short – so enjoy it.”

(“What’s Really Causing the Labor Shortage?” in ASE Online)

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Now is the time to ask yourself the hard questions. If you’re unhappy at work, is it because you’re in the wrong job or because you’re in the wrong career?

Start by mapping out the activities that make time fly and leave you feeling energized alongside the activities that make time crawl and leave you drained.

Can your role (perhaps at another organization) use more of your strengths? Or is it simply the wrong fit?

If your gut tells you it’s the wrong fit, it’s time to do some investigating.

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text]

How to transition wisely.

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text css=””]So let’s talk about some practical tips on how to make a career change.

First, talk to people to begin developing a strategy.

Discuss your thoughts with mentors – people who know you well at work.
Set up informational interviews with people in the new career you’re aiming at.
With their input, identify the attributes that make you special and figure out how they translate to your career aspirations.

Then, start acting.

Are there ways to dip your toe in the new career and test the hypothesis that your target career is the right one? Look for:

Volunteer opportunities
Projects
Events
Courses, trainings or bootcamps

If you’re ready to make a big career change, now is a good time to do it.

With a labor shortage and 2/3 of unemployed people considering career changes, employers are starting to anticipate and actively search for candidates in just your position.

The best organizations have built out development and “upskilling” programs to support not only their existing staff, but also to grow new hires that have raw potential.

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How to make a career change: is recruiting a good fit?

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text css=””]Most of us had no clue when we started out that we would end up with a career in recruiting.

We dipped our toe in because of the high-earning potential. Then, we stayed because recruiting rewards and sharpens the skills that come naturally to us.

When you look at Brightwing recruiters, you can see we all have a few things in common: we love people; we’re go-getters; and we want to help others get ahead.

Recognize yourself in that description? We’ve got an opportunity for people like you, whose ambition and people skills set them apart.

Come recruit at a professional recruitment agency like Brightwing – you might fall in love with it like we did.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_btn title=”Learn More About Starting a Recruiting Career at Brightwing” color=”black” size=”lg” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fbrightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com%2Fwp-content%2Fplugins%2Fbullhorn-oscp%2F%23%2Fjobs%2F30209|target:_blank”][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639429001860{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

let’s talk

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1571085449280{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

SEND US A MESSAGE

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][wpforms id=”27272″ title=”false” description=”false”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”55px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

July 28, 2021

5 Steps to Acing Your Interview

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″ css=”.vc_custom_1573242552154{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text css=””]Do you approach interviews like a student sitting down to take an exam? You “study” ahead of time, trying to anticipate the “right” answers so you can ace your job interview?

If you do, it’s time to stop.

The student-teacher analogy is the wrong one. Interviews are not tests where one side goes in blind and the other has the answer key.

Interviews are the beginning of a negotiation. You’ve got value to offer in the form of your talent, just like hiring managers have value to offer in the form of a paying job.

Here are five steps to ace your job interview and land the next step in your career.

1. Understand the stakes

Landing the wrong role can be just as devastating to your career as not landing any role at all. Your goal is not to contort yourself to fit into the mold of some ideal, hirable candidate.

Your goal is to communicate the value you could bring to the organization, as well as qualify the opportunity for yourself.

Ask yourself: what’s the worst thing that could happen? The answer: you don’t get the job. Those are the stakes – not more, not less. If the worst happens and you don’t get the job, that’s not a statement about your potential as a professional. It’s about that specific role on that specific team.

2. Qualify the opportunity

You need to make a judgment about the company you’re interviewing with, and that requires you to ask qualifying questions. The hiring manager needs to sell you not only on the role, but also on their own vision for their team.

Here’s an example of one way to do that: it’s common practice in interviews for managers to ask candidates where they see themselves in 5 years. But as the candidate, it’s time to start asking hiring managers what their 5-year strategy is.

What kind of team will they need to accomplish those goals? What kind of skills will they rely on?

Given the broader context, you can understand and show how you’re the right person not only for now, but also for the future.

3. Put your interviewer at ease

If you want to ace your job interview, don’t just focus on what you say, but how you say it.

Use the mirroring technique while interviewing to help your interviewer feel more comfortable and familiar, faster.

When you’re on the phone, listen to the tone, rate of speech or cadence of how the hiring manager is asking questions and try to match those qualities in your replies.

For example, if the manager has high energy and speaks quickly, you should try to respond with plenty of energy and pace yourself. If in person, it’s always good to match the body posture/body language, too.

4. Get comfortable with silence

As with any negotiation, rushing to fill silences puts you at a disadvantage.

When you act (and feel) like you’re on more equal footing with your interviewer, it becomes easier to allow pauses to pass naturally.

Don’t give your nerves the reigns: stay focused and concise when you answer an interviewer’s questions. Sometimes, silence is all you need to ace your job interview.

5. Ace your next job interview with the right recruiter

Pick the right recruiter.

There are a LOT of recruiters out there. So, do your research. Choose the right recruiter based on their reputation, area of focus (skillset), and location. Search for recruiters at firms that are Great Recruiters Certified, for example, as a way to narrow in on high quality.

Having the right recruiter at your side is a much more efficient way to go through a job search process, and really develop the best possible offer.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”check out our open jobs!” style=”custom” custom_background=”#ffc600″ custom_text=”#0a0a0a” shape=”round” size=”lg” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com%2Fjobs%2F|title:News%3A%20Job%20Seekers”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078567282{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639428661379{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

let’s get to know each other

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SEND US A MESSAGE

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][wpforms id=”27272″ title=”false” description=”false”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”55px”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

June 28, 2021

How to Land an Engineering Job by “Owning” Your Interview

[vc_row gap=”20″][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_single_image image=”26483″ img_size=”100×100″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_separator css=”.vc_custom_1623697841834{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_column_text]BY MIKE GOURLEY
SR. TECHNICAL RECRUITER[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Employers don’t hire for skills. They don’t hire for experience. They don’t even hire for hustle.

Sure, those things are important, but they only point to the real thing employers want: value.

They’re interested in answering one simple question:

→ How much value do you provide to the organization, and is it worth the amount they’re investing in you?

Unfortunately, both employers and candidates will often miss the mark. They’ll spend precious time during the interview just going through the resume, talking more about the what than the why.

The solution: “own” your interview. Don’t rely on the interviewer to uncover why you’re such an awesome candidate. Be proactive and do it yourself.

It’s no secret that the engineering job market is white-hot right now. In my experience, having worked with hundreds of engineering candidates, I’m seeing that candidates have more power in their hands than before.

But you can’t wield this power if you aren’t proactive during the hiring process. So here are some tips to land an engineering job in 2021 by owning your interview.

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Avoid the resume trap.

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text]In the engineering world, an “interview” will often just be two people sitting down to go over the candidate’s resume.

This is a waste of everyone’s time.

It’s not that resumes aren’t important. But people can read a resume at any time. There’s no need to spend valuable in-person time rehashing information the interviewer already knows.

On top of that, resumes are great at answering, “what have you done & what can you do?” But if you’re going to own the interview, you need to show them, “why should I hire you?”

Make your value as a candidate clear. Talk about experiences and insights that aren’t on the resume. Ask questions, tell stories, anything that engages the interviewer.

By avoiding the resume trap, you can ensure that the interviewer gets a full picture of who you are and what you have to offer.

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text]

Ask questions about the projects you’ll be working on.

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text]A lot of people think that the main goal of a job interview is to impress the interviewer. And while, yes, you want to make a great first impression, there’s more to it than that.

An interview is a conversation. You need to answer questions, but you also should be asking them.

The more information you have, the better you’ll understand whether this is somewhere where you actually would want to work:

What kinds of projects will I be working on?
Do your engineers tend to work collaboratively or individually?
What is the work environment like (fast-paced & stressful, or more balanced)?

Not only does this help you learn about the company, but it shows the interviewer that this isn’t just a J.O.B. to you, but a place where you can succeed and, God forbid, maybe enjoy your work.

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text]

Don’t oversell your contributions to past projects.

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text]A common trend I find among junior engineers is they spend way too much time talking about big, impressive projects where they made a minimal contribution. Experienced engineers, on the other hand, talk about the big contributions they made, even if the project was smaller in scope.

The people interviewing you aren’t stupid. They’ve got years and years of experience within the field. If you start overselling yourself, they’ll know.

Worse, they’ll likely use that as an opportunity to quiz you even harder. And if you can’t answer those questions, then you’re going to look a heck of a lot worse than if you had just stuck to specifics.

So stay humble. Be specific. If you can demonstrate the value you provide them, that’ll impress them more than anything.

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text]

Be prepared regardless of the interview format.

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text]Although we’re moving into a post-COVID world, there are some things that will probably stay, like the rise of video interviews over Zoom or Skype.

Now, ideally we’d like everyone to get an in-person interview. But it’s not something you can take for granted anymore. You have to be prepared for both.

Just like with the in-person interview, the goal is to be engaging and interesting. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Take the initiative. Show up a few minutes early, and be on camera and ready when the interviewer logs on.
Remember where the “eyes” are. Eye contact is so important, but remember that while we’re trained to look at a person directly, you need to look at the camera in order for it to seem like you’re making eye contact.
Actively listen. It’s hard to show that you’re engaged on a Zoom call. To combat this, make sure you’re actively listening and responding to what they say.

Overall, you may need to adapt your in-person tactics to a virtual format. But the overall idea, making yourself interesting and engaging to the interviewer, is the same across the board.

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text]

Conclusion: Show your leadership potential.

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text]One of the things that I’ve noticed about the market right now is that companies aren’t just looking for engineers. They’re also looking for leaders.

Not all engineers aspire to leadership. And that’s fine. But if you demonstrate that you have leadership qualities, it’s going to make you all the more attractive to the company, regardless of what your ultimate aspirations are.

By taking ownership of your interview and asking questions, you can demonstrate that you are a leader in your field. Interviewers will certainly see that, respond positively to it, and, hopefully, it’ll be a no-brainer for them to hire you.

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639428802606{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

let’s talk

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1571085449280{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

SEND US A MESSAGE

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][wpforms id=”27272″ title=”false” description=”false”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”55px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

June 14, 2021

Brightwing Named G.R.E.A.T. RECRUITERS CERTIFIED 2021

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Brightwing, the Talent Expert company, is pleased to announce that they have been named G.R.E.A.T. RECRUITERS CERTIFIED 2021 by G.R.E.A.T. Recruiters, a leading recruiting experience and rating management platform.

Brightwing has earned this distinction by proving that their teams guide both jobseekers and employers through a consistently high-touch, high-quality experience throughout the recruitment life cycle.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by an industry leader like G.R.E.A.T. Recruiters for providing a recruiting experience that exceeds the highest industry standards,” says Aaron Chernow, CEO of Brightwing.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_single_image image=”27904″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text]By continuously soliciting feedback and then sharing that feedback publicly, Brightwing has demonstrated its commitment to transparency and excellence.

In order to earn the distinction of becoming G.R.E.A.T. RECRUITERS CERTIFIED, recruiting firms were required to meet a set of criteria which included: 1) regularly soliciting feedback from jobseekers and placed talent; 2) achieving an average Great Recruiters rating of 4.6 or higher; and 3) at least 33% of the recruiting team achieving G.R.E.A.T. Recruiter certification.

Brightwing met this criteria as part of their larger commitment to cultivating a growth culture. Brightwing is committed to delivering the highest quality experience to every candidate and client — a promise that translates into constant efforts to improve and to grow on the part of each individual Brightwinger, of each team, and of the organization as a whole.

“The feedback provided by G.R.E.A.T. Recruiters has proved invaluable in our ability to go above and beyond for those we serve,” explains George Optiz, President of Brightwing. The organization is proud to achieve excellent results for its clients and candidates and looking forward to continuing to refine and improve over the coming years.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639173402144{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

let’s talk

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1571085449280{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”]

SEND US A MESSAGE

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][wpforms id=”27272″ title=”false” description=”false”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”55px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

March 31, 2021

The Perils of the Counteroffer

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]You’ve reached the point of no return. You’re ready to leave your job and take on a new role.

So, you call up your go-to recruiter, get in front of a few great opportunities, and then accept the offer you’ve been hoping for.

When you put in your two-weeks’ notice, though, you get a surprise.

Your manager is not going to let you go that easily. You’re “too valuable” to lose, and so management offers you a HEFTY raise to stay on.

What would you do?

The Rule of Thumb on Counteroffers

Most people will advise you to turn the counteroffer down.

For good reason.

Here are a few questions Brightwing Recruiters advise candidates to ask themselves when presented with lucrative counters:

Did you try fixing the problems you faced in your role before you planned your exit? If you did and things did not improve, why would they now?
More on those problems – do you remember what they were and why they had become so intolerable to you? If your problems involved more than a light paycheck, then more money won’t fix your role in the long term.
How do you think your relationship with your manager will change now that he or she knows you were so close to walking out?
Are you happy to burn the bridge with the new organization you were so excited to join? Is it worthwhile to damage your reputation by accepting an offer and then reneging?

Your answers to these questions most likely will lead you to rejecting the counter.

Case Study: The Counteroffer That Didn’t Live Happily Ever After

Just a couple months ago, Brightwing Financial Services Recruiter Kim Lewis got to know an amazing mortgage professional. Sarah (not her real name) was a VP with lots of experience and ambition who felt ready to leave her current position.

Why? Sarah had been promised a strategic role that would make an impact on operations, but five years in, the organization had done nothing but resist her influence and burn out her team.

So, when Kim introduced Sarah to an opportunity with a fast-growing mortgage lender, it was a match made in heaven. An offer was extended, and she accepted excitedly.

Sarah put in her two-weeks’ notice and got ready to start her new role. But a week after she resigned, she got a call from the president of her former employer. He offered not only a 40% raise, but also promised to make the operational changes she so badly wanted.

After thinking it over, Sarah called up Kim and told her she felt she owed her former team a second chance. Kim advised her against taking the counteroffer, but Sarah felt she needed to accept.

A couple of weeks went by, and Kim decided to ring Sarah and see how things were going.

Kim found out some surprising, but also not-so-surprising news. Accepting the counteroffer backfired on Sarah. Yes, she got the raise. But the promise that her voice would be heard immediately fell through.

Piece by piece, all the promised changes were deemed “impossible” to make. She was resisted not only by management, but also by her coworkers.

Sarah told Kim that she realized that the past five years told her more about the company than a solitary phone call with the president did.

The fatter paycheck didn’t cancel out any of these issues, and Sarah wanted the new job again. Unfortunately, it was not to be.

By accepting the counter, Sarah learned the hard way that:

Money doesn’t fix the things that probably make you want to leave in the first place.
Your relationship with your boss will suffer.
Your relationship with colleagues will suffer.
You’ll damage your reputation by accepting an offer and then reneging.

Key Takeaway: Ask for what you need before you go find another offer. If things don’t get better, then it’s time to move on. No counteroffer will suffice.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1639429033551{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

interested in expanding
your career horizons in 2021?

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SEND US A MESSAGE

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January 28, 2021

What NOT to Care About at Work

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The pandemic and recent economic hardships have affected more than just the “where” and “when” of our work days.

It’s changed our work values.

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”25px”][vc_column_text]We’ve all spent a lot of time thinking and talking about remote work – especially whether it’s desirable once its urgent necessity fades. It’s an important subject, but it’s only a small piece of a larger discussion.

Hardship can shine a strong light on the things that really matter and leave everything else in the shadows. It can be a clarifying experience that helps us reset and refocus.

What’s important to us in our work lives? And how do our current models and structures support those work values?

If you found yourself struggling to find meaning in your work – why? And what should you do about it?

If you found that working for a big name in your industry didn’t save your position when their bottom-line was under threat – how do you conceptualize job security now? And what are you looking for from your next employer?

We need to ask ourselves and each other these questions in order to get a broader perspective and make better decisions about the opportunities that lie ahead of us.

To get the conversation going, we surveyed professionals in financial services, engineering, operations, and IT who hold FTE (full-time employee) and contract positions.

The results were interesting.

Here are three insights into which work values matter, and which ones don’t:

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#1 — Working on “Significant” Projects > Opportunities for Promotion

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”25px”][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text]When asked how they’d rank the following aspects of work, in aggregate, respondents chose the following order:

1. WORKING ON INTERESTING, SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS THAT PUSH YOUR CAREER FORWARD

2. FLEXIBILITY: SCHEDULE AND LOCATION

3. A ROBUST BENEFITS PACKAGE: MEDICAL, 401K, PROFIT SHARING

4. OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROMOTION

5. GETTING PAID OVERTIME

6. WORKING FOR A NOTABLE COMPANY IN MY INDUSTRY – A BIG NAME

What does this order of priorities telegraph?

For one, 52% of respondents said that doing “interesting,” career-propelling work outweighs all the other options. That is a striking statistic, especially as compared to the second-runner up: “flexibility” was ranked 1st by 20% of respondents.

What does it mean to value “significant” work so highly? It very well could signal a shift to an employment model growing in popularity across all industries: project work.

Rather than let their careers take shape around the organization they happen to join, perhaps more professionals are going to take a more active or assertive role and carve out a career consisting of a series of meaningful challenges.

Thanks to its defined scope and – you guessed it – flexibility, project work may prove the most satisfying option for more people in the very near future.

IN FACT, WHEN ASKED IF OPEN TO CONTRACT POSITIONS, 68.8% OF RESPONDENTS ANSWERED “YES.”

One respondent elaborated:

“It helps you keep work / life priorities in check and avoid the false sense of security that comes with FTE. Further, I think it helps keep skills up and you’re able to have a lot more experiences with different companies, technologies.”

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#2 — 1/3 of Survey Respondents Believe Job Security is a Myth

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”25px”][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text]When asked about their take on job security looking ahead to 2021, this is how survey respondents answered:

44% – JOB SECURITY IS REAL, AND IT’S HIGH ON MY LIST OF PRIORITIES

33% – JOB SECURITY IS A MYTH. TALENT IS WHAT MOVES YOUR CAREER FORWARD.

21% – JOB SECURITY IS PRETTY RARE. IT’S A “NICE TO HAVE” NOT A “NEED TO HAVE.”

2% – OTHER

Taking a deeper dive, it seems that for just over half of respondents, job security takes a back seat to other priorities.

Perhaps 2020 exposed the fact that even the most secure-seeming jobs are not impervious to economic downturns.

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#3 — 80% of Respondents Report a Neutral or Positive Outlook on 2021

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”25px”][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text]The majority of our survey respondents were decidedly NOT pessimistic about what 2021 holds for them at work.



2.7%	17.3%	42.7%	30.7%	6.7%

2020 could have sent our outlook plummeting. But it looks like many of us have resisted the temptation to expect the worst.

Hope springs from many sources. Perhaps our resilience – as well as our ability to takes things remote and virtual – has opened up new ways of looking at the economy and all the possibilities it holds.

HERE’S TO A YEAR AHEAD THAT’S BETTER THAN THE ONE NEARLY BEHIND US![/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1585078267198{background-image: url(https://brightwingbdev.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/yellow-rectangle-scaled.jpg?id=27545) !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1605988236836{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;}”]

interested in expanding
your career horizons?

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SEND US A MESSAGE

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November 21, 2020

Has Remote Work Lived Up to Its Promise?

[vc_row gap=”35″][vc_column width=”2/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]On our worst days in years past, remote work was like a mirage. An image of perfection – of cool breezes and comfortable freedom hidden away from the monotony of the cultural desert called the “office.”

It functioned like a paradise mostly out of reach. We could step inside the cool, calm hush for a day here and there. But the next morning, parked back at our desks, it might as well have been a dream.

Fast forward to now, and the mirage has evaporated. The sweet, clean promise of remote work has slipped into the grimy reality of every day.

Now that we’ve lived it for more than a few months, is remote work a savior? Or has easy couch-lounging transformed into a hunched living room prison sentence?

We surveyed a diverse cross-section of professionals with backgrounds in financial services, engineering, manufacturing, information technology, and marketing, among others. Here’s what we found out.

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State of Remote Work, 2020

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”30px”][vc_separator][vc_empty_space height=”30px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][vc_column_text]The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in 2019, 16% of the US workforce worked remotely at least part of the time.

As you’d imagine, remote work in 2020 so far has taken a giant step up.

82% of the 172 people we surveyed worked remotely at least part of the time in 2020.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”3/4″][vc_single_image image=”27815″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1601320758343{margin-top: 100px !important;padding-bottom: 25px !important;}”]

Significant Upsides…

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”30px”][vc_separator][vc_empty_space height=”30px”][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1586896844548{margin-top: 50px !important;margin-bottom: 50px !important;padding-bottom: 50px !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”2/3″][vc_single_image image=”27816″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]Our respondents say the most important benefit of remote work has been cutting out the commute (43%).

Schedule and location flexibility come in close behind at 37%.

Not needing to leave home appears to have a huge impact on our satisfaction.

That could be for several reasons. Perhaps we enjoy the extra time we “get back” in our day, however we may use it.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]Maybe navigating traffic or crowds takes a toll on our energy or happiness. Less obviously – maybe we relish staying still.

Flexibility – the runner up – has everything to do with autonomy. Even as the “where” becomes less and less flexible under lockdown orders, the freedom to choose “when” you start, end, and pick your day back up gives remote work a lot of its shine.

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…and Decided Drawbacks

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Remote work is not all upside, however.

The top 3 drawbacks of remote work are neck-in-neck with each other…[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1586896834006{margin-top: 50px !important;margin-bottom: 50px !important;padding-bottom: 50px !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][vc_column_text]31% pointed to a feeling of isolation or disconnection from their organization.

29% indicated that remote work has created longer workdays with fewer clear stopping points.

And 25% experience systems issues that highlight an undercooked remote infrastructure.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”3/4″][vc_single_image image=”27817″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text]These popular problems could reflect how quickly and unexpectedly organizations were forced to go remote.

Whether through culture-building efforts, more frequent communications, or just plain old investment in technology, leadership could theoretically mitigate these issues over time.

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The Future of Remote Work

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How do the negatives stack up against the positives? It all comes down to a question of how people would prefer to work going forward. And their answer is loud and clear.

Remote work HAS in large part lived up to its promise.

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1586896838426{margin-top: 50px !important;margin-bottom: 50px !important;padding-bottom: 50px !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”2/3″][vc_single_image image=”27818″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]94% of respondents prefer to work remotely – at least part of the time.

51% of survey respondents said they’d want a combination of remote and in-office work.

43% said they’d like to go all-in on remote.

And only 6% preferred that they work in the office all the time.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”30px”][vc_column_text]What does this mean for the future of our working lives?

These results – as limited as they are – lead one to believe that remote work isn’t going anywhere.

Organizations do need to embrace it as an undeniable feature of our new working landscape. And that means they’ll need to do their best to optimize it.

As employers, how can we devise a framework that maximizes the value of in-person collaboration and of remote-style autonomy? Our consultants have some ideas…[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]

contact us:

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let’s talk

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SEND US A MESSAGE.

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][wpforms id=”27272″ title=”false” description=”false”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”55px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

September 28, 2020

3 #WFH Tips from the Experts

[vc_row gap=”35″][vc_column width=”8/12″ css=”.vc_custom_1585147951750{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}”][vc_column_text]Everyday, we hear another announcement that a tech giant’s employees can expect to work from home permanently.

Even for those who still plan to return to the office, the road back may be longer than we thought.

How do we adapt to our new circumstances?

Watch the video below for 3 pieces of advice from the experts. And keep scrolling for some of the best resources on how to thrive in remote work.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QKLfPxMfbI”][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text]Transcript of the Video

Remote work isn’t going anywhere. And that raises a lot of questions.

How do you avoid burnout over the long term? How do you strengthen team bonds? How do you motivate (and stay motivated)?

Here are 3 pieces of #WFH advice from the experts…

1. It’s all about the boundaries, baby!

The pre-pandemic commute was useful. It helped you shift mental gears.

Dr. Sara Perry of Baylor University says you need to preserve that mental shift when you’re at home — “even if you’re just moving from one spot on the couch to the other.” Set a time to end the workday, and stick to it! Put your work things away and make room for home life.

Dr. Perry says it’s critical to do this because “you’re already being challenged in terms of your personal resources. You still have to take that recovery time from work.”

(Jen A. Miller, “How to Work From Home, If You’ve Never Done It Before,” NY Times)

2. All you have to do is call… you’ve got a friend!

“When there’s no office to influence spontaneous informal communication, you must be intentional to weave it into your day.

Create an always-on video conferencing room that your team can work from. (And remember, in a remote setting, it’s OK to look away!

Schedule regular virtual coffee chats and happy hours using a video call.”

(The Remote Playbook from the largest all-remote company in the world, Gitlab)

3. Eyes on the prize!

“In remote work, we don’t need micromanagers. We need ‘macromanagers‘ to highlight our contribution to the team and reinforce the broader purpose of our work. One of the most meaningful parts of a manager’s job is making other people’s jobs more meaningful.”

(Adam Grant, Organizational Psychologist at Wharton School of Business)

As a leader, connect projects to the larger story. Why is it important? How does it get us closer to achieving our goals? What progress have we made?

As a team member, ask the questions that get you (and the rest of the team) to see the “why.”

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Great Resources for Remote Work

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Gitlab is the world’s largest all-remote organization – with more than 1200 employees across 67 countries. They offer a wealth of WFH resources, including: The GitLab Remote Playbook: Covering Fundamentals to Long-Term Strategy. Leadership teams and employees alike will find useful explanations on how to build culture remotely. No surprise here: they’re very focused on documenting cultural standards. No rule shall go unwritten!
Gitlab also offers this more tactical take on adjusting to working from home: Remote work starter guide for employees: how to adjust to work-from-home
Zapier is a 100% distributed company with over 300 remote employees in 17 time zones and 28 countries. They’ve compiled a huge compendium of remote work resources: Zapier’s guide to working remotely
This Career Karma Guide to Remote Working busts some common myths about remote work, including the myth that you need to work longer and harder to compensate for being remote.

Do you have your own #wfh tips? Let us know and join the conversation![/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”25px”][vc_empty_space height=”50px”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/12″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/12″ css=”.vc_custom_1585148386924{background-color: #f7f7f7 !important;}” offset=”vc_hidden-xs”][vc_column_text]

contact us:

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talk to a brightwing recruiter

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SEND US A MESSAGE

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May 27, 2020

How to Build Trust & Confidence in the Virtual Hiring Process

[vc_row][vc_column width=”4/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1585081315933{margin-right: 20px !important;margin-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text]The interview and hiring process has gone completely virtual.

For most, this marks a big change in the way hiring gets done. Sure, we’re all used to preliminary screening phone calls and even first interviews over video conference calls. But the process usually culminates with an in-person meeting.

In the recent past, we’ve had the means to hire virtually, but not the will.

Why? We often avoided going all-virtual because some of the data we process when we make hiring and career decisions comes from non-verbal cues that are easier to decipher in person.

We ask: How well would we get along with this person? How well would they get along with the team? And the answers can depend a lot on the quality of in-person interactions.

Now that hiring needs to happen virtually, how can employers learn enough about their candidates to feel confident making an offer?

And on the other side, without visiting the office and meeting the team in person, how can candidates get comfortable enough with a new employer to accept an offer?

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Getting to the Offer

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”30px”][vc_separator][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text]The basics of an excellent hiring process remain the same, virtual or not.

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1586893838228{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-left: 10px !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”5/12″ css=”.vc_custom_1586894385955{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-right-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}” el_id=”box-shadow”][vc_single_image image=”27603″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1586895993812{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-right-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;border-left-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1586893371065{background-color: #f4f4f4 !important;}”]

FOR EMPLOYERS

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Get very clear on which skills and strengths are most important in the role; use assessments to check on required skills; check references and use interviews to assess soft skills and personality fit.

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”50px”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/12″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”5/12″ css=”.vc_custom_1586894377488{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-right-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;border-left-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}” el_id=”box-shadow”][vc_single_image image=”27604″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1586896065247{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-right-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;border-left-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1586893617608{background-color: #f4f4f4 !important;}”]

FOR CANDIDATES

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Know what your strengths are and what you need in an employer to perform at your best; use the interview process to investigate what the employer’s goals are and discover how you would help to achieve them as part of the team.

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”50px”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/12″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1587132077084{margin-top: 40px !important;padding-bottom: 100px !important;}”]Here’s what’s changed: with virtual hiring, the hard part is getting comfortable with the “get to know you” part.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1586897102280{margin-top: 100px !important;padding-bottom: 25px !important;}”]

Building Trust Virtually

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1586896844548{margin-top: 50px !important;margin-bottom: 50px !important;padding-bottom: 50px !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”27614″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Video calls can be awkward – people accidentally talking over each other, unnatural pauses, accidental distractions. Whatever you do, don’t rush. Give yourself the time to get to know the person on the other end of the call. Start with a short video interview – enough to get a first impression. Then, with your best candidates, schedule a longer video call.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_separator][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1586896834006{margin-top: 50px !important;margin-bottom: 50px !important;padding-bottom: 50px !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”27615″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]When you’re in the same room, it’s a bit easier to get an understanding of what someone is like. Even without explicit questions, you can sense their communication style and respond to their body language. In a video call, you don’t have access to that kind of non-verbal data. So sub in a different but similar data set: ask them about their interests and about what they do in their free time and volunteer that information about yourself.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_separator][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1586896838426{margin-top: 50px !important;margin-bottom: 50px !important;padding-bottom: 50px !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”27616″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Adjustments to your video call technique will help you come across as more engaged and present. It’ll also bring the virtual interaction closer to the real thing, and comfort on both sides of the interview will increase.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text]

Get the set up right. If you’re using a laptop, put it on a box or a stack of books and set it a bit back. You want your head and shoulders in the frame so that it feels like you’re sitting across the table from each other. Natural light is best, and make sure you’re not backlit. That way, the other person can see your face and read your expressions easily.
Minimize distractions. That means not only silencing your phone, but also turning off email notifications, as well as anything else that could interrupt your conversation. Wearing bright, solid colors helps your face to pop on camera. Patterned or shiny fabrics work fine in in-person interviews, but in the two-dimensional world of virtual conversations, they siphon attention away from what you have to say.
Perfect your video call body language. It’s natural when you’re on your computer to sit back and curve your head and shoulders toward the screen. In an interview, don’t. Whether you’re the one asking or answering the questions, you want to exude a strong presence. Sit on the edge of your chair. It’ll be easier to have good posture and project your voice.
Eye contact on a video chat can be tricky. For more natural-feeling conversation, it’s easy to look at the other person’s face. But to simulate true eye contact, you’d have to look directly into the camera. Consider looking into the camera when you’re talking and looking at the screen when the other person speaks.

See the subtle but powerful difference it makes:[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1586898028620{margin-top: 15px !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”27613″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”27611″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/12″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/12″ css=”.vc_custom_1586980478575{background-color: #f7f7f7 !important;}” offset=”vc_hidden-xs”][vc_column_text]

contact us:

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let’s talk your career

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SEND US A MESSAGE

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April 21, 2020

Cecil the CISO’s 10 Best Tips for Cybersecurity Job Seekers