Tag Job Candidate

You may have noticed that the job market has witnessed unprecedented volatility in recent years. With rapid technological advancements and global economic shifts leaving many professionals feeling uncertain about their career stability, it is crucial to take proactive steps to enhance job security. Here are three strategies to improve your job security.

1. Commit to Continuous Learning

The most adaptable employees are often the most secure. Committing to continuous learning is an excellent way to ensure you remain an indispensable asset to your company. This could mean pursuing advanced certificates in your field, engaging in additional training, or even branching out to learn complementary skills that are in demand.

Online courses, workshops, and webinars have made it easier than ever to keep your knowledge base fresh and relevant. Technologies and methodologies evolve, and by staying current, you demonstrate a commitment to your role and the broader industry. Whether it’s mastering new software, understanding emerging market trends, or becoming proficient in a foreign language, every new skill you acquire could be the one that solidifies your position.

2. Seek Constructive Feedback

Constructive feedback is a growth opportunity in disguise. Consider scheduling regular reviews with your upper management and be open to the feedback they provide. It’s an occasion to understand how you’re perceived within the organization and what you can do to improve.

Don’t just passively accept feedback—act on it. If your manager suggests enhancing your leadership skills, look for opportunities to lead a project or mentor a colleague. If there’s a gap in your technical knowledge, find resources to fill it. By demonstrating that you take feedback seriously and are willing to work on your areas for improvement, you not only become a better employee but also show your superiors that you’re invested in your career and the company’s success.

3. Exceed Job Expectations

To truly secure your place in the workforce, aim to consistently go beyond what’s expected of you in your role. This doesn’t mean overworking yourself to burnout; rather, it’s about adding value in innovative and meaningful ways.

For instance, if you’re in a customer service position, exceeding expectations could mean finding new ways to enhance the customer experience. If you’re in software development, it could involve suggesting improvements to workflows that increase productivity. By taking the initiative and showing that you’re not just there to do your job but to improve the way it’s done, you position yourself as a proactive and forward-thinking employee.

While these strategies can greatly improve your job security, sometimes the best move for your career is to explore new opportunities. At ABBTECH, we specialize in connecting professionals with fulfilling roles that match their skills and ambitions. Browse our open career opportunities today and see how we can help you secure your professional future.

Disciplining employees is a delicate endeavor that requires finesse, empathy, and a clear strategy. As managers and leaders, it’s our responsibility to maintain a positive work environment while ensuring that performance issues are addressed promptly and effectively. In this blog, we’ll explore the best advice for reprimanding employees with the aim of fostering growth and maintaining workplace harmony.

Emphasize Privacy and Respect

First and foremost, avoid publicly calling attention to mistakes. The initial reaction to an error might be to address it immediately; however, this can lead to embarrassment and resentment. Instead, opt for a private 1-on-1 conversation where the focus can be on giving constructive criticism. If necessary, include an HR representative to ensure the meeting stays on track and all parties feel supported.

Seek to Understand

When sitting down with an employee, strive to understand their intentions and the context behind their actions. Often, what might appear as negligence could be a result of miscommunication or lack of resources. By approaching the conversation with an open mind, you help create a safe space for the employee to share their perspective and for you to provide guidance without undermining their confidence.

Offer Constructive Solutions

Work closely with the employee to dissect the issues they were facing and discuss what could have been done differently. Offer alternatives and solutions, rather than just pointing out what went wrong. This approach not only helps rectify the current situation but also equips your team member with the tools to handle similar challenges in the future, ultimately enhancing their professional development.

Keep a Record

Maintaining a log of these disciplinary conversations is crucial. Documenting the details of each meeting serves multiple purposes: it provides a reference for any follow-up actions, helps track the employee’s progress, and ensures consistency in your management approach. This record will be invaluable if the issue becomes recurrent and more serious steps need to be taken.

Focus on Improvement, Not Punishment

Remember, the goal of discipline is not to punish but to correct and improve. Your approach should always be from a place of wanting to see your team succeed. Positive reinforcement, alongside constructive criticism, can work wonders in motivating employees to improve their performance and avoid future missteps.

Establish a Clear Path Forward

In the unfortunate event that disciplinary actions escalate, having a structured process in place, such as a performance improvement plan (PIP), can help both the employee and the company. A PIP outlines specific expectations and benchmarks for improvement, providing a clear roadmap to success. It also demonstrates your commitment to your team’s growth, rather than a rush to termination.

Need Help Hiring? We’re Here for You

Finally, if you find yourself in need of additional support for hiring and building a robust team for the year ahead, don’t hesitate to connect with the team at ABBTECH. We’re here to assist you in creating a strong, cohesive workforce that can navigate challenges effectively and with a positive spirit. Contact us today!

Many have found themselves wondering: wouldn’t it be amazing if there was a sort of “dating app” for careers? A matchmaker that could effortlessly pair you with the job of your dreams, much like finding a perfect partner. Well, hold onto your resumes, because the concept of a career matchmaker is not only intriguing but also increasingly becoming a reality. Let’s leap into the world of career matchmaking, and see how you can swipe right on your ideal job!

The Rise of Career Matchmaking Services

The idea of career matchmaking has been around for a while but has gained significant traction in recent years thanks to advancements in technology. These services, often accessed through web platforms and mobile apps, aim to connect job seekers with potential employers in a manner that is both efficient and personalized. Like their romantic counterparts, career matchmaking apps use algorithms and data to analyze your skills, experiences, and preferences to suggest jobs that could be “the one.”

Understanding the Chemistry Between You and Your Career

Finding a career that clicks isn’t just about the paycheck or the title. It’s about the intricate dance of your values, your skills, and the workplace culture. Career matchmaking services consider various factors to ensure a harmonious relationship between you and your future employer. They look at the industry you’re passionate about, the work-life balance you desire, and the growth opportunities that are important to you. By doing so, these services can present options that resonate with your career aspirations and personality.

Swiping Right on the Job of Your Dreams

How do you ensure that you’re making the right moves to find a career match made in heaven? Here are some tips to get you swiping in the right direction:

Know Thyself: Before you start looking for matches, have a clear understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, and what you are looking for in a career.

Update Your Profile: Keep your resume and professional profiles up to date with your latest skills and experiences. This will help career matchmakers to find the best possible matches for you.

Be Open: Sometimes, the best opportunities come from unexpected places. Be open to exploring roles or industries you may not have considered before.

Engage: Active participation on these platforms can improve your visibility to potential employers. Engage with content, network with other professionals, and stay active.

Feedback is Key: Use feedback from failed matches or interviews to refine your search criteria and improve your chances of finding the perfect job.

ABBTECH’s Career Portal: Your Matchmaking Haven

If you’re eager to start the journey toward finding your career soulmate, look no further than ABBTECH’s career portal. Our innovative platform is designed to simplify the matchmaking process, using state-of-the-art technology and experienced team members to connect you with job opportunities that align with your skills and passions. Whether you’re looking for your first job or aiming to pivot to a new industry, ABBTECH is the starting point for a fulfilling career journey.

Ready to start your journey and find your perfect career match? Contact us at ABBTECH today!

Hiring engineering talent can be challenging, especially if you are not a trained engineer. How you evaluate their skills depends on the position you’re hiring for, the types of projects they’ll be working on, and your company culture. With so many different types of engineers, you need different interview techniques to evaluate them properly.

This blog will cover three effective interview techniques that can help you evaluate an engineering candidate’s technical skills, as well as their personality and soft skills.

1. Focus on Content

Before interviewing candidates, you must decide exactly what core skills you are looking for. Look at the purpose of the engineering role and what technical or practical expertise is needed. Consider bringing in one of your senior engineers to consult about exactly what skills you’re looking for. You could also ask your whole engineering team what questions they would like to be asked to test a candidate’s aptitude for the position.

2. Be Consistent

Once you establish what you are looking for, be consistent with each candidate interview. Ask every candidate the same questions; this will allow you to effectively compare candidates and more accurately determine who fits the role.

Consistency in your interview questions helps you avoid being biased toward candidates. Prime talent may not shine on paper. Resumes, specifically educational credits and past work experience, can be impressive. However, just because a candidate looks good on paper does not mean they will be a good fit for your company and the role in question. Asking consistent questions allows you to compare candidates on a level playing field.

3. Be Creative

When it comes to evaluating engineering talent, be creative with your questions. The goal is to evaluate how a candidate will handle a problem or provide a strategy to help them succeed in the role you seek to fill. Your engineering team can be very helpful in formulating questions that determine technical skills and assess the candidate’s soft skills in handling situations.

Conclusion

Preparing an effective engineering interview takes time, patience, and focus. By focusing on the hard and soft skills needed for the role and enlisting your engineering team to help you vet prospective candidates, you can develop practical questions and techniques to interview engineering candidates and find the right fit for the job.

Let us help you hire top engineering talent! Contact ABBTECH today!

Many older people left their jobs during the pandemic, reversing the long-term trend of older workers delaying retirement. Now, with the pandemic over and the cost-of-living soaring, many of these over-50 workers and early retirees are choosing to return to work. This job market phenomenon has been dubbed “The Great Unretirement.”

The Great Unretirement is poised to become a major factor in the current and future job market.

In this blog, we’ll look at some of the reasons for the Great Unretirement. As well as how this return of veteran workers could benefit your business.

Reasons for the Great Unretirement

One of the main factors motivating older people to return to the workplace is financial. The current state of the economy, including the steady rise in the cost of living, is causing many retirees to dip into their savings to make ends meet. Guaranteed funds for their golden years are dwindling, and with no steady source of income to replenish those coffers, older people are finding it necessary to look for jobs with a steady income.

Other reasons for the Great Unretirement include a waning of pandemic-related health concerns, increased longevity, a higher retirement age, and underfunding of pension programs.

The Great Unretirement and the Skills Gap

Industries across the board are facing a serious talent shortage. This shortage is primarily due to a skills gap. Meaning that, while many workers are available, finding the right candidate to fulfill the role’s needs is difficult.

Many of the skills needed are soft skills that take time to develop. Older workers have not only had years to develop these skills but also practiced them actively in the workforce. Skills such as resilience, adaptability, flexibility, empathy, and diplomacy are highly valued soft skills that older workers will bring to your company.

While many younger workers have the credentials and education to secure a job. What they lack is the practical experience or the nurtured instincts that a veteran worker would have.

Conclusion

The Great Unretirement will bring many skilled, talented workers back into play. As older people return to the workforce, whether in a temporary, part-time, or full-time capacity. Companies need to be ready to take advantage of the highly skilled, valuable workers. And welcome them into the workforce once more.

If your team is missing key members, let our team find your missing piece! Contact ABBTECH today!

You do your very best at work and you’ve got your eye on a raise or promotion. How do you get your boss to notice what a great job your doing? Getting noticed at work may seem difficult, but there are proactive ways to get yourself out there and get your accomplishments in the spotlight. This blog will break down five tips to get your good work noticed and get you closer to leveling up at work.

1. Show Initiative

Picking up more work may seem counterintuitive, but offering  to help before someone asks you makes you look proactive and willing to stretch. Lend a hand with a new project, especially if you need to learn new skills. Every effort is a chance to build on your experience and increase your value. Plus, your bosses will take note of the initiative you show.

2. Networking

Whether it’s a brief chat with your coworkers or a monthly meeting with the boss, build rapport with those around you and foster valuable networking connections. Building strong bonds could pay off when a mid-level boss moves to corporate or an assistant becomes a manager. Plus, solid, positive connections with others eases individual stress and improves productivity.

3. Become a Positive Presence at Work

Workplace culture played in role in your job choice, so don’t forget to be a part of it. Socialization at work is vital for keeping you in sight of bosses and coworkers. Good leaders stay calm under pressure and help the team be calmer and more positive.

4. Speak Up at Meetings

You may not always have data or specific knowledge in mind, but your willingness to speak up and say something gets attention. Ensure that what you say adds to the conversation instead of being repetitive or distracting. You’ll demonstrate your knowledge and skills, and your attendance at the meeting will be more memorable.

5. Be a Team Player

Remember that you’re part of a team, too. Be prepared to stand out amongst your colleagues and impress your bosses, but never at anyone’s expense. Remember your professional goals as you turn in the best team performance possible.

Conclusion

When you want to get noticed at work, the hardest part is getting started. Remember the above tips to stay focused and on the path to that promotion or raise you deserve.

If you’re ready for a new job altogether, start your search with us at ABBTECH!

World Staffing Awards has named ABBTECH Professional Resources, Inc (ABBTECH) as one of the Top Staffing Companies to Work for in 2023. The award, presented by Candidate.Ly, recognizes superior achievement in performance and culture by top staffing companies. This year’s winners were honored during the World Staffing Summit, which took place on January 24, 2023.

About ABBTECH

In addition to being a top staffing company, ABBTECH is also a successful woman-owned business. ABBTECH has been built on a foundation envisioned by founder and CEO Kathleen C. Baker. Building on her employment service industry experience, Mrs. Baker focused on building a family-owned business that fosters a family-oriented culture for employees.  

Communication is at the heart of this dynamic. As a top staffing company, ABBTECH listens to their clients, connecting with them and forming meaningful relationships that help their clients achieve the results they are looking for. Whether assisting a business with its staffing needs or helping an IT candidate find their next position on their career path, ABBTECH is there.

Award-Winning Qualities

What makes ABBTECH an award-winning place to work? The same qualities that make them stand out as a staffing firm.

When you’re an employee at ABBTECH, you know ABBTECH is there for you. ABBTECH will take the time to understand where you’re coming from as an employee and individual. ABBTECH will work with you to meet your goals and rise to the challenges ahead so you can do your best.

They listen and speak to you. Clear communication is vital to building a positive workplace culture, and ABBTECH succeeds on multiple levels. You’ll always know where you stand, with the door open to talk and exchange feedback.

At ABBTECH, it’s their job to know the latest technology and strategies. Staying curious and bringing new ideas regularly keeps things fresh and competitive within the industry.

Conclusion

With over half a century of combined experience in the staffing industry, ABBTECH is dedicated to providing its clients with the best opportunities to find top-talent. For employees, ABBTECH offers an award-winning experience. If you’re a staffing professional eager to help people find their dream jobs and assist companies as they grow and thrive, then ABBTECH is the place for you.

Ready to find your dream job? Let our award-winning team help you search. Contact ABBTECH today!

Scheduled time off is always something to look forward to. For some of us, though, it can be anxiety-inducing. We worry about the work waiting for us or how people will feel about our absence. Your paid time off (PTO) should be relaxing and restful. With that in mind, here are four tips and tricks to help you improve your time off and make your PTO more enjoyable.

Tip #1: Plan your PTO well in advance.

The first way you can improve your time off is to plan for your time off as early as possible. If you are planning a vacation or want to take a specific holiday off, don’t wait to put in your request. This increases the chances you will get your time off. It also gives you ample time to rearrange your plans if you cannot get the time you want.

Tip #2: Prioritize tasks.

In the weeks before your PTO, take a serious look at the tasks you need to complete. Make a list of what needs to be done before you take time off and what can wait. When you organize your tasks this way, you’ll accomplish more and feel at ease during your time off.

Tip #3: Make a “To-Do” list.

Make a separate “to-do” list for when you return. Review all the tasks you determined can wait, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks when you return. Not only will this jog your memory when you return, but it will help your team be on the same page as you.

Tip #4: Let people know.

Don’t assume that your coworkers and clients know you’re scheduled for time off. Even if you have a courtesy Out of Office (OOO) reply to your correspondence, you may receive last-minute requests that add stress to your PTO. Take the time to let others know you’ll be unavailable and for how long. Also, provide an email contact for support, HR, or another department in case of emergency requests.

Conclusion

Your time off from work should be a period of relaxation and renewal. Don’t allow stress to creep in and ruin an otherwise enjoyable vacation. Taking a few steps to smooth the way, prioritize tasks, and let others know you’ll be away will improve your time off.

Looking for a new role? Start your search with ABBTECH today!

Being a manager means taking responsibility for your team, including handling and transforming the underperforming employee. When an employee isn’t pulling his or her weight, it affects the entire team’s performance.

If you feel like your team is suffering because of an underperforming employee, you have to consider why it’s happening and what you can do to manage it. Try these five steps to assess the situation and transform an underperforming employee:

1. Address the Problem

When an employee is underperforming, you want to address the issue immediately. Be tactful and discuss their poor performance with constructive criticism. Explain that you’ve observed a decline in their work and wondered if something is happening. Listen to your employee, paying attention to any cue for conflict or a need for further training. Also, consider that there may be issues outside of work.

2. Set Attainable Goals

A good manager will allow the employee to turn things around and improve his or her performance. Identify resources and tools to help the employee improve their work situation. Look for support options as well, such as professional training and software. It is essential that you make clear your expectation for performance improvement.

3. Assess Progress and Provide Feedback

Set aside time to assess your employee’s progress and provide feedback. Ask about any challenges they are facing and what support would be helpful. Recognize what the employee is doing well and what needs work. Ensure that you document these meetings.

4. Reward Performance Improvement

A word of encouragement can go a long way toward improving performance quality. If an underperforming employee is trying to improve, acknowledge it. A kind word of praise will help them stay on track and provide a positive incentive and guidance as they continue to improve.

5. Know When to Let Go

One of the most challenging aspects of transforming an underperforming employee is when you recognize that you can’t help them. Sometimes even the best efforts, guidance, and support cannot motivate an employee to up their performance. If you have provided ample opportunities and assistance and their performance is still lacking, it may be time to part ways. Though this is a difficult task, every effective manager needs to be able to make this call.

Conclusion

As a manager, you are responsible for your team and their performance. Being aware of your team and prepared with the steps above, you can quickly step in and turn things around.

Need help building your all-star team? Get in touch with ABBTECH today!

Looking for a new job is exciting. It can also quickly become overwhelming if you haven’t adequately prepared. If you’re considering leaving your current job for something new, you need to know how to get organized as it can maximize your chance of success. In this blog, we’ll discuss some of our top tips to help you prepare for your job search. We’ll also look at what you should do before you quit your current role.

Tips for How To Get Organized

Tip #1: Update your resumes and portfolios.

Your resume usually determines whether you are invited to a job interview. You can improve your chances of getting that invitation by optimizing your resume. Pay close attention to the experience and skill requirements in the job listing. One of the benefits of knowing how to get organized can be the fact that you don’t need to redo your resume for every application. Instead, have a base resume and minor modifications to emphasize your skills matching the job description.

Ensure that your online portfolio of work is up-to-date and applicable as well. Refresh your samples frequently and maintain a diverse portfolio to appeal to a range of potential employers.

Tip #2: Collect your references.

References are another essential part of the application process. Ensure you have a few professional and personal references collected to include with your application. Make sure you talk to each reference and ask their permission before using their name. Also, get up-to-date contact information for them, including their online professional pages such as LinkedIn.

Tip #3: Clean up your online presence.

Speaking of online presence now is a good time to look at your professional and personal profiles and clean them up. Potential employers look at social media profiles, so you must ensure that what you present is how you wish to be seen. Your professional profiles on sites such as LinkedIn should be current and explained well. Have a coworker or manager look at your professional profiles and give you their thoughts and suggestions for improvement.

Tip #4: Plan for your job transition.

Before submitting the first application, you must consider what happens if you get the job. Leaving your current job could mean a lapse in benefits coverage. You’ll also have to plan for transitional funds to get you from your last paycheck there to your first at the new job. Investments and retirement funds may need to be rolled over or completely redone. And if the new job requires relocation, all the financial and organizational issues also. Planning for transition before getting a new job will alleviate much stress and frustration down the road.

If you’re ready to start your search for a new job, consider searching with ABBTECH today!

If you’ve been working toward a promotion at work, you may wonder if you can improve your chances of getting it in 2023. Earning a promotion raises your position in a company, as well as increasing your salary, benefits, and sense of accomplishment. Below are 3 tips to help you earn a promotion this year.

When you’re ready for a promotion, the key is catching your employer’s attention. While your job performance, knowledge, experience, and skills are essential, they may not be enough. If you are ready to earn that promotion you’ve been working towards, follow these helpful tips to increase your chances.

Get Yourself Noticed to Help Earn a Promotion

You know you deserve a promotion, but does your employer? Even if you’ve been working towards a promotion for years, your employer may not know you’re interested. You need to put yourself in a visible position and show your employer why you deserve to be promoted.

Demonstrate your leadership skills and the positive contributions you make to the company. Look for opportunities when you can showcase your knowledge, abilities, and accomplishments. Performance reviews and staff meetings are great opportunities to shine your light.

Continue to learn and broaden your knowledge and skills through educational courses and programs. If your company sponsors opportunities to learn, take advantage of them. Constantly seeking improvement and growth increases your value as an employee and improves your chances of promotion recommendation.

To Help Earn a Promotion – Pay Attention

Look at the promotion history of your company and your team. What achievements, habits, or personality traits helped other employees earn promotions? Understanding the skills and experience that helped others succeed will guide you in your pursuit of advancement.

Talk to Your Employer

Want to know exactly how to get promoted at work? Talk to your employer. They are the best source of information about the promotion process. Plus, they can provide you with valuable feedback on your performance and what you need to do to move forward.

When you talk to your employer or supervisor, make your case for promotion. Be professional and include your current responsibilities and achievements. Show them how your work has benefited the company; include specific examples. Be specific when you let them know you are interested in promotion and follow their suggestions to increase your chances of success.

Conclusion

When you’re ready to go after that promotion at work, having effective strategies and goals keeps you motivated. Focus on professional improvement and get noticed for all the right reasons so you can achieve your career goals in the new year.

If you are ready to advance your career in the new year, consider searching with ABBTECH today!

Finding entry-level employment in any industry can be difficult, especially in the tech industry. With hot software development positions rising, standing out among more experienced competition can be tough. Tips on how to stand out as an entry-level developer are below.

So, how can you stand out as an entry-level developer with so much competition? Read on for valuable tips to get noticed and land your dream job.

Tips to Help Your Stand Out and Get Hired as an Entry-Level Developer

Let’s look at some top tips to help you stand out as you pursue an entry-level development position.

Build Up Your Skill Set

Being successful as a developer requires constant learning and practice. Many recruiters require you to demonstrate your abilities with tests or assessments, so building your skill set is vital. Learn independently and expand your awareness of new tools, tech languages, and frameworks.

Build Your Portfolio

When your experience is limited, your portfolio can get you in the door. Your portfolio is the place to demonstrate your skills and interests. Your portfolio is an easy way to show employers what you can do and how well you can do it.

Remember to keep your portfolio up to date and ensure that any sample links are easy to access. Also, include projects you worked on individually and as part of a team.

Update Your Resume

The best way to prepare your resume for successful submission is to focus on what you’re including. Try looking at job descriptions for the development roles you’re interested in. You’ll soon notice a pattern among posts and can focus on the most relevant information. For non-tech work history, list first what experience could be potentially useful in a tech role. Also, consider a separate section for significant personal projects to demonstrate your real-world experience.

Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile

Make it simple for employers to learn about you from your LinkedIn page. It should be as robust as your resume, if not more so. You can make your profile work for you in the job search. Use your “About” section to present yourself as a prospective candidate. This is a great chance to state who you are, what you can do, and why you care about development work.

Don’t forget to detail your skills, add your certifications and achievements, and help employers get a feel for you and your tech interests under the “Interests” section.

Grow Your Professional Network

Your network connection may be the key to your next entry-level development role. Ensure you foster those connections with current and former coworkers, managers, and other professionals. The more people within the industry you connect with and stay connected with, the more likely you are to discover new jobs and get hired.

Our team is ready to lend a hand if you’re currently searching for your first developer role!

Employees are leaving the workforce at an alarming rate, and the hiring struggle will likely continue. Now is the time to nail down your hiring needs. The sooner you create a solid hiring plan and implement it, the sooner you’ll fill those job openings.

Anticipate Your Hiring Needs

Calculate how many positions you need to fill during the first quarter. Remember to consider your budget when you determine your hiring needs. Even if the job roles do not need to be filled immediately, start recruiting as soon as possible. Keep your candidate pools filled with potential applicants in mind.

Talk with Your Recruitment Partners

Meet with your internal and external recruitment partners and discuss your hiring needs. Talk about the candidate qualification you need and any niche roles that require filling. Also, discuss networks, skills, and strategies your recruitment team has at hand to maximize the talent search.

Focus on Your Brand Identity

Take a step back and look at your company’s brand identity, including your recruitment process. Consider what makes you unique and why job seekers want to join the company. Also, join your recruitment team and go through your employer reviews. See what issues others have had with your company and how you can address those issues.

Promote Your Available Positions

Work with your recruitment team to promote your available roles to job seekers. Focus on what candidates look for in an employer and develop compelling messaging to attract job seekers. Use your company website, social media, and other channels and platforms to reach candidates.

Move Quickly

The best talent is most likely receiving multiple job offers. You’ll need to make fast decisions during the hiring process and keep candidates engaged through ongoing communication and feedback. Keeping them informed throughout the process and answering their questions promptly will help keep them interested.

Evaluate Your Hiring Process

Your hiring process should be constantly evaluated. Review the rate of applicants, what area receives the most and which the least, and when candidates are most likely to “ghost” during the hiring process. Then, you can take this information and modify your hiring process as needed.

If you need help creating your all-star team, request a consultation with ABBTECH!

Showing appreciation to your employees is easy when everyone is in-office. What if your team is remote? How can you show your employees how valued and appreciated they are when they are miles (or even countries) apart? Employee appreciation ideas for your remote team to follow.

If you’re eager to show your remote team your appreciation and gratitude, we have a few ideas! Let’s look at some great (and affordable) employee appreciation ideas perfect for your remote team.

Affordable Remote Employee Appreciation Ideas

Employee Recognition

Sometimes the simplest gesture is the most rewarding. You can show appreciation to your remote employees by appreciating them publicly. Send a personal “Thank You” note to each of them and thank them for all they’ve contributed over the past year. Be specific, too.

Organize a virtual event to recognize employee contributions throughout the year. Individual and team achievements can be rewarded with certificates and awards.

Buy Them Lunch

Who doesn’t love good food? If a company gathering for lunch or dinner isn’t possible, consider gift cards for a restaurant or for a popular food delivery service such as Grubhub. You can gift lunch, dinner, or an allowance for coffee in the new year.

Wellness Package

The 2020 pandemic taught us that health should always be a top priority. Employee wellness has become a major focus for most companies as we become more wellness conscious. A wellness package is a wonderful way to show your remote employees your appreciation and let them know their health matters to you. You could offer virtual employees a variety of wellness bonuses and perks, such as healthy meal subscriptions, fitness app subscriptions, spa or massage gift certificates, or gift cards for healthy snack baskets.

Paid Time Off

How about a vacation? Times are stressful, and many remote employees would benefit from some extra time off. Adequate rest minimizes burnout and allows employees to work at their best. Consider gifting remote employees a week off or a time allowance for vacation.

Career Development

Just because employees are working from home doesn’t mean professional development should be on hold. Encourage your employees to grow professionally by offering online learning opportunities. There are many online schools and websites that provide a variety of courses to expand skillsets and stimulate career growth.

Conclusion

Working from home can be lonely, and the distance from coworkers and managers makes it difficult to see and feel validation and appreciation in your job. Making the effort to recognize and reward your remote employees will encourage and support them. It will also foster company loyalty and pride in their role and their work. With some simple gestures of gratitude and affordable gifts, you can help your employees feel appreciated and focused on their personal growth and company growth.

If you’re searching for more people to add to your remote team, let our team at ABBTECH lend you a hand!

Introducing V2JN! Every November in the United States, we honor and celebrate our veterans. We thank them for their service and offer them the acknowledgment they deserve. For many veterans, however, what they really need is a job and a chance to rebuild their lives on the home front.

ABBTECH^®, an award-winning, Women-Owned staffing firm located in Virginia, has connected strategic IT talent with high-quality jobs in high-tech, Fortune 500 companies and government agencies for nearly 30 years. In addition, ABBTECH^® launched the Veterans 2 Jobs Network™, which helps hundreds of U.S. Military veterans learn new skills and find jobs in the civilian workforce.

The Veterans 2 Jobs Network™

The transition from military life to civilian can be a difficult one. ABBTECH^® understands this and is committed to helping veterans make the transition as smooth as possible. We begin with securing the work they need to support themselves and their families. That’s where Veterans 2 Jobs Network (V2JN™) comes in.

The program assists veterans in multiple ways. Veteran job seekers get a dedicated recruiter who assists them with job searches. Recruiters review candidate resumes, referring them to the certified resume writer if it needs improvement or focus. Recruiters also help with interview preparation. This gives candidates the extra confidence boost that being adequately prepared provides.

 In addition, ABBTECH^® helps with job searches, offering over 1,200 job opportunities at various companies, from small local businesses to Fortune 500 companies. The recruiter communicates regularly throughout the entire hiring process, from initial screening and interviews through skills tests, personality tests, hiring, and onboarding.

Conclusion

Introducing V2JN, the best way to honor returning veterans is to help them successfully settle into a new civilian life. ABBTECH^®’s Veterans 2 Jobs Network™ does just that by providing information, assistance, and access to thousands of job opportunities. These are open for veterans eager to apply their training and unique skills to the private sector.   

For three decades, ABBTECH^® has provided quality IT staffing solutions for businesses in the Washington, D.C. area. If you’re a Vet looking for jobs, or if you’re a company looking to hire more of our Vet workforce, get in touch with our team at ABBTECH^® today!

If you’ve recently left the military, transitioning to your first civilian role may be difficult. Below are some tips for transitioning to your first civilian role. Even if you’ve found a job, it may not be the right fit for you; many veterans leave their first civilian job within the first year.

Thankfully, there are plenty of resources available to help veterans navigate their post-military careers. In this blog, we’ll break down some of the tips for veterans transitioning to civilian life and finding the right job.

Reach Out to Fellow Vets

Just as civilians plan for retirement and prepare to leave in advance, it may be beneficial for you to start preparing for transition out of the military as much as two years before retiring. Reach out to fellow veterans who have been on this road to retirement before you and get their advice on what to do and not to do.

Learn About Local Resources

When it comes to finding transition resources, the Department of Veterans Affairs is the best place to start. They offer a Transition Assistance Program. Other state and local agencies provide resources and options, too. Schools and churches are also good sources of information and guidance.

Research the Job Market

Finding a job you like starts with what you’re interested in and qualified for. It is good to learn about a specific industry and the career fields within it that interest you. This can help you decide what kind of job you want and whether you need further education to pursue that career. You may need to go back to school to finish your degree or start a new one. There are many programs are designed to help veterans succeed in pursuing their degrees and certification.

Working with a Staffing Agency

If trying to do everything yourself sounds overwhelming, consider working with a staffing agency like ABBTECH^®. ABBTECH^® helps Vets get back to work by finding the right jobs that match their education, experience, and skills. They also guide you through the entire process of onboarding and orientation.

ABBTECH^® has helped hundreds of veterans find new jobs and transition to civilian life. There is resume writing assistance, interview prep, a wide range of available job opportunities, and plenty of information on their weekly blog. ABBTECH^® is your strategic IT partner ready to help you transition into a new life out of uniform.

For tips for transitioning to your first civilian role, get in touch with the ABBTECH^® team!

You’ve been searching for the right job for a while and finally received an offer. Congratulations! Before you accept that offer, though, there are some things to consider. Here are five questions you should consider asking before accepting a job offer.

1. What is the exact start date of the Job?

Two weeks’ notice is the standard when notifying your current employer that you’re leaving your position. So, if a potential employer wants you to begin immediately without sufficient time to provide notice, it might be a red flag regarding the company’s culture and flexibility. On the other hand, reluctance to give a start date may also signal internal problems in the company. Be sure to get verbal and written confirmation of the agreed start date.

2. What should I expect with the onboarding process?

Onboarding varies from company to company, so ask your prospective employer about their process and what you can expect. Training, tools, materials, and personal guidance or mentoring should all be explained thoroughly.

3. Who will be reaching out to me on the first day?

The first day can be anxious, but knowing who will reach out to you first gives you an idea of what to expect. It also allows you to look up the HR or management person on a professional platform such as LinkedIn and better understand their role within the company.

4. Can we explore a slightly higher starting salary?

Most companies are open to negotiating the starting salary for a position, so this is an essential question to ask. Come prepared with research regarding the pay range for the job, including factors such as geographic area and experience.

5. Will I receive benefits immediately?

Ask when required and optional benefits go into effect. While required benefits, such as Social Security and workers’ compensation, go into effect on the first day, other benefits, such as health insurance, may not. Find out when they go into effect and information about premiums and deductibles so that your coverage doesn’t lapse.

Benefits comprise nearly half of a position’s compensation package, so it is essential to understand your benefits and when you can access them.

Conclusion

Accepting a job offer is a serious and important decision. With these questions to consider before accepting a job offer, things should go more smoothly. Asking the right questions, starting with the ones listed above, ensures that the position is the right job for you.

If this job doesn’t work out, don’t worry! Explore our open positions down below.

Data Science vs. Data Analytics: What is the Difference? Data science and data analytics are reliable choices for long-term career potential. Technology and AI will continue to be a significant part of our personal and professional lives with each year.

It is worth noting that data science and data analytics do have a great deal of overlap. But, they are quite different roles. Let’s look at the differences between these two disciplines and their careers.

Differences Between Data Science vs. Data Analytics

In simplest terms, comparing data science and data analytics is about reaching the general to the specific. As a data scientist your focus will be to drive innovation by investigating questions that need to be answered. Also, you will likely consider the questions that need to be answered. And then building connections to facilitate answering them.

Data Science:

• Focuses on machine learning and predictive modeling
• Is multi-disciplinary
• Requires experience in programming languages, data visualization tools, and databases, such as Python, Scala, Tableau, and MongoDB.

Conversly, analytics is more specific and concentrated. Data analytics focuses on viewing and interpreting historical data in context. As well as checking hypotheses, and answering data science questions for better decision-making in business.

Data Analytics:

• Require strong skills in statistics, modeling, databases, and problem-solving
• Ability to slice and dice data in programs such as Excel and SQL database
• Knowledge of Python, SAS, and other statistical tools

Job Roles

Data science job roles process, cleanse, and verify data, glean business insights, and identify new data trends to make future predictions. BI engineers, business analysts, IT application engineers, architects, and data analysts are all job roles involving data science.

Additionally, data analysts focus mainly on the analysis of data, cleansing data, using statistical tools to discover new patterns in the data. And developing KPIs and visualizations based on those patterns. Data analytics jobs include:

• Database administrators
• Data warehousing professionals
• QA engineers
• Various roles in sales, marketing, finance, and operations where data needs to be processed and used to create dashboards, reports, and visualizations

Conclusion

Data science and data analysis are the most in-demand jobs today. Pursue a career in either if you enjoy technology, love challenges, and are creative.

Start your career today by searching with the ABBTECH team.

We all understand what it means to be “employed” or “unemployed” because you either have a job or you don’t. “Underemployment,” however, is more complex and far more common than you might think.

The Center for Law and Social Policy estimates that 4 out of 10 part-time workers are currently underemployed, meaning you have a job, but in some way, you are working below your capacity.

Think you are underemployed but not sure? Read on for a closer look at 3 signs you are underemployed and what you should do.

Your Wages are Too Low

It’s true; some jobs do not pay a high wage. However, you may be underemployed if you think your role would typically pay more. Do your research and check out websites that track average salaries to understand better what you should be paid for the job you do. Remember to consider location when calculating your salary range. Job salaries differ from state to state and from place to place within a state.

If you find that your wages are below the market rate for your role, talk to management. If adjusting your salary isn’t possible, consider applying for positions that offer a higher wage.

You’re Overqualified

In some cases, this is obvious. If you hold a graduate degree, but the position requires only a high school diploma, you’re likely underemployed. Now, it’s not a problem for you if you’re happy in a role considered underemployment on paper. However, if you have learned and acquired skills and experience and have no opportunity to showcase them in your position, you no doubt feel underemployed.

Before you decide what to do in this situation, ask yourself: Am I happy in this role? If you are, there’s nothing to fix. If you aren’t, it’s time to look for jobs that better match your skills and qualifications. Take the time to refresh your resume and update your professional profiles. Identify the best keywords to generate job leads in your job searches.

Not Enough Hours

When it comes to hourly work, it’s simple: the more hours you work, the more money you make. Employers may restrict the number of available hours for various reasons, including not wanting to provide benefits or simply not having enough work. You may be underemployed if you have to work multiple jobs to pay your bills.

Have you discovered signs you are underemployed? Before you hunt for a job with more available hours, check with your employer to see if you can move to full-time or work less desirable (and often higher-paying) shifts like nights or weekends. If these options aren’t open, start hunting for a role that provides the hours you need.

If you’re ready to explore your next opportunity, get in touch with our team at ABBTECH!

While many software development opportunities are available, the competition is fierce unless you stand out from the crowd. The best way to stand out from the crowd when going after a software development position is to be a great software developer. Here are 5 qualities that make good developers GREAT.

If you want to be known as a great software developer and increase your chances of landing your dream job, some vital qualities make.

1. A Positive Attitude

Great developers don’t let their egos get in the way. They bring a positive attitude to every project and task, bringing their best every day. A great developer takes pride in their work but never lets it get in the way of receiving constructive criticism. Even when faced with an urgent deadline, a great developer will step up and get the product ready as soon as possible because they genuinely care about its success.

2. Excellent Communication Skills

To be a great developer, you have to be a great communicator. It is crucial to understand problems, break them down quickly, and transparently propose proactive solutions. Great developers process information quickly and know the right questions to ask when they need clarification or more information.

3. Self-Management

A great developer can self-start and often have taught themselves new languages and technologies out of personal interest. When confronted with a situation to which they don’t have an answer, a great developer will pursue the resources and people necessary to discover the solution. Great developers are also reliable, managing their time and completing tasks on schedule and as desired.

4. Deep and Broad Technical Experience

A great developer has worked competently with several technologies and is an expert on several. Diverse industry experience, cognitive abilities, and familiarity with standards and best practices are all hallmarks of a great developer.

5. Big-Picture Focus

Great developers do not simply focus on the task in front of them. They want to know that the feature they are programming is high-value and how it will impact the system and the user’s experience. Their abilities and experience help them see this big-picture view, and they are more than willing to speak up about changes that could compromise the software. Put these 5 qualities that make good developers great to use. Ready to search for a new developer role? Explore our career opportunities today!