There are certain behaviors that are proven to trigger irritation in others, especially in work environments. Gaining an awareness of what these behaviors are, and therefore, how they cause other people to feel will allow you to be proactive in your actions and subsequently more likable. Remember, your behaviors cause you to become more likable, not some natural quality that you are born with. So, this is under your control! Keep reading to find out which behaviors we believe you should avoid at all costs.

1. Losing Your Temper: We can certainly be honest with you in saying that there have been, and will always be, instances that occur at work that cause you to lose your temper. However, it is how you handle those situations and the behaviors you express that will prove crucial to how you are viewed. Screaming at coworkers, your boss, or anyone else, kicking, hitting, or throwing things, or causing anyone to cry will leave a highly detrimental impact on those who surround you.
2. Name Dropping: I’m sure the moment you read those words you’ve already envisioned a coworker, friend, or supervisor that continuously name drops in conversations. Doing so, while it may appear that it allows you to showcase some of your impressive connections, will only cause others to analyze your behaviors as someone who is in constant need of attention. Taking that a little further, someone of this sort is likely insecure in their own performance and abilities, and therefore not someone you would like to have as a leader!
3. Bragging: As it relates to name dropping, we encourage you to completely avoid the general behavior of bragging. For starters, when you achieve an excellent performance, presentation, or outcome on a project, we can ensure you that the office will know about it. So, by consistently telling others, you are showing subtle self-depreciation, and again, hidden insecurity. Be confident in your achievements and we promise you that you will see results!
4. Dismissing Others: Everyone you meet, and yourself, enjoy feeling valued in a conversation. Pay extra attention to this as you meet and build relationships with others. Always be keen to maintain eye contact, keep your phone away, ask questions to display active listening, and remember other people’s names! Someone who appears uninterested in conversation is often someone who feels superior or entitled… highly unlikeable traits.
5. Closed Mindedness: If you take work, or life, too seriously, you will end up becoming close-minded to ideas, environments, and people. This is super harmful to your ability to build relationships, as it will cause you to lose approachability, friendliness, and ultimately likeableness.
6. Gossiping: This last one, although pretty self-explanatory, is one of the most crucial behaviors to avoid at work, in life, and anywhere you go. We encourage you to designate a different outlet which will allow you to let off steam (exercising, painting, grabbing a bite to eat, walking to coffee or around a neighborhood, etc.). Gossiping is guaranteed to come around and bite you, and in some instances may even cause you to lose relationships entirely. So… not ever worth it!

Stay tuned… on Thursday, we’ll highlight some of the greatest qualities and behaviors you can perform at work that will help you to become all the more likable!

Searching for a new position? Check out our open jobs list!

Find out how to nail a first impression here!

Workplace culture is a product of many aspects of a corporation. Today, we’re here to introduce you to some of the most valuable, productive components of a work environment that will allow your firm to thrive! Keep reading to find them out…

• Vision: While stability may be comfortable at work, a company with a vision for the future, even if it may even seem impossible, is one that will succeed. Visions are meant to act as guides, and often will even set unrealistic goals to help employees maintain a strong drive and motivation. Does your work environment have a clear vision?
  • Extra tip: Before accepting a job offer, make sure that your personal mission and vision align with those of the entire organization. Ensuring this will allow you to maintain enthusiasm and true care for the work you complete.
• Morals and Values: An organization with genuine morals and values is one that deeply cares for its employees and their satisfaction, in addition to the success of the business. Morals and values can be exhibited in a concrete manner, potentially in a manual or posted on a wall, but are often expressed in intangible ways and through behaviors. Make sure that your firm takes notable action to enact these morals and values because we all know, you can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?
• Teamwork: In your career, you will undoubtedly find yourself working on many different teams with various types of employees. Firms that monitor and encourage contribution from all team members, and from employees at all different levels are firms that exhibit true care for teamwork. In addition, an office that values teamwork will make sure that all employees are dedicated and in tune with the organization’s morals and values.
• Support for Uniqueness and Creativity: One of the greatest aspects that help employees to feel valued is in an organization’s ability to support and even encourage individual uniqueness and creativity. Flexibility awarded to employees as they complete projects, responsibilities, and even paths to take to achieve goals is one of the greatest ways to measure the trust your company has in you.
• Employee Retention: While many aspects of workplace culture are nonmeasurable, employee retention is something that you can actually evaluate. Retention is a great way to measure if culture is being exhibited in an effortful manner. A workplace with a flourishing, successful culture is one that employees will want to work for forever! So, are they staying with your firm?

Some other highly important aspects include recognition, communication, flexibility. fun, goal setting, feedback, constructive critique, and rewards! So … how does your company measure up?

Searching for a new position? Check out our open jobs list!

Missed our article Monday? Click here to find out how to identify your workplace culture type!

Personality traits go hand-in-hand with qualifying dimensions on resumes and in interviews. There are a group of certain traits that recruiters are looking for in candidates applying to any role. Cultivating these attributes will allow you to achieve great success in your career! Find them out here.

1. Attitude: Right off the bat, one of the greatest ways you can secure a great first impression is by showcasing a positive, enthusiastic attitude! One of the most highly valued traits you can provide to coworkers, supervisors, and bosses is an attitude unhindered by challenges or obstacles. Maintaining this positive outlook will help you to prove that you are a pleasant, hardworking employee. Remember, contributing to the atmosphere of your work environment is a highly important component of your role.
2. Work Ethic: As we have reinstated numerous times, failure is an acceptable component of any career path! However, it is the work ethic you showcase and exude that will allow you to overcome challenges and achieve your goals. Recruiters look for a strong work ethic, as it allows them to understand both your ability to jump into a new organization with full and tireless effort, as well as the ability to be persistent and proactive when encountering difficulty.
3. Flexibility: Remembering that your boss has a lot on their plate will allow you to become more flexible at work. Additionally, understanding that, at times, you will encounter unforeseen circumstances will help you to embrace unexpected change. Trust us, this quality strongly shows and helps you stand out as someone who is incredibly easy to work with! Adding on to this quality is also the value in adaptation. Companies are bound to undergo change or possible acquisitions. Being able to adjust to an ever-changing work environment is guaranteed to set you aside from the rest.
4. Reliability: If you are a dependable resource to the company you are working for, they will absolutely want to keep you on their team! For this reason, make sure to explain if you’ve had several job transitions throughout your career, as holding roles is an attractive quality that will showcase your loyalty to positions.
5. Team Player: The ability to work effectively in a team has become a true necessity of being a desirable employee. In order to be a valuable team player, work to improve traits like collaboration, communication, listening skills, compromising abilities, etc.
6. Intrinsic Motivation: A motivation to achieve success fueled by oneself is a wonderful quality to possess in the workforce. In contrast to extrinsic motivational factors like salary or benefit package incentives, finding an inner desire to achieve success displays your undying dedication to your work and responsibilities.
7. Honesty: Although maintaining honesty may appear as difficult, it is crucial to the way you are viewed by your employer. For example, if you were let go from a previous position, it is way more helpful to be upfront and explain the reasoning instead of trying to beat around the bush. Employers and recruiters will recognize and appreciate your transparency. Remember, it is equally as important to acknowledge tasks and activities you’ve completed in efforts to improve faults or weaknesses.

It is important to know that this is not a fixed list, and important qualities and traits are everchanging and adapting to modernized work environments. Keeping these important traits in mind will allow you to excel in your interviews and achieve numerous new positions!

Searching for a new role? Check out our open jobs list!

Read this article to discover our tips to nailing first impressions!

On Monday, we taught you how to create effective presentations. But don’t worry, we didn’t forget about the equally important counterpart of presentations… the physical slides! Designing creative slides will allow you to raise the engagement of your audience immensely! Follow our steps below.

• Maintain Simplicity: Just as we encouraged you to maintain simplicity in your delivery, we also believe in the power of simple slides. Simple slides entail minimal pictures (used only when relevant) and text per slides, easy to read fonts, and utilization of effective lists.
• Cohesive Coloring: Colors of slide backgrounds, texts, and bullets should all align with one another and stay consistent. This way, the viewer’s eye will not become confused as it works to interpret each new slide of yours. Keep in mind that loud or bold colors and patterns distract a viewer’s eye. Safe and professional colors always include greys, light pigments, dark blues, or blacks.
• Limited Animations and Transitions: There is definitely taste in incorporating animations and transitions onto slides throughout your presentation. However, by adding too many transitions, slides will become jumbled and lose cohesion. Make sure that your transition adds to the demonstration instead of distracts. Always avoid having a transition or animation on every single slide! Overwhelming viewers will cause them to lose interest.
• Clear Photographs: All images on slides must be clear and high quality! There are several free websites that offer stock photos for any user, one of our favorites being Pexels.com. Check in with your company to see if there are any stock photos already purchased for your use.
• Correlated Images: Images must not only be clear but also related to the context of your presentations. If you are struggling to find an image that relates to your slide, you are often better off leaving it without a picture and instead adding an animation or engaging transition.
• Incorporate Descriptive Charts: … when necessary! Charts must also showcase simplicity so that they are easy for your audience to analyze. Some popular and professional charts include bar charts, histograms, line charts, and, in some instances, pie charts. Your audience should develop further inquiries about your investigations, not clarifying questions because of a chart that is too complex.
  • Extra Tip: Always included a title, axis titles, clear (and differentiated) lines, a trend line when necessary, and any other relevant and explanatory chart elements.
• Be Aware of Font Choice: Fonts that are too fancy, bold, or quirky will distract your viewer as they will be forced to take extra time to read the text and maintain focus on what you are saying. Fonts like Arial, Times New Roman, Calibri, or Georgia are typically safe bets.
  • Extra Note: Just as you would in professional emails, use boldface and italics when appropriate and when you are trying to emphasize certain information. However, be consistent in your choices! What we mean by that is, if you are using boldface to emphasize a certain message, use that when drawing attention to any other information as well.

By following these tips, we are confident that you will soon master your ability to create easily readable and engaging slides for your work presentations!

Searching for a new position? Check out our open jobs list!

Missed our article Monday? Learn how to create effective presentations here!

Conflict at work is an occurrence that is not uncommon but can be handled incorrectly without proper training. Today, we’re here to introduce to you our conflict resolution strategies that will help you deal with these situations in a way that works for everyone! By learning these key tips, you’ll be headed to management in no time.

• The 24-Hour Rule: We hope that many of you are familiar with this rule! However, if you are not, the 24-hour rule encourages anyone dealing with anger or frustration to wait 24 hours before confronting the problem head-on. First, apply this rule before evaluating if there truly is a conflict at all.
• Set up a Time to Talk: Attempting to solve your conflict in the middle of your work shift is inappropriate. Doing so will hinder your ability to gauge the entire problem and will create an unwanted scene. We encourage you to approach the person directly and ask them when is a good time to speak. Potential times to focus on are: before the office opens, when your shift ends, or during your lunch break.
  • Extra benefit: Setting a time to converse allows you to plan what you are going to say and reach a calm demeanor that you may not have achieved otherwise. It is crucial to take some time and evaluate the situation instead of acting when emotions are running high.
• Be Aware of Your Language: Avoid accusatory language at all times! Statements of this type include, “you always do this…”, “it’s your fault that this happened because..”, “this happened because of you…”. Approaching any situation by immediately expressing blame will only cause the other person to become upset and unwilling to compromise. Focus on feelings statements like “I believe…”, “I feel…”, etc.
• Listen: Remember, there are two sides to every story. While you most likely believe that you are in the right, you must acknowledge that the other person has feelings too, and those feelings are valid. It is absolutely crucial for you to listen to the other side of the story. Showcase active listening skills by nodding your head, making eye contact, and asking questions for clarification. Until you truly understand where the other person is coming from, you will not reach an effective conclusion.
• Apologize: It’s okay if you realize an hour, day, or week later that you may have been in the wrong. However, where your true character shows is in your ability to apologize and resolve the conflict.

You would be surprised how much a simple conversation can resolve! Allowing yourself to acknowledge another’s person’s perspective, and working to reach a solution in which both parties are happy is a skill that you will need for the rest of your career. Mastering your ability to do so will help you achieve your goals and work up the ladder!

Searching for a new position? Check out our open jobs list!

Reached a position of management? Learn how to succeed on your first day here!

Part of life is figuring out your identity by trying new things, immersing yourself in different types of environment, and taking chances! For that reason, today we’re here to de-stigmatize the idea that you should have a job set immediately following your college graduation. If you’ve found yourself without a plan in place, keep reading to find out some tips about what you can do!

• Keep a Positive Mindset: We encourage you to ignore the instinct of guilt or stress and instead embrace a positive mindset and outlook. After all, you are young and this is still the time to explore endeavors and figure out your passion! Positivity will aid you in your ability to put yourself out there to many companies.
• Take Advantage of Time to Save Money: Moving back home temporarily and taking advantage of the time to stay on a budget will aid you immensely once you are immersed in a more stable setting in regards to your position and income. 
• Network! We cannot emphasize enough the importance of networking! No matter who you reach out to, whether a friend of a friend, family member, a mentor, a past professional or someone you found on LinkedIn – expanding your network will help you for the rest of your professional career! You never know who may be the person that can set you up with an interview or potential new position.
• Identify a Mentor: Parents and friends are fantastic outlets for advice and support. However, we feel that mentors are the most valuable resource to help you become immersed in the professional workforce and achieve your goals. Finding a mentor will provide you with guidance, advice, and ideas for different career paths that you may have not been previously aware of!
• Participate in a Job Shadow Day: If there is a field or industry that interests you, take advantage of opportunities to be a part of a job shadow day! Doing so will allow you to become temporarily involved in an environment that may spike a permanent interest. This will also help you identify specific roles that do not align with your desired career path.
• Find New Hobbies: We know this sounds cliche, but one of the most important components of time off from work is keeping yourself busy by engaging in activities that you enjoy. Whether this consists of finding a new workout class or facility, trying out a cooking class, taking up art, or going to a concert, it is important to take advantage of the freedom you now have that allows you to pursue your personal interests.
• Search for Internships: Maybe you aren’t ready to fully commit to a permanent position right out of college. Just as we encourage job shadow days, we also offer you the idea of trying out an internship! In many cases, doing so will allow you to generate an income while building skills and exploring potential companies or roles.

It is important to remember that you are not alone in this process and that is completely acceptable to graduate from college without a solidified job offer! First and foremost, it is crucial to have a sturdy understanding of your career goals and interests before you apply to a permanent job role. However, if you feel ready . . . check out our open jobs list!

Starting a new position soon? Here’s what you need to know before your first day on the job.

One of the many goals of Esquire Recruiting LLC is to prepare professionals to achieve success in the workforce. Unfortunately, a central part of your career may revolve around the day you find out that your company is being acquired. While there is a solid chance that you will remain unaffected, we’re here to teach you ways to prepare and stay on top of this type of situation.

• Evaluate: This is an important time to ask yourself several questions… What is your role in the company? Are you replaceable? What sets you aside (as a performer, employee, etc.)? What would the company lose without you? In the event that companies are acquiring more employees on both sides, there is a chance that your position is up for replacement. Knowing the answers to these questions will help you get ahead and stay aware.
• Begin Searching for New Positions: If answering those questions caused you to fear for your position, this is a logical time for you to begin a job hunt. It is better to begin your search now than wait in the event that you are let go without the stability of a back-up transition opportunity.
• Stand Out: It is easy to feel intimidated by the potential of significant change. Although you may feel comfortable in your current routine, showcasing your adaptability, focus, and dedication to your employer will help you stand out as a reliable and valuable employee! Remember, change is nearly unavoidable, so embracing it with a positive mindset is the smartest way to showcase your value. 
• Be Aware of Benefit Changes: There is a chance that being acquired has relatively no effect on your benefits package. However, as this is may not be the case, it is important to look into the changes that are about to take place. What does this mean for your 401(k), vacation time, time off, health care or dental care packages, etc.? Knowing the answer to these questions may assist you in your assessment of staying with your current company.
• Prepare for Uncertainty: We know that uncertainty may provoke stress and anxiety. However, mentally preparing yourself for this transition will allow you to maintain composure when faced with the event. Allowing yourself to become comfortable with the idea of change will allow you to embrace it and ultimately stand out amongst those who are unable to accept this transition with the same level of ease.
• Maintain a Social Outlook: Embracing change comes with meeting new coworkers, leaders, and potential managers. We highly encourage you to fight the feeling of curling up and hiding and instead embrace your social outlook and make efforts to create relationships with these new people! You never know who may be sitting on the new desk next to you or acting as your new supervisor. Creating new connections will undoubtedly assist you in maintaining value as an employee.

We hope you find comfort in understanding that companies are acquired each and every day. There are millions of professional employees who have found themselves in the same position as you may be in. More importantly, if you are worried about obtaining a new position, we’re here to help!

. . . Check out our open jobs list!

Read our article to find out everything you need to know about company benefits!

The millennial generation, dating back to around 1980 and lasting through 2000, marks an evolution of youth impacted by previously non-existent digital media and technology. As these people grow up and enter the professional workforce it is crucial to understand how they operate, and what this means for your business and employee retention. So, how do millennials impact the workforce and how do they prefer to be treated? Keep reading to find out!

• “Purpose Over Paycheck”: Historically, motivation has been fueled by the incentive that is salaries and wages. There has been no greater reason to achieve results than by your expected compensation. However, this trend differs among millennials. In fact, these professionals actually prefer to feel a greater purpose for their work and being over a simple paycheck. It is when their responsibilities appear valuable and worthwhile that the greatest results and levels of motivation are achieved.
• Mentors and Support: Millennials have proven to be less responsive to traditional supervisors, and more receptive when they are appointed caring mentors. Where the image of a “boss” usually coordinates to a visual of someone hovering over employees, enforcing deadlines or reminders, and in several instances enacting disciplinary actions, mentors are illustrated in a majorly different light. Mentors teach accountability, responsibility, and diligence with a stronger sense of support and care. This attitude is much more effective among the millennial generation.
• Trust and Understanding: It is crucial to treat your millennial employees with open communication and honesty. These professionals must feel comfortable confiding in their supervisors, as opposed to being negatively affected by feelings of intimidation or fear.
• Using Failure as a Part of the Process: Understanding that failure brings ultimate success is a vital component of the “recipe” for retention. It is most meaningful when employers help their millennial employees to “get back up” after symbolically “falling down” after a failed assignment that may not have reflected the true effort put in. Collaboration is a key component of this process so that the final presentation of a project is not the first time it is being evaluated.
• Allowing and Promoting Growth: Instilling a substantial level of freedom among these employees will allow them to activate their unique senses of creativity. This same culture built on healthy flexibility, as opposed to a more structured design, will help these important figures in completing their responsibilities with a necessary level of comfort and confidence in their work. Additionally, making employees aware of their potential for upward mobility will allow them to work even harder to reach greater success.
• Embracing Themselves: Each of the points above builds up to the most valuable component of interacting with these individuals; they must be allowed to embrace who they are without detrimental judgment and critique. Once these millennials identify their greatest strengths and weaknesses, we are confident that they will prove themselves as some of the most valuable employees of your firm.

Millennials now comprise approximately 35% of the entire workforce! That being said, it is quite necessary to understand how they operate so that you can maximize their growth potential and productivity. Following the important notes above will allow you to do so effectively and efficiently!

Searching for a new position? Check out our open jobs list!

Not sure how to work effectively among different types of employees? Read our article to find out how to become the best possible coworker you can be!

In the past, we’ve shown you our top 7 reasons why we think it is valuable to accept a temporary job offer. Today, we’re here to explain and introduce some components to be cautious of before you enter into this new role. Keep reading, and by the end of this article, we hope you can effectively weigh the pros and cons of these types of offers to see what fits best for you!

Haven’t read our first article? Check out this link to explore our Top 7 Reasons Why We Think Candidates Should Accept Temporary Positions!

Now, here are a few aspects to be aware of . . .

1. Remembering it’s Temporary: Unfortunately, we understand that it is easy to become attached to a new company or position pretty quickly. Maintaining awareness and contentment with leaving this position after a certain period of time may be hard to do. Although temporary positions in some cases may become permanent, this does not always occur.
2. Training: Temporary commitments still require equivalent levels of training in order for you to be able to complete your responsibilities efficiently. However, as time is not as readily available, it may appear to be difficult to obtain adequate training before being let on your own. If this is something that concerns you, make sure to discuss your future employer’s training policies before accepting the position.
3. Developing Relationships: One of the greatest tools in relationship building is time. However, as temporary positions usually do not last for long periods of time as do permanent roles, it becomes more difficult to develop relationships with coworkers, supervisors, and company leaders. If you are someone looking to develop long term business relationships, cultivate a mentorship, or dive into the social aspect of work, a temporary position may not allow you to do so as easily.
4. Decrease in Benefits and Wages: Benefits and wage rates may not be offered in the same quantity or level. Be aware of this as you read through your contract!
5. Compatibility with Previous Job Roles: As you hunt for a temporary position, you may find it difficult to discover roles that are completely compatible with your past experiences and desired responsibilities. It is important to understand the value of being open-minded when researching these positions, as you may end up accepting a position far different than what you were previously accustomed to. However, this could end up being a great benefit! Read our previous article to understand why.

It’s important to note that none of these aspects of temporary employment are detrimental to your satisfaction. However, it is crucial for you to be aware of all the pros and cons of a temporary job commitment before evaluating if this is the right step for you. At Esquire, we always encourage applicants to take advantage of new opportunities and try out different roles! A temporary offer may provide you the exact opportunity you need to experiment.

Searching for a new position? Check out our open jobs list!

Looking for ways to advance your career this year? Our latest article will show you exactly how to do so!

The new year is now in full throttle, and there is no better time than now to begin determining and mapping out strategies to help you in advancing your career this year. What are some of the most valuable and beneficial steps to take? Keep reading to find out!

Your Network:

There is no greater resource to help you in advancing your career than your own social and professional networks. These people are there to support you, and may very well provide you the gateway towards obtaining and discovering new opportunities or promotions. One of the greatest ways to utilize your network is by hosting a professional gathering (maybe even think of it as a party)! Focus on doing so in a casual setting such as a home or restaurant venue so as to keep the atmosphere light and comfortable. Offering appetizers, drinks, or even small activities will help this feel like a fun social outing. To get the most out of these types of events, we encourage you to extend invitations beyond those who you already know! Let those who you have invited invite two or three other people. This way, you will be afforded the opportunity to both strengthen and expand your network. 

New Skills:

Advancing any aspect of your life often requires extending your level of education and knowledge. In doing so, contemplate your contentment with your current level of intelligence about your general career path, work obligations, title, or role, or even education in general. Have you ever thought about obtaining a new certificate or degree? Potentially taking a few new business courses just for fun?

If you’re not at a point where you are afforded enough free time to dedicate to education advancement, try purchasing a novel, subscribing to a podcast or newsletter, or even adding your email to a blog list. Utilizing these daily, weekly, or even monthly resources will allow you to maintain engagement about current events within your specific profession, as well as your entire industry.

Organizations:

Joining professional organizations is an invaluable way to meet others like you, identify new job roles and responsibilities which pique your interest, and, of course, continue to expand your network. By advancing your career, you are also making a commitment to advancing your involvement within your industry. Get started now! There are several free resources online dedicated to helping you identify communities where you will fit in and obtain the greatest benefit. We encourage you to start with one of our favorites, LinkedIn!

Mentors:

Do you have a mentor? Someone you look up to to guide decisions, career choices and offer general advice? If not, now is the perfect time to designate someone to fulfill this role! In identifying this person, take time to evaluate people within your workplace and life who you look up to as a positive influence and source of growth. If you’re struggling to identify this person, think about reaching out to people who inspire you in an even more casual setting! Conducting informational interviews, coffee dates, or lunch meet-ups will help you to expand your network and also find people who may end up as your mentor for the duration of your professional career!

Remember, these are only a few of the many ways you can advance your career! We will continue writing blogs to help you do so throughout this year. Wishing you luck and success!

Searching for a new position? Check out our open jobs list!

Find out how to get back into the swing of things this winter here!