Finding a Job During the Recession

There's no more difficult time to be job hunting than during a recession. Many businesses are not looking to hire and many industries are extremely picky about who they employ to replace other individuals. Focusing one's efforts is extremely important in making the most of time and resources spent looking for your next career. To make the process of looking for a new line of work easier, the Career-Advice section of Monster.com is pleased to bring this piece on tips for finding a job during the recession. 



For staffing services for workers and employers alike around Tulsa and Oklahoma City, look no further than the experts at Barracuda Staffing. 

G4S Fails to Provide - Military Steps In

Those in the security industry know that finding a position can be difficult from time to time as some companies demand extremely high standards. As for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, the private security firm G4S fell short of hiring enough security personnel and the coordinators ended up having to hire out at least 3,500 British troops. Not only has this become a source of embarrassment for the private security staffing agency, but also  for London as a whole. Though some people are disappointed that the security firm did not meet it's goal of hiring enough guards, others are pleased that England has answered the call by filling in with experienced soldiers rather than security-trained civilians. For more information about this shortage, the online news site Athletic Business fills in the details. 



Whether you're in need of helping starting a new career or are in need of quality workers, Barracuda Staffing helps Tulsa and Oklahoma City workers and companies collaborate for mutual beneficial business relationships. 

Nailing a Telephone Job Interview

Interviewing for a position with a company or staffing agency can be nerve racking as it is, but what if your future with a company is determined by nothing more than how you sound on the phone? As industry takes off and new jobs are being offered faster than interviewers can meet with applicants and some can be in far-reaching places, phone interviews have become the new norm for thinning the herd. You may be asking yourself, "I'm interviewing for a manual labor position. How are they going to be able to determine whether or not I'm a hard worker based on my phone voice?" No need to fear the phone! With these quality tips from About.com contributor Alison Doyle, you can better prepare yourself to nail your next telephone interview and land yourself the career you've always wanted! 



For additional information on Tulsa and Oklahoma City jobs or opportunities to hire employees in the region, visit the official website of one of Oklahoma's finest employment services at Barracuda Staffing. 

Worst Questions to Ask in a Job Interview

In the past, we've covered some of the very best questions to ask interviewers in a job interview. This post will concentrate on some of the very worst questions and responses to questions that one could ever say. From the files of Business Pundit comes the top 10 very worst questions and/or replies to answers one could ever say (or best questions/answers to say if you're trying to not get the job) in a job interview. From answering the question "What interests you about our company?" with "Heard you were hiring" and beyond, study up and learn from the mistakes of the author. 



If you're a Tulsa or Oklahoma City native looking for a new career or an Oklahoma company looking for dedicated workers, let the personnel staffing services of Barracuda Staffing help hook you up with the people that will lead you in the right direction. 

Do You Have Any Questions for Me?: How to Use Questions to Express Your Worth in a Job Interview

Though many people become very nervous about how to answer any questions an interviewer might have for them in a job interview, they forget that they're also telling the interviewer a lot about themselves by the questions they're asking. Where interviewers use questions to have leverage in the conversation it's also important to express yourself with your questions. A thoughtful question tells the interviewer what it is important to you and could be just what you need to stand out from the other applicants. Here are some questions that may help give the interview a look into your frame of mind: 

1. What would be my daily responsibilities in this position?
- Asking this question not gives you additional information about the job, but also tells the interviewer that you're already starting to put yourself into the mindset of a person with this position. This forces the interviewer to envision you in this role in order to answer the question. 


2. Has this position been newly created to fill a need within the company?
- Not only does the answer to this question let you know if there is already a predetermined schedule and set of responsibilities for this position, but the question says that you're also thinking outside of your own role/gain and thinking about the company.  


3. If you'd be replacing someone, you might ask: "What did the last person in this position go on to do?"
- This is question can express that you're thinking about where this position can lead if promoted. 


4. What kind of opportunities would there be for growing within the company? 
- Asking about advancement can seem like you're already looking beyond a position you haven't even secured, but it tells the interviewer that you're interviewing for a career with the company rather than just interviewing for a job. You won't be able to be promoted unless you're very driven and focused on your work and this question tells the interviewer that you will be; even if for no other reason than to be promoted. 


5. What are some immediate goals of the company?
- Again, any opportunity you have to express to the interviewer that you are interviewing for a career and not just a job will help you stand out as a team member who cares about the overall success of the company. Employees who take greater stock and pride in the company they work for tend to work much more diligently to ensure its success. 


6. How did you get started with the company? What do you like about it?
- This is a unique opportunity to speak to the interviewer as an individual instead as an employee and get them to personally open up about their experiences with the company. The interviewer may or may not let their guard down and talk to you as an individual instead of as a representative of the company. Either way, it's a good way to ease tension.


7. Who would be my immediate supervisor? Whom will I supervise?
- By asking very specific questions, you're already beginning to feather the nest of your position at this company. Specific questions about day-to-day activities on the job express that you're a planner and think ahead. 



8. What specific skill set does this job most require? 
- Though asking very specific questions about a position you don't yet have seems like jumping the gun, it shows that you're thinking about how you can be an asset to the company in this position. The answer will also cause you to look within yourself to see if this job is really for you. 


9. How has the interviewing process been going?
- This question is another way of breaking any tension in an interview and talking to this interviewer as a person rather as an ambassador of the company. Most companies want to hire people with personalities and not robots. By asking, you're giving the interviewer a miniature break from the interviewing process and an opportunity to let their hair down for a moment. However effective this question might be in relieving tensions, it's best asked towards the end of an interview. This shows that you're about getting business handled before socializing. If they give a very short official response that shows they're not interested in small-talk, quickly move on from the subject. 



10. How soon do you think you will make your decision? How would you like to contact me?
- There's a good chance you'll want to ask this question for personal reasons, but it's also a good way of wrapping up an interview. It shows that you're looking towards the next step in your relationship with the company. 


Just like you can't ace a test unless you know the answer to the questions, having the right questions that tell give the interviewer an expanded look into your frame of mind about a position is somewhat like bringing along your own bonus questions to answer. Always be extremely courteous, provide a firm handshake, good eye contact, proper posture, and most importantly, remain calm and be yourself. 


For more questions to think about asking the interviewer in your next job interview, check out this write up from Resumagic.com. For high caliber jobs for high caliber workers in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa areas, log onto to Barracuda Staffing for more information.