A veteran can bring incredible value to an organization and working in the military can bring powerful skills that will benefit any industry. Veterans have the skills to be a remarkable business leader. There skills and constant understanding of development and work ethic makes them quite efficient.

As a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned business, our business leader is able to lead by example and constantly show how to get the job done. A veteran owner can constantly challenge themselves and overcome obstacles.

Below we break down why you should work with veterans:

Work Ethic

Veterans possess a strong foundation of work ethic as they were taught that from the start of training in active duty. They have the ability to take charge of their tasks as well as taking ownership when needed.

Teamwork

Veterans are taught how to rely and work in a team environment. They know that working in a unit will be a crucial part of their safety and completion of each mission/task. This is important in a work environment that they understand the value of each person’s different perspectives to achieve a successful outcome.

Leadership 

Veterans are able to take control of any situation and lead by example. They consistently are wanting to inspire and do better. They are able to adapt to any situation and can take direction from others as well as give it.

Values 

Veterans are extremely trusting as they live by a code of ethics. They know that building a strong and honest foundation builds a successful team. They will be loyal and trustworthy in any aspect of their career.

Handle Any Situation  

Veterans are able to adapt to any situation that is thrown at them. As they have performed under pretty stressful environments. They have the ability to pivot when needed and don’t let the pressure and stress impact their work ethic.

Looking to work with a Veteran Owned company? Contact Amerit today to learn more how we can benefit your company!

In honor of Nonprofit Day, we wanted to highlight a few organizations that we would to bring awareness to as many of our employees are actively involved in them.

Veterans Transition Support

• Veterans Transition Support (VTS) is based in San Diego and Orange County, California and was established in 2014. It was created to help active duty members and veterans’ transition from military service to civilian life through job training, mentoring, education and many more. We as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business, believe this is very important for us to help support. As many of our recruiters are certificated as a Certified Military Recruiter (CMR) which helps our recruiters translate military experience into civilian life and be able to establish which skills would align with certain business needs.

Additionally, we asked our Sr. Territory Manager, Alysha Connelly to explain the below organizations that she feels passionate about and wanted to bring awareness for.

 American Cancer Society- Relay for Life:

• I am always involved in attending both a local Relay for Life every year, as well as donating some money throughout the year to the ACS. Back in college, I actually sat on our board for Colleges Against Cancer (the main driving force being my Mom, who was a single-mom and passed away when I was 14 from cancer) and also was the Chair of our Service and Survivorship Committee. This meant I was responsible for helping plan the entire Relay for Life for our College (all activities) and putting together a banquet dinner for the survivors who were attending. We had over 3,000 attendees and even surpassed our goal of $125,000 that evening. In addition, I gave a speech on what it was like to be a caregiver for someone dying of cancer. I actually found a (very) old article from that night/my speech, which I’ve included- https://lanthorn.com/52070/pageone/relay_tells_stories_of_support_hope/ 😊

 The Humane Society- Nashville Humane Association:

• Animal Shelters & Rescues have always been near and dear to my heart. I adopted my current dog, Cooper from the shelter when he was just a puppy (he’s 8 now). I’ve always donated supplies to local animal shelters (i.e. dog/cat food, blankets, toys, etc.) wherever I have lived. I try to do a quarterly donation of supplies, along with any monetary donation I can spare. Additionally, Nashville Humane throws three large fundraising events throughout the year that I always attend (and bring Cooper along to as well). The events are- the Dog Day Festival in Centennial Park, The Mutt Strutt, and Nashville Humane Unleashed- Dinner with your Dog.

Looking for a job or new career path is never easy. Attempting this during a pandemic puts even more challenges on your plate. However, there are some ways to help you conduct a job search while we all continue to socially distance.

Below are 4 ways to help you in your job search during a pandemic:

Utilize Online Networking

LinkedIn will be your best friend when it comes to online networking during these challenging times.  This platform gives you the opportunity to reach a wide range of people while still being able to socially distance from one another. It also allows you to easily connect with people in your address book as well as suggested contacts that you have mutual friends with. LinkedIn will also allow your contacts to post upcoming events that you can attend (virtually) and even some skill enhancement webinars that would be great to boost your skills. This will be key to opening up some doors with job positions.

Boost your Skills

During this time, while we continue to work from home, is a great opportunity to boost your skillset and work on those skills you feel you need to improve. While some don’t have to partake in those long commutes, you can take that extra time to join an online webinar, take online classes or even use software to enhance skills. There are a lot of free courses that are available to everyone that you can take advantage of. By boosting those skills, you will be able to add more to your resume and more job openings could be available due to those new or enhanced  skillsets.

Stay Connected with Contacts

Whether it’s once a week or once a month, it will be important for you to stay connected with your contacts. Not all companies are hiring at the moment but by staying engaged this will allow those contacts to keep you in mind if their company or someone they know is hiring for a position you are looking for. Staying engaged/connected with your contacts is important and you will want to take advantage of that.

Update your Resume and Online Profiles  

 Keeping your resume and online profile up to date will allow people to be able to search for you easily. If you don’t update your resume with new skills, job positions, etc. you may lose out on some job openings that you would be a perfect fit for. That also goes for online profiles. As recruiters and hiring managers are looking for their perfect candidate, they will be looking at online profiles such as LinkedIn and using certain keywords to search for candidates. You will want to ensure you have everything up to date to make sure you are very searchable to the hiring managers/recruiters.

Do you need help in your job search? Contact us today to see how we can help you!

Whether you are looking for a career change or just need a job, you’ll find it to be draining and hard to figure out where to start.  Working with a recruiter can help with all the hassles and allow you to focus on building your skills as they can help you navigate through the job market.

Below are 5 benefits of working with a recruiter:

Career Expert: Recruiters constantly are working with different people every day, from hiring managers to candidates. They are talking on the phone and joining webinars about the changes in the job market. By using a recruiter, you have a person that can help fill in the gaps in the challenges of finding a job or even when you want to make a career move. They are able to help you ensure that you have the right skills, tools, resume, etc. to get you your dream job.

Industry Knowledge: Many recruiters are specialized in a niche industry. They are very knowledgeable about the skills and qualifications needed and help you navigate through this process easy and efficiently. They also develop a good relationship with hiring managers in those industries and are able to be the first to know when a position is available.

Interview Prep: An interview can be intimidating, especially when you haven’t done it in a while. It also is constantly changing and those typical questions you thought they asked, many don’t ask anymore. Recruiters are able to help you prep for an interview and can give you some insight in how to best represent yourself. They have a good relationship with these companies and are able to help you be more prepared than ever.

Negotiating Process: This process can be tough as it’s not the most pleasant conversation sometimes. Having a recruiter with you allows this conversation to flow much easier and they are able to consult you along the way. They will work hard to get you the best deal possible and show you the long-term perks as well as the short-term ones. They will be your best ally in this situation and be able to handle any challenges along the way, such as counteroffers.

On-going Partnership: Recruiters are great to maintain an on-going relationship with when you are trying to find the right job. Whether you are looking for long term or short-term positions, they are able to help you get to where you want to go. They have great relationships with companies in their area and they can let you know when things are available or tell you the skills you need to get your dream job.

Looking to work with a Recruiter? Contact us today to learn more!

 Amerit Consulting, a Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOSD), is excited to announce its expansion by adding a new office in Sacramento, CA, in addition to the corporate headquarters in San Ramon, California. This new expansion will allow Amerit to strengthen its local presence while still offering a wide variety of Human Capital Solutions to Fortune 500 companies nationwide.

The Sacramento location will provide support to the area’s diverse and technological talent pool that will accommodate the company’s rapid growth. The new establishment is Amerit’s 10th U.S. location and will be led by Marcos Codina, Sr. Client Program Manager…

>> Read On

As businesses across the globe are continuing to stop the spread of COVID-19, remote hiring has become the new norm. Here are some tips on how to find a remote job during this pandemic.

Staffing/Recruitment Firms

Recruiters that work for staffing/recruitment firms have personal and on-going relationships with top companies and know when jobs are available even before they are public. By working with a staffing company you are able to get your resume in front of the hiring manager faster if your qualifications match the job requirements. Staffing firms work with you and help you find the best job that fits the client and you. So, if one job doesn’t work, they will work with you until they find something that does.

Job Boards

Just as you normally would look for a job, searching the web and going on job boards are great ways to find a remote job. Websites such as Indeed.com, CareerBuilder, Glassdoor, etc. have filters that you can set that filter for remote jobs only. This will make it easier for you to find your next dream remote job.

Remote Hiring

Not only are you going to be looking for a remote job but when you do, you should be prepared for the interview process. As this will be done completely virtual and you will want to ensure you have the right tools to achieve this. Virtual hiring can be tricky as it can get uncomfortable but by practicing, this will ensure your success. Don’t forget to be prepared, test out your technology and have your resume in front of you as notes.

Enhance Skills

When you do land your remote job, or you are just about to start looking, you will want to make sure your skills are up to date. There are numerous websites that are FREE, you can use to practice your skills or even learn new ones. This will be a great way for you to stand out of the competition and even have more available jobs that match your “new” skills.

Are you looking for a remote job? Contact Amerit today to learn about the opportunities we have available.

5 Tips To Successfully Hire Remote

During the COVID-19 outbreak, many companies are suggesting—even requiring—that more employees work from home. However, before COVID-19, remote working has been a big trend in the past few years and we have seen much success with it.

Below are 5 tips to help successfully hire remote:

1. Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, etc. are all great tools to connect “live” with your applicants to help hire remote.
   1. If you have Microsoft suite, you have access to Skype.
   2. You can sign up for a free Zoom account (40-minute meeting limit). Unlimited meetings are just $14.99/mo.
2. Onboarding paperwork and trainings can be offered via web options and DocuSign tools. This makes it easy for new employees to fill out paperwork online and it is very secure with sensitive data.
3. Utilize online skill tests. There are plenty of online tool softwares that can help you test the knowledge of candidates. Currently Amerit Consulting uses IBM Kenexa Talent Suite to skill test such as typing, Microsoft Excel, Word or PowerPoint, etc. This will also be an additional interview tool to ensure that the person has the right skills for the role.
4. Make sure you have the right recruiting strategies in place. Recruiting top talent can be tricky. Your team must be professional yet creative to find the ideal candidate. It is just as important for a candidate to be professional as much as the recruiter should as well. As you are representing your company and want to make sure it’s done correctly.
5. Create a transparent and positive experience for the candidate. You want to make sure you create a welcome atmosphere when hiring a new employee. Even remotely, it’s important to have clear expectations and show your best self. This is your chance to showcase the culture of the company and also if hired to set expectations from the start.

For more tips, click here. 

You created the perfect resume and now a hiring manager wants to schedule a phone interview. This is a perfect way for them to gauge a little understanding about you and to see if you may be a perfect fit for the role. Easy right? Well not as easy as people think. You will want to ensure you are overly prepared and use the below phone interview tips to help you advance to the next round.

1. Make sure that you are dressed appropriately. Wearing business attire will pump you up for the interview. Although this may sound silly as they won’t be seeing you. It is important to make sure you treat this as a normal interview, as dressing for success is very real in this case.
2. Make sure to come prepared to ask questions about the role and company culture. This shows the employer that you are interested in the role and you are serious about it and what kind of worker you will be by how serious you take the interview.
3. Good Fit for yourself. An interview isn’t just a time for a hiring manager to ask you a bunch of questions, it’s also your chance to make sure this is a good fit for you by asking all your relevant questions.  As mentioned above, make sure you are overly prepared with research on this role. You will want to make sure this is a good fit for you and them. This role might sound good on paper, but it may not be as good as you thought it would be by talking more about it with a hiring manager.
4. Phone etiquette is extremely important. If you don’t demonstrate professional phone etiquette you might be passed on. You could elaborate too much or talk quietly. This is where practice will help and ensure you are showing yourself properly.
5. Make sure to be yourself, if you pretend to be somebody else while interviewing it could led to a job that isn’t a fit, both technically and culturally. Also have fun with it. Be yourself and show your personality.
6. Make sure to choose a quiet space! This will be important as you don’t want to get distracted or the hiring manger. With loud noises during the call it could throw you off and you could get frazzled when answering questions.
7. Practice, Practice and More Practice. Practice makes perfect and you will want to practice on the phone with someone. You will want to see how your voice and speed of how you answer the questions. Is there an echo on the phone? These are all important things to test before you do your phone interview.

For more tips, click here. 

Conference Call Etiquette: 7 Dos and Don’ts

Now that many businesses are working from home, we have utilized software such as Zoom, Microsoft teams, Skype, etc. to host many online meetings. It can be challenging to get used to if you have not done it before.

Below are Seven Do’s and Don’ts for Conference Call Etiquette

Be on time

This is an obvious one and the easiest. Be on time. Nothing is more frustrating for people if they have to wait on someone to start their meeting or if the host is late. Then they have to listen to the wait music for 5+ mins. However, it is only okay if you are late, IF you notified the host of a conflict you have and let them know ahead of time you were going to be late or send them an email prior to the meeting to them know what conflict arose to make you not able to be there at all or on time.

Fix technical issues beforehand (test equipment)

Calls dropping or static noise can be quite frustrating to a group when you are having a conversation. I have been on a call and someone is speaking and then goes silent mid-sentence,  then comes back at the end. You ask them to repeat and then the meeting is going over because of this. It takes away from time spent elsewhere and eliminates the productivity of the call. It will be important for you to fix any issues beforehand and even do a test with a co-worker to make sure everything is working fine.

Don’t eat or drink anything

It sounds funny that we are even talking about this but eating or drinking on a conference call is a big NO. I have been on calls when people are smacking their food or you can hear chip bags in the background. This can be quite distracting for people and you don’t want to be the person getting called out. As far as drinking, it is okay but there is a mute button, Use it so people don’t hear you. Just be mindful of when you are doing any of this.

Use the mute button (when not speaking)

The mute button is everyone’s best friend on a conference call. A lot of times if people are not on mute, you can hear an echo which can be irritating for some and very distracting. It will be important to use the mute button when not speaking.

If the host…have agenda

If you are the host, a great way to be productive and use the conference time to your advantage is by sending out an agenda. This allows people to prepare and know what to expect from the call and what you expect from them. Sometimes calls can get sidetracked and you end up spending 2+ hours on a call when it should have taken you 30 minutes to 1 hour. This ensures you are getting everything you needed completed and keeps the members on the call interactive and ready to solve any issues, concerns or ideas.

Choose a quiet location

During a conference call you want to choose a quiet location.  You don’t want to be the person that has the loud noise in the background. You also don’t want to get distracted during the call and when you are called on, you ask them to repeat the question.

Speak up, silence isn’t always the right choice

Sometimes people think that silence on a call and just listening is fine. But you don’t want to be that person, you want to speak up when you have an idea or opinion about a process. Have a voice in the call. Collaborate with your teams on the call and make suggestions. If you are silent the whole call, then it will be a waste of your time. You want to make the most of it and share your thoughts and ideas. You were asked to be on the call for a reason.

For more tips, click here. 

Boost Your Skills While We Are Staying Home Due To COVID-19

Regardless of where you are in your career, there is always room to learn new skills. The workforce is changing rapidly, and you want to be up to date with everything. With this extra time due to COVID-19 and everyone staying home, what better to do than to boost your skills? There are so many virtual options you can use that this will be a great benefit for you career.

Below are four ways you can enhance your skills while at home:

Research

Extra time provides a great opportunity to do some research on which skills and requirements that could advance your career. A great way to start is by looking online at job postings or speaking to people in your industry. This will allow you to capture common skills, certifications and education requirements for your dream job. You also can take stock of your current skills. Is there something you need to enhance? Do you feel like you need to get better at a certain program?

Online Courses

There is a plethora of online courses you can take to help improve your skills. And did I say there are many FREE ones? Yes, I said free! Online courses are a great way for you to refresh your knowledge and also learn new skills. Courses such as Linux, Google Analytics Academy, Microsoft Virtual Academy, General Assembly and much more are just a few places that offer online courses but if you do the research there are plenty of programs that can benefit you and your career.

Webinars

Not only do you have the availability to take online courses but there are a lot of virtual webinars that can be quite useful for many. There are great ways to learn about specific topics and they usually last about 60 minutes. You will also gain a different perspective on certain topics and be able to engage with other participants online as well.

Skill Programs

With the availability of so many online courses, webinars, blog content, etc. it makes it easy for you to learn about different topics, skills, etc. to enhance your overall experience. You may wonder how you are able to practice the new skills you have learned. There are a ton of programs that allow you to you do this. At Amerit, we use IBM Talent Suite, to encourage our employees to practice and improve on certain skills such as Excel, PowerPoint, Word, typing etc. This is a great tool for you to use to analyze your improvements and determine if what you are doing is working.