Criticism can be tough to swallow, even for the most humble individuals out there. It’s never easy to receive any form of criticism, whether it’s constructive or not, but sometimes you just need to bite the bullet and try to make the most of it.

We spend hours upon hours with our coworkers, partners, bosses and customers each week. These individuals get to know us well and can learn quite a lot about us over time. Sometimes, they may offer their opinion on how you could improve your performance, also known as constructive criticism. What you do with these suggestions, and how you go about handling them, can have a massive impact on your career and relationships in the workplace.

The first step to handling criticism at work involves opening up your ears and really listening. You might have an inclination to consider this constructive criticism as complaining or whining, but just take a moment and really try to listen to what the other person is telling you. What is it about? Is there any truth to it? Many times, this criticism is coming from someone who wants to help you, so try not to get defensive or begin to justify your actions. Instead, consider the nature of the criticism. Is the person telling you how to do your job, or are they just genuinely making an attempt to help you improve? 

Second, try not to take this criticism to heart. It’s not something to be used personally against you and it’s not something meant to demean you or your job. Remember, you’re in a professional setting where the quality of your work is regularly supervised and criticism is a normal part of getting feedback. Therefore, try not to get your emotions tangled up in these kinds of comments. Instead, remember that this is about your career, so you need to remain objective.

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How can you shine like an Olympian during your job search in 2010? Olympic athletes may have four years to prepare for the intense competitions they face during the Olympic Games, but you only need these four steps to go for the gold in your job search and beat out the competition!

© VANOC/COVAN

How can you prepare yourself to top the competition during your job search? In order to succeed, you need to create a strategy that works for you.

A recent article featured on Yahoo!hotjobs titled   “10 Ways to Be Liked in Your Job Interview” lists 10 ways to increase success for your next job interview. The list goes over various interviewing don’ts: from avoiding excessive smiling and off-target questions to keeping small-talk and jokes to a minimum. While the list can be comical, the advice is beneficial to all job seekers.

10 mistakes to avoid for interview success:

1. Don’t be a “smiley face” - excessive smiling can also be seen as nervousness
2. Don’t be a small-talker – be knowledgeable about the company you’re interviewing with and avoid random facts
3. Don’t sweat – it can be seen as a sign of weakness and nervousness and will not impress
4. Don’t be a road block – interviewers are seeking eager candidates
5. Don’t be petty - avoid asking questions about routine elements of a company
6. Don’t be a liar - even a slight exaggeration is lying
7. Don’t be a bad comedian – humor tends to be subjective, so be careful
8. Don’t be high-maintenance - interviewers will not be interested in someone who’s finicky about their workspace
9. Don’t be a time-waster – make questions intelligent and to the point, otherwise you’re wasting time
10. Don’t be a switchblade – avoid bashing former employers

You can read the entire article by clicking here.

So, you’ve got an interview coming up. You’re strapped for cash, and you’ve searched through every hanger and drawer in your closet but don’t know what to wear. Not to worry! You can still build an ideal interview outfit right from your very own wardrobe. Here are a few tips for picking the perfect interview attire on a budget.

The bare necessities checklist – no job seeker should be without these!

Suit: One of the pricier pieces of your interview wardrobe can be a well-fitted suit.

Affordable Women's Suit from JCPenney

Designer suits can be pretty expensive, but I found a versatile, four-piece women’s set at JCPenney which comes out to less than $100 and several men’s seperates at JCPenney as well.

If a suit still isn’t in your budget, consider a classic white button down shirt with dark slacks. A white top or dress shirt with long sleeves can be a conservative and fail-proof approach at a professional look. Fitted white shirts can be modestly-priced at most stores, like this Merona men’s fitted shirt or women’s button down top from Target. Some department stores even offer shirt-and-tie sets at a cheaper price than separates.

Accessories: Accessories can put a final touch on any outfit but they don’t have to be expensive! You can save money on some of the expendable accessories in your wardrobe, such as pantyhose and dress socks, which can be purchased at wholesale prices.

Hair and hygiene: Sleek and sophisticated looks always make a statement for both men and women. Gentlemen, remember to shave! It is also recommended to skip on the perfumes and colognes altogether to avoid stirring up any allergies.

Dry cleaning: If you have some extra cash to play around with, you’ll definitely want to consider dry cleaning your outfit a few days before your interview. While this is an extra cost, it will create a crisp, clean finish to your look.

Integrating these tips into your wardrobe selection will save you time and money when deciding what to wear for that next big interview. While interviewing for a job can be nerve-racking, choosing an outfit doesn’t have to be!

Do you have any tips for interview attire? What has worked for you in the past and what hasn’t?

Thanks to our fellow Tweeters @CareerBuilder and @CBforJobSeekers I came across an article that reveals almost 25 percent of job seekers plan to use a recruiter in the next quarter, according to CareerBuilder’s quarterly Staffing Supply and Demand Outlook.

Other relevant information from the study reveals (as taken from CareerBuilder):

• Of those not currently using a staffing firm, more than half indicate they would if they were still searching three months from now.
• 34 percent of job candidates in the technical, IT and scientific sector continue to be most open to utilizing a staffing firm in their job search.
• 13 percent of hiring managers say they expect to use a staffing firm over the next three months.
• Of those managers, nearly one-in-10 expect to utilize a staffing firm to help in their search for full-time employees in the upcoming months.
• Six percent of hiring managers expect to utilize a staffing firm to help fill temporary or contract positions in the upcoming quarter.

StormStaff can help in your job search. We work with our professional candidates in the administrative, clerical and financial fields. If you are interested in searching our job postings, visit our website. You’ll also find more information about our services to help get your job search off to a successful start!

For more information on the survey results, visit The Work Buzz: the CareerBuilder.com Job Seeker Blog.

On Wednesday, Staffing Industry Analysts released survey results asking staffing companies how often candidates decline an assignment. According to the results, the median candidate decline rate is 11 to 15 percent. Those representing the healthcare industry reported the highest decline rate with a median in the 21 to 25 percent range. Meanwhile, business services ranked low on the spectrum, reporting a rate of decline at only 6 to 10 percent.

According to the report:

“Staffing firms primarily serving the business services… report the lowest rates of candidate decline.”

Another article in BusinessWeek reported that the business and professional services industry currently holds the second highest number of available jobs employers can’t fill. It seems companies are actively seeking qualified candidates but can’t seem to recruit the qualified talent or fit for their organizations.

So, what could all of this mean for staffing companies specializing in business services and the clients they serve? Well, it certainly means that both sides stand with much to gain.

First off, research shows that candidates specializing in business services aren’t likely to decline a position offered to them. Using a staffing company with a high level of expertise, resources, commitment and personal approach will certainly achieve favorable results.

Secondly, companies say they are facing trouble filling positions and claim they are “actively recruiting but so far have been unable to fill.” If these organizations use expert staffing companies, they will receive assistance from recruiters who know exactly what they are looking for and are true experts in finding the right fit for the right position. Recruiters find the high-quality, top talent candidates that companies want and need. Organizations that use staffing companies can save valuable time and money in meeting these demands.

We know that many people are actively on the job search, so we’ve decided to put together some useful tips that are tried and true when it comes to the job hunting process. Click here to check them out or visit:

http://www.StormStaff.com/jobhuntingtips