Career Planning

Everyone approaches career planning differently. Depending on your personal preferences and how you prioritize a multitude of competing aspects — ranging from start date to desired pay; contract, contract-to-hire, and direct hire roles; available hours to health benefits; company culture to commuting time — your planning and search phases may last just days or could span months or even years.

Table with resume and cover letter
Planning for a new job

Whether you’re just beginning to consider a new job or have already begun searching open positions, there’s a lot you can do prior to turning in an application that will increase your chances of being happy and successful at work. Mapping out your intentions, and knowing what your qualifications are and how they fit into the marketplace are important for establishing realistic goals and will ultimately provide the basis for how you approach applying and interviewing.

People standing in front of a  bar graph
Even if you have significant experience, changing factors such as average salaries in a given industry, current unemployment rates, and cost of living for your area are important considerations as you work to find a new position. This is where we, a premier employment agency, can help. Palmer Group is deeply in-tune with current employment trends and understands what factors and traits are deemed most important in the hiring process.
 

So before you start your search, make sure to ask yourself what your priorities are and that you keep a positive mindset. You may find that the answers you come up with can help you stay focused on what you — and employers — really want.

Applying with confidence

If you’re like most people on the job hunt, you’ve probably dedicated countless hours to seeking out the perfect position. So when you find one that looks promising, you want to move quickly before the opportunity slips away. You’ve just arrived at the next step, and one of the most important — applying.

Applying for a new job is a critical time when your past experience and your goals for the future culminate in the moment when you complete an online application or hit send to email your resume. As one of potentially hundreds of applicants who all want the same thing, differentiating yourself early on can speak volumes to an employer. Luckily, crafting a solid resume, cover letter or application, and displaying confidence are a lifelong skills that can be mastered with just a little practice.

How you talk about yourself, position your experience and build rapport can tell an employer a lot about what kind of worker you will be even before you get an interview. Palmer Group helps hundreds of people each year develop stronger resumes and cover letters that will make employers stand up and take notice. And because we work directly with hiring managers throughout the entire application process, we have an insider’s knowledge of exactly what top companies are looking for. You’re here to get a new job. We’re here to teach you how to control key variables that will get you closer to where you want to be.

Tools and resources for applying

 

         

Resume Samples

View sample resumes and and learn current best practices for formatting and writing a winning resume.

Learn More

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Creating a Cover Letter

Review the basics for formatting and writing a hard-hitting cover letter to accompany your resume.

Learn More

 

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Interviewing like a pro

Manager interviewing a candidate while seated at a table

You stuck to your plan, did your research, put together the perfect resume, and wrote your best cover letter. You’re anxiously waiting to learn if you’ve been selected for an interview, and then it happens: you’re in! If this is your first time interviewing or even if you’re a seasoned pro, now is the time to brush up on the skills you’ll need for a successful face-to-face meeting. The interview is an opportunity for the potential employer and you to learn more about each other, confirm goals and ask questions. Before you step into your interview, you need to be ready to back up your resume by speaking confidently about yourself and your skills. What’s more, you need to prove your professionalism and demonstrate that you can handle anything they send your way.

This is where we come in. Palmer Group prepares people for success with:

  • In-person or virtual training
  • Practice interview sessions
  • Helpful feedback on how to highlight your skills
  • Inside interview tips on what employers are looking for

These free trainings and tips are intended to help you build confidence and promote professionalism in speech, body language, and interview etiquette. We work on both sides of the table to represent employers and candidates, helping you succeed on one hand and working with our clients to promote your skills on the other. We’ve taken our best advice from our years of experience and put it all in one place online to help you get ready for your interview. Read our interviewing tips on our career development blog and put them to good use. When you finally land the perfect job, you’ll be thankful you did.

Interview Checklist