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Avoid These Virtual Interview Mistakes

January 17, 2025 by bwadmin

On paper, virtual job interviews may sound easier than their in-person counterparts. You don’t have to travel anywhere, you don’t have the extra nervousness of meeting in person, and you control your environment. But as anyone who has done a virtual interview will tell you – just because it sounds easier, doesn’t mean that they’re easy.

Virtual job interviews come with their own unique challenges and best practices. There are so many different technicalities to consider before, during, and after interviews. To help you increase your chances of getting the job, we’ve outlined 10 virtual interview mistakes to avoid.

10 Virtual Interview Mistakes to Avoid

Paying attention to the details and embracing the new interview process can mean the difference between getting the job and continuing your search. Here are 10 virtual interview mistakes to avoid going forward.

1. Showing Up to Your Interview Late

Showing up to your interview late is a lot harder to achieve in a virtual world, but it’s not impossible. You might breathe a sigh of relief knowing you don’t have to GPS the company’s building, figure out parking, find the right room, remember how to firmly shake hands, etc. The great thing about virtual interviews is that it’s a lot harder to be late. But that doesn’t mean you should be comfortable rolling in right on the dot either. With technology, it’s so easy for your internet to be slow, to struggle to log in, and so many other circumstances to happen and inhibit you from being timely.

To ensure that technology is working properly, log in 15 minutes early to test everything out, adjust your camera settings, and figure out where the buttons are. Then, start going over your notes about the company or staffing agency in your free time.

2. Not Knowing How to Use the Technology

We live in a day and age where everyone in the business world is expected to know how to use technology at its most basic level. For anyone who doesn’t know how to work Zoom, Google Meet, etc., learning how to operate it is crucial. While some employers may have some understanding of your situation, it should never be assumed that every interviewer will be okay with having to coach you through certain scenarios. When there’s limited time on their hands, not understanding how to use your technology properly can waste precious moments of the interview.

Do a few “trial runs” before your actual interview. You can have a family member or friend call you using the same video conferencing software the interviewer will use. If you’re not sure what they’re using, cover your bases by testing Google Meet, Zoom, Teams and Skype as those are the most common video conferencing platforms.

3. Not Testing Mic and Video Quality

Just because you can connect to a call doesn’t guarantee that you will show up with your best foot forward. While doing practice runs, pay attention to some details that can make or break an interview. The first is your audio quality. The person on the other end should be able to hear you clearly. You also don’t want them to hear random background noise you may have tuned out. Most laptops and computers now include built-in microphones, but the quality may be difficult to hear or otherwise obscure your voice. You can find cheap microphones that will plug into your computer, which may be a better option.

Likewise, you should look at the quality of the video. Interviewers aren’t expecting streamer-quality graphics, but you want to look for some easy-to-fix visual issues:

Does your video lag repeatedly? If so, you may need to lower the output settings in the video conferencing tool.
Is the camera centered on your face? This is a common issue with laptops, and can be fixed by stacking your laptop on books or other solid surfaces to raise it. You want the camera to be at your eye level, so you’re not looking up or down.
Is the lighting decent? Can the interviewer see your face? If not, you may need to place lamps behind your screen. You can also find cheap ring lights online that will clip to your laptop or computer.

4. Leaving Materials Out of Reach

Leaving materials out of reach during virtual interviews has similar consequences to leaving certain materials at home during a traditional in-person interview. Turning off your camera to get up or just standing up in the middle of an interview are big faux paus in online interviews. Both scenarios make you look unprepared compared to someone who had everything ready and in front of them.

Before your meeting starts, make sure to gather some water next to you, a notebook, pen, your resume, portfolio, any notes you took of the company or staffing agency, etc. Having all this next to you before the meeting starts is crucial so you’re prepared for anything that comes your way.

5. Choosing the Wrong Outfit

Virtual interviews are just as important and formal as in-person interviews. While it may seem silly to wear business suits or business casual shirts while in the comfort of your home, it’s essential for making a great impression. Look at the company or staffing agency and determine the appropriate attire for the occasion. Remember, it’s always better to overdress than to underdress for an interview.

And for important virtual meetings like a job interview, do not make the mistake of only dressing from the waist up. Life is unpredictable, and never know what may happen that causes you to have to stand up suddenly or your camera to fall down. The last thing you want is for your interviewer to see something embarrassing.

6. Interviewing with Clutter Behind You

Having a cluttered space during the interview doesn’t exactly scream that you’re professional and capable. It leaves behind the message that you didn’t prepare your space and clean up for the interview. On top of that, all of your messiness can be a huge distraction for the interviewer.

Again, this is where a test comes in handy. Run a simple fake meeting before your real interview to get a glimpse of what they’ll see. The good news is that for virtual interviews, out of sight really is out of mind. Pushing clutter out of frame will do the trick.

However, sometimes you won’t be able to control your background. If you have limited space where you can conduct your interview and a less-than-ideal background, an easy solution is to add a virtual background instead. Look up how to do this for the video conferencing tool and test it before your actual interview. Virtual backgrounds aren’t fool-proof, and it’s easy to make a mistake.

7. Not Minding Your Habits

While everyone gets nervous and shows habits and little ticks without thinking, it’s crucial to mind these as best as you can during your virtual interview. If you know you’re a nail biter or like to pick or fidget, tuck your hands under your thighs to keep them locked in or force a pen into your hand.

The number one rule though: don’t ever play with your phone. As far as your interviewer knows, your phone doesn’t exist. You should devote 100% of your time to the meeting with them to show you’re invested and care.

8. Heading into the Interview Without Researching

While showing up to a virtual interview seems less intimidating than an in-person interview, it’s still just as important to research the company or staffing agency and understand their values before heading into the interview.

Without properly researching the company or staffing agency and learning what they stand for, it’s easy to waste both the interviewer’s time and your own if you didn’t realize you weren’t a good fit beforehand.

It may seem obvious, but don’t try and do your research during the interview. While you multi-task, your face will be obviously checked-out of the meeting and it will not leave a favorable impression with the interviewer.

9. Not Sending a Thank You or Follow-Up Email

Whether you’re applying for a virtual interview right at the company or working with a recruiting agency, it’s always important to send a thank you and follow-up emails. If you’re interviewing with the company itself, send an email back to the interviewees thanking them for their time and reiterating your interest in the position. If you’re using a recruiter, you can generally still write a thank you to the organization, but you may need to send correspondence through your recruiter.

10. Not Expressing Interest Post-Interview

If the company or staffing agency you interviewed with reaches out to you asking if you’re interested in moving forward, a prompt response is great. Try to respond in the next 24 hours if you can, highlighting your interest in the position. If you wait too long, the company or recruiter may think you’re no longer interested and move on to the next candidate.

Check Job Listings or Reach Out to a Recruiter at Strom

Want more job-searching tips? Working with an experienced engineering recruiter like Strom Minnesota can help you prepare for any job interview and take the hard work out of finding positions. Don’t waste your time scouring the internet for job postings or waste time applying with multiple individual employers. Strom Minnesota takes all the hard work out of the job search, so you can find a new position faster.

Check Our Job Listings

Strom Minnesota is an engineering and technical recruitment agency that specializes in high-skilled job candidates for highly technical positions. We facilitate contract employment, project staffing, temp-to-perm and direct hire opportunities. Industries served include IT, engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and manufacturing. We are affiliated with Strom Engineering, a national staffing and recruitment agency.

Advantages of Hiring Contract Workers for Manufacturing Employers

January 17, 2025 by bwadmin

In the traditional hiring model, long-term employees for fixed positions are the norm. With the changing environment in manufacturing, you may be surprised to discover that skilled contract employees work just as well—if not better—for your production needs.

Utilizing skilled temporary workers can offer a number of advantages to your workforce. We’ll explore the various benefits of recruiting temp hires, where to hire the best employees for your manufacturing business, and more.

Lower Long-Term Costs

For manufacturing employers, hiring contract workers can be a huge advantage to your company by lowering long-term costs. Hiring a full-time worker means you’ll have them on your payroll year-round, even in the slow, off-seasons. If you find that there’s a huge difference between your busy and slow seasons, using contract workers is often more beneficial because you can cut ties as soon as the need for them is gone. You may also only need to hire employees on a per-project basis. As a result, you’ll see lower overhead costs.

Increase Workforce Productivity

Did you know that using contract workers in the manufacturing industry can increase workforce productivity? Even your best workers will get burnt out and slow down at some point. Adding in contract workers during busy seasons can alleviate those effects. With a fresh, able-bodied worker, most companies will find a surge of output that coincides with the new set of hands. Contract workers are a great way to amplify work productivity in a flash.

Performance-driven contracts ensure that your new worker(s) is able to achieve the goals you set first and foremost whereas full-time workers generally have ample amounts of time to get things done. Setting clear deliverables and expectations in your contracts with temp hires often helps you get the most out of a temporary hire. In the long-term, this equates to higher income potential than using traditional full-time employees.

Additionally, hiring temporary employees doesn’t mean hiring unskilled employees who will need excessive training. More and more employees with precision manufacturing skills like engineers, machinists, and welders are choosing to take on contract work instead of looking for long-term positions. This allows them to have more flexibility with the jobs they choose and experience the freshness of a new job.

Save Time on Hiring

A huge advantage of hiring contract workers for manufacturing employers is that you can save ample amounts of time during the hiring process.

Typically, searching for new employees is a long, arduous process for most employers. And then there’s the lengthy onboarding process as well.

Related Blog: How Do You Recruit Staff for a Project?

Using contract employees from the start often means that you save tremendous amounts of time in the hiring process. Working with a specialized recruiting agency like Strom Minnesota means you gain access to a database filled with niche temporary workers who match precisely what you’re looking for in your next candidate. This saves you a ton of time on the job search. Because Strom Minnesota also facilitates onboarding, you can save time and effort in that area as well.

Gain Specialized Skills

Another great advantage of hiring contract workers for manufacturing employers is gaining access to specialized skills and workers. While your current employees are certainly skilled, they may be lacking certain certifications for particular jobs or maybe you don’t have enough manpower. Working with a recruiter to find a specialized temp hire is often the best solution for this.

Some of the most experienced workers out there choose to only work temp jobs—because they’re that good. Oftentimes, people find that the best way they can utilize their skills is for temp jobs because they offer unique job opportunities, more experience, and other huge benefits. The best part is that you can benefit from this high level of expertise for as long as you need them. If you’re in the middle of a busy season, contacting an expert recruiter can help you find a contract worker with fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and a specific skillset for your project.

Where to Hire Contract Workers for Manufacturing

After seeing the advantages of hiring contract workers for manufacturing employees, you may want to find a temporary staffing agency that can help you find the right hires in times of need. Strom Minnesota is a great option for manufacturing businesses in the Midwest and beyond. If you need an expert staffing and recruiting resource for professional hires, we’ll help you find the right match. Reach out today to get started.

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Free Checklist: New Hire Onboarding

December 17, 2024 by bwadmin

The onboarding process is a huge stepping stone to improving short- and long-term success for new hires at your company. When done correctly, your new hire(s) will be more inclined to love their job, be passionate about your company and see greater success over the course of their employment. When done incorrectly, new hires are often more likely to experience difficulties in their first few months and leave the organization.

Onboarding is the very first insight new employees get into your company, and it makes or breaks their experience. With years of professional staffing experience, we’re offering our free checklist for new hire onboarding, so you can make a positive first impression from the start and set your employees—and yourself—up for long-term success.

Why You Should Focus on the Employee Onboarding Process

Putting effort and resources into the employee onboarding process ensures that you are investing in the success of your new hires and your company’s long-term goals. Giving new hires the resources they need from the very beginning increases their job satisfaction and makes them more likely to achieve success in their role.

Employee onboarding is especially important because it helps your new hires:

Seamlessly adapt to your company
Better meet expectations of the job role
Merge with company values and culture
Gain independence and new skills
Enhance productivity
Improve engagement, retention, and job satisfaction

As you can see, the job onboarding process is an instrumental part of meeting your company’s long-term goals. So, what should your onboarding process look like to achieve success?

How to Adapt the Onboarding Process to Your Organization

Every company is different and each onboarding process should also be different. Either way, we can give you a good place to start to check off all your bases. Please remember that this free onboarding checklist is a basic list meant to be adaptable to any company, and it’s just the starting point of what your onboarding program should look like. To fully customize it to your needs, you’ll have to adapt certain areas of the onboarding checklist, include company-specific documents, test out your plan and make ongoing changes to keep it applicable and updated.

New Hire Onboarding Checklist

If you don’t already have a new hire onboarding checklist or you need insight on what to add to yours, we detail the various steps you can take in your onboarding plan to achieve success within your company. This checklist should be given to HR, upper management and the person doing the new hire onboarding and training for each employee.

Pre-Arrival (Before the First Day)

Send an introductory email to your new hire(s), including:
- An employee handbook
- Office information (parking information, where/who they should report on their first day, office map, etc.)
- New hire paperwork
- Important contact information (HR Manager, Direct Supervisor, Team Lead, etc.)
Set up logins and equipment resources
Send organization-wide new employee announcement email
Identify training schedule for first day and week

First Day

Greet new employee(s) and give tour of building
Introduce new employee(s) to team members
Ensure all new hire paperwork is completed
Send login information and hand out tools/equipment needed
Present company overview (mission, values, goals, etc.)

First Week

Ensure new hire gets a rundown of role and job responsibilities
Train on essential equipment, tools and programs used
Set up a meeting with manager to determine performance goals

First Month

Keep training ongoing as long as needed
Use mentors for certain job learning
Set up regular check-ins with manager
Invite to team meetings
Partake in projects

Need Help with Hiring?

Now that you have the beginning of your onboarding process figured out with our free new hire checklist, you may need help finding new employees in the first place. Here at Strom Minnesota, our recruiters are well-versed in the staffing industry and can help you find the right placements for your open positions. With a large database to draw from and expansive social circles, we’ll help you find new hires faster.

Need temporary, long-term or technical recruiting?

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7 Red Flags in Job Postings to Watch Out For

December 17, 2024 by bwadmin

Applying for jobs online is an arduous, time-consuming process. Even more time-consuming is chasing down a job offer that ends up being nothing but a waste of time, effort or money. While you can’t always spot danger, recognizing these 7 red flags in job postings to watch out for will help you avoid trouble.

Watch Out for These 7 Red Flags in Job Postings

1. Vague Job Descriptions

Be wary of job postings that are unclear about the actual position itself. This can include contradictory language in the title itself – such as “Entry-Level IT Manager.” If the description of the job fails to lay out specific duties, this can also be a warning sign. Conversely, a job description that lays out a huge variety of duties could point to a company trying to hire a “multi-purpose” position. A short job posting isn’t automatically a red flag, as long as the information in the post explains what the position is clearly.

2. “Earning Potential” Instead of a Specific Salary or Range

A job listing that doesn’t include a salary isn’t a red flag, but a posting that repeatedly states the job offers “unlimited earning potential” or suggests that a low salary will be supplemented by bonuses is a massive red flag. Additionally, if you apply for a job and the hiring manager is cagey about answering direct salary questions, that’s a sign to walk away. If a job salary relies heavily on commission, be sure to ask the hiring manager how many employees currently receive commission and what the metrics are. If they can’t give you a straight answer, you should apply elsewhere.

3. Job Requires Long Periods of Unpaid Training

This red flag usually comes up during the interview process, but some job listings will be upfront that the job requires unpaid training. It’s important to find out exactly how long the unpaid training is expected to last. Some unscrupulous companies will use unpaid training as a ruse for free labor.

4. The Job Seems Too Good to be True

If you read through a job posting and think, Wow, this sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Is there a crazy high salary for the position? Are they immediately saying you’re hired and asking for your SSN and/or driver’s license after a 15-minute phone call interview? Cover your bases by searching for the company or staffing agency online, finding their website, looking them up on Glassdoor, etc. Oftentimes, you’ll find that the too-good offers are people trying to steal your information or people simply don’t want to work for the company or recruitment agency for various reasons. Either way, it’s important to tread with caution and research before rushing in.

5. No Qualifications Listed

Job postings that don’t include any specific qualifications can also be a red flag. No qualifications, no desired skills and no required education are all extremely suspicious. Even job postings for non-specialized positions will still list out requirements. If the job seems like it’s taking anyone who will apply, that can be a warning sign for a scam or multilevel marketing scheme.

6. Inconsistent Responses

Professional courtesy is responding consistently to candidates and keeping them updated throughout the process. If the company you applied for is taking weeks or months to get back to you without informing you of the timing or potential hiccups, that’s not a great sign. Chances are, they’ve already picked someone else and they are dragging you along for a backup choice in case the first candidate (or few) doesn’t work out. If a company expresses enthusiasm for you during the interview and has positive feedback, expect to get consistent responses from them that match.

7. Asking for Personal Information Too Early

Companies don’t ask for personal information like your ID or SSN immediately. Until you’ve finished interviews and you’re told you have the job, no one should be asking for either of these. If someone is immediately asking for this information in an email or phone call before you’ve gone through the interviewing and hiring process, that’s usually a bad sign. If they seem extra persistent after you say you’re not comfortable with it, that’s an even brighter red flag.

Why a Job Recruiter Keeps You Safe

Working with an experienced recruiter like Strom Minnesota can help you avoid a lot of these red flags. A recruiter will vet every single employer that uses their service, ensuring that you’re only applying to reputable businesses. On top of that, staffing companies often work with the same companies, so we know the best ones and keep them at the top of our list.

Check Our Job Listings

Strom Minnesota is an engineering and technical recruitment agency that specializes in high-skilled job candidates for highly technical positions. We facilitate contract employment, project staffing, temp-to-perm and direct hire opportunities. Industries served include IT, engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and manufacturing. We are affiliated with Strom Engineering, a national staffing and recruitment agency.

Check Our Job Listings

Shipping & Receiving Job Posting Template

November 18, 2024 by bwadmin

Looking to hire shipping and receiving positions? Whether it’s in anticipation of the upcoming holiday season or you’re coming to this blog at another time of the year, hiring for this vital warehouse position is highly competitive. One of the ways you can stand out from the other organizations seeking workers is through a powerful job posting.

Related Content: How to Create a Compelling Job Description

To help you jumpstart your job posting, use our free template below. It’s easy – copy and paste and update with your specific information. Our template is designed to attract and appeal to job seekers and will help you find the best talent for your open position.

Shipping & Receiving Job Posting Template

Seasonal* Shipping & Receiving – [INSERT LOCATION]

Hours: [INSERT HOURS AND DAYS]

Pay Range: [INSERT PAY RANGE]

*Remove if this is a long-term position.

[INSERT COMPANY NAME] is seeking a shipper and receiver to join our team [INSERT ONE: on a temporary basis; as a full-time employee]. This is a [INSERT ONE: first shift; second shift; night shift] opportunity.

Benefits Include:

[INSERT BENEFITS]

Duties:

Unload packages from trucks and pallets
Package orders to specifications
Load packages onto pallets and trucks
Work collaboratively with other team members

Requirements:

High school degree or equivalent
The ability to lfit up to [INSERT WEIGHT]
Stamina and ability to be on feet for extend periods of time
An eye for detail
Ability to follow verbal and written instructions
Experience appreciated, but not required

About Us:

[INSERT COMPANY BIO]. When writing your “about us”, consider your company culture as well. What adjectives would you use to describe your organization? Some examples include:

Innovative

Motivating

Challenging

Supporting

Inclusive

Passionate

Transparent

Trusting

Use our above template to help you kick off your search for applicants. If you’re looking to find qualified candidates, work with Strom Minnesota.

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How to Write an Effective Resume for Manufacturing Jobs

November 18, 2024 by bwadmin

Writing an effective resume for manufacturing jobs is imperative to get hired for a position faster and select the job you want. A hot job market can bring more job seekers in search of a new opportunity, adding to the competition in each industry. Weak resumes can eliminate even the most qualified candidates. This is why learning how to write your resume well can make a positive change during your job search.

Writing a resume for a manufacturing job is somewhat different than writing for other jobs. In this blog, we’ll share important tips and step-by-step instructions to help you write an effective resume that will make you stand out from other candidates and get the job you want in the manufacturing industry.

Resume Writing Tips

Understand ATS Resume Filtering

Some organizations use an ATS, or automated tracking system, to sort and filter resumes. All applications must be compliant to be accepted. Compliance with ATS standards is simple: use only standard fonts (like Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri or Helvetica) and conventional section names (like “Professional Experience” or “Past Experience” instead of “Latest Jobs”).

Keep it Short & Relevant

Highlighting pertinent manufacturing experience is crucial. Add the most relevant experience prominently on your resume. Include information about the types of manufacturing equipment you have worked with, your responsibilities, and any accomplishments you have achieved while working in the industry. This section won’t necessarily include education, certifications or safety records.

Tip: For a lengthy resume, eliminate work experience that is too old or unnecessary for the manufacturing job you’re looking for. A shorter, more tailored resume will get more views and interviews.

Write a Matching Cover Letter

A cover letter is a way for you to stand out and connect with the hiring manager. Plus, it makes your resume even more personal. Just like with your resume, keep your cover letter to a single page. Expand on your resume, but don’t repeat the information. You can find more cover letter writing tips on ResumeGenius.

Steps to Writing an Effective Manufacturing Resume

Writing a resume is something many people dread, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. Follow these tips from ResumeGenius to create compelling resumes:

Step 1: Choose the Best Format for Your Manufacturing Resume

When you begin writing your resume, you’ll want to decide what format to use. There are three resume formats to choose from: Reverse-Chronological, Functional or Combination. No one format is “the best” to choose – it depends on your preferences, experience and what kind of jobs you’re applying for. With that being said, using a classic reverse chronological format is most traditional and checks off all the boxes for your manufacturing resume, so it may be your preferred option.

Reverse-Chronological

This is the most common format for resumes. The Reverse-Chronological resume begins with a short resume objective and then lists your positions from most recent to oldest.

Reverse-Chronological resumes are ideal for:

Showing a vertical career progression
Applying to jobs in a similar field
Promoting upward career mobility

This format isn’t as great if you:

Have major gaps in employment history
Are changing your career path
Change jobs every few months

You can find Chronological Resume examples on the ResumeGenius website.

Functional

A Functional resume is best suited for a skills-based resume. Instead of focusing on positions like the Reverse-Chronological resume, the Functional resume places the emphasis on your skills and experience.

Functional resumes are ideal for:

Applicants with gaps in employment history
Individuals wanting to change their career industry
Highlighting specific skill sets

This format isn’t as great if you:

Need to highlight upward career mobility
Are an entry-level candidate that lacks experience
Lack transferable skills

You can find Functional Resume examples on the ResumeGenius website.

Combination

The Combination resume merges the two other formats together. It focuses on skills like the Functional format but it also lists previous positions like the Chronological format. This is typically a good format for manufacturing positions since you can showcase your relevant skills/certifications while also listing experience.

Combination resumes are ideal for:

Highlighting a developed skill set within a specific career
Wanting to change your career path
Showing that you’re a master of the subject you’re applying to

This format isn’t as great if you:

Want to highlight past education
Lack experience in the industry
Are an entry-level candidate

You can find Combination Resume examples on the ResumeGenius website.

Step 2: Add Your Contact Information

When writing your resume, you want to include all your contact information so it’s easy for employers to reach out to you. You should include:

Your name (in the largest font on the page)
Your mailing address
Your phone number
Your email address (make sure it’s professional; first and last name is always a good choice)
Your LinkedIn profile

Step 3: Write a Winning Manufacturing Resume Introduction

The objective summary is typically found at the top of the resume and acts as a resume brief of professional history and goals. Do not skip the objective summary. This section is like a first impression in a concise 2-3 sentence statement and is extremely important to the job hunt and interview process.

When writing a resume introduction, your goal is to capture attention. You want your introduction to be relevant to the position you’re applying to. ResumeGenius recommends 4 key types of resume introductions or summaries:

Resume objective – a two to three sentence statement that provides an overview of your skills and experience.
Summary of qualifications – a bullet point list of your most outstanding career achievements.
Resume profile – a combination of the career objective and qualifications summaries (can be either a short paragraph or a bullet-point list).
Resume summary – four to five bulleted sentences that highlight your past achievements using quantifiable data.

Step 4: Highlight Your Relevant Manufacturing Work Experience

Your work experience is the core of your resume. Before you start writing your resume, read the job description and requirements for the manufacturing job you are applying for. Make sure that your resume highlights the skills and qualifications that are most relevant to the job. Leave out anything that doesn’t apply to the specific job you want to save space and highlight the most important pieces of information.

Include your most recent manufacturing experience at the top just below your objective statement or summary. Use a clear, simple format and make sure to use headings, bullet points and white space to make it easy to skim.

For each work experience you list, you’ll want to have around 3-5 bullet points of your main duties and achievements in that position. Start with an action verb, followed by a specific and relevant job duty and a quantifiable point. Here’s an example for a manufacturing job:

Coordinated development of technician training manuals, increasing productivity by 10%

Tip: If possible, keep your resume to a single page. Most hiring managers don’t have time to read numerous pages for each potential candidate, and resumes that are too long are often passed over.

Step 5: Create an Education & Certification Section for Your Resume

You’ll also want to be sure to include any education, certifications or training you’ve received in your resume. Many manufacturing jobs require specific certifications or training, so make sure that all certifications or accreditations are written clearly and in chronological order. If you have more professional experience, you can also list previous positions in this section if you have received on-the-job training.

Tip: Safety is a top priority in the manufacturing industry, so make sure to highlight your safety record on your resume. Include any safety certifications or training you have completed, as well as any safety-related accomplishments you have achieved.

Step 6: Add a Skills Section in Your Manufacturing Resume

Talking up your skills is important, but it’s also important to strike a balance. A lot of hiring managers want to see rounded employees. That’s why you want to use both hard and soft skills on your resume.

Hard skills are quantifiable – such as language fluency, competency using certain computer programs or being able to operate heavy machinery. For manufacturing positions, these will likely be your certifications or training.
Soft skills are more personality-driven – it’s things like being a team player, being driven to succeed or having a great attitude. Soft skills show that you are motivated and get along well with others.

Step 7: Style Your Resume

Once you have the information for your resume gathered, it’s time to actually create it. There are an infinite number of ways to style a resume. For an easy way to get started, use these templates from ResumeGenius. Generally speaking, follow these style guidelines:

Limit yourself to one page but use another if you have extensive, relevant work history
Choose easy-to-read fonts and use the same font throughout
Change font sizes in descending order for your name, headers and bullet points
Add lines to break up content for improved readability
Stick to one-inch margins if you can

Step 8: Proofread Your Manufacturing Resume & Finish Strong

Before you start applying for jobs and submitting your resume, take the time to review it carefully to catch any errors or typos, information accuracy and grammar. A simple mistake reflects badly on your skills and can impact your prospects. Review your resume for any spelling or grammar issues. It’s also a good idea to have a friend or family member take a look at your resume too. If you’re applying to manufacturing jobs, having a job recruiter look over your resume is also a good strategy.

Take the Hard Work Out of Job Searching

By following these tips and steps outlined above, you can create a truly compelling manufacturing resume that effectively highlights your qualifications and experience in manufacturing and makes you stand out to potential employers. Strom Minnesota is here to help if you are looking for a new manufacturing position or need help with your resume.

Want more job searching tips? Working with an experienced engineering recruiter like Strom Minnesota can help you prepare for any job interview and take the hard work out of finding positions. Don’t waste your time scouring the internet for job postings or waste time applying with multiple individual employers. Strom Minnesota takes all the hard work out of the job search, so you can find a new position faster.

Check Our Job Listings

Maintenance Technician Job Posting Template

October 22, 2024 by bwadmin

Hiring for a job can be difficult, but it becomes even more of a challenge when you need to hire for a specialized role quickly. But what goes into the job posting to attract new employees? Learn the various pieces to include to gain new workers quickly with Strom Minnesota’s maintenance technician job posting template below.

How to Write a Job Posting for a Maintenance Technician

An effective job posting consists of an introduction, job summary, “About Us” details , all responsibilities & qualifications, and a description of the work environment. With these components, you can create a posting that’s attractive to candidates and ultimately keep your operations running smoothly.

Maintenance Technician Job Introduction

First things first, your job description needs an introduction that will capture attention. Most job postings simply list off the details and call it a day, but if you can highlight and provide information that benefits your audience, it will be better received.

Summary of Maintenance Technician Role

Next, summarize the maintenance technician role and what is expected. Report on how the position fulfills goals and creates value at the company. Give a brief synopsis of what the position entails and how it plays a crucial role in your operations .

About Your Company

In this section, it’s your chance to brag about your company. What is your company culture like? What values do you promote? What advantages do you provide to your employees? These are all great questions to answer and highlight the best elements of your organization. After all, you’re trying to sell your company just as much as job applicants will try to sell themselves when they choose to apply.

Key Responsibilities of a Maintenance Technician

Another major section to include is the key responsibilities of a maintenance technician. To make these points stand out, consider adding bullet points. This will make the information easier to read by adding white space and giving the eyes a break in what can otherwise be a huge block of text.

Maintenance Technician Required Qualifications

If a role requires any specific qualification, be sure to add a section for them. Whether you require an educational degree, professional certification or particular work experience, specifying what’s necessary is imperative to finding and hiring the best qualified candidates for the position.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

One of the last steps is describing the typical day-to-day job responsibilities, work environment, and physical requirements. This will give applicants a look into the role to see if they are a good fit if they haven’t gotten the information necessary to see if their work history and background applies.

Call to Action

Lastly, make sure you add a good call to action. There should always be a call to action at the top of the job listing, but it can also help to add one at the end to close out with a final reminder. The call to action is imperative to keeping people applying.

Maintenance Technician Job Template Recap

Introduction
Summary
Company Description
Key Responsibilities
Required Qualifications
Work Environment/Physical Requirements
Call to Action

Hiring for Open Maintenance Technician Positions

With the information above, you’ll be able to post a great job listing in no time. But if you want to save even more time and hire as fast as possible, considering Strom Minnesota for your hiring needs is one of the best decisions you can make. Our team has a surplus of connections in the maintenance technician industry and can find you candidates faster than you thought possible. Contact us today to get started.

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How to Find a Mechanical Engineering Staffing Agency

October 14, 2024 by bwadmin

For specialized careers like mechanical engineering, you don’t want to just work with any staffing agency. An agency that understands and caters to your industry is the best way to find a job that matches your needs and expertise.

Keep reading to learn how to find a mechanical engineering staffing agency that matches your interests.

Best Tips for Finding a Mechanical Engineering Staffing Agency

Knowing how to find a mechanical engineering staffing agency that matches your needs is imperative, and we know just how you can find a credible recruitment agency. Here are our top three tips to keep in mind when searching for your next role.

1. Look for a Specialist, Not General Recruitment

The number one thing to search for when you’re choosing a recruitment agency is whether they are a specialist in your industry. Generic options means that you’ll have fewer job opportunities related to your particular niche. There also may be a frustrating knowledge barrier when communicating with the staffing agency. If they focus on general recruitment, they might not understand the specifics of your niche. The best thing you can do is find a recruitment specialist in your industry to ensure your recruiter understands your objectives and expedite the entire process. . A specialized mechanical engineering recruiter will be much more knowledgeable in your field than a generic recruitment agency.

2. Explore Their Current Openings

To give you a taste of what the agency provides, take a peek at recent job postings and current openings. This will give you a good idea of what types of jobs are available and whether you’d be a good fit for any of them. If you don’t see anything that you could get hired for, or you lack the expertise needed, you may want to try looking elsewhere. On the other hand, if you see loads of job matches that get you excited, you should reach out and apply.

Something to note is that there may not be exact job matches listed online – often, recruiters will only list a portion of available jobs publicly, but have more opportunities for their current clients.

Related Content: Explore our open mechanical engineering jobs

3. Look at Their LinkedIn Activity

Another huge tell for the expertise of a recruiting company is to check their LinkedIn activity. More active accounts are generally more likely to have new positions that match your wants and needs since they are always adding new roles to the rotation. Being active on LinkedIn shows that an agency is in-touch with where job applicants are looking for positions. The agencies that are active are generally going to be more in touch with both employers and applicants.

Related Content: Connect with Strom MN on LinkedIn

Find Your Next Mechanical Engineering Job with Strom Minnesota

One of the best staffing agencies for mechanical engineering jobs is Strom Minnesota. We offer an ever-evolving selection of job opportunities and have everyone’s interests in mind. Explore our mechanical engineering job listings and more by clicking below.

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How Do You Recruit Staff for a Project?

September 12, 2024 by bwadmin

Recruiting staff for a project can be a time-consuming endeavor, but there are ways to speed up the process — and reduce stress — in the long run. From amplifying recruitment efforts internally to using external partners, there are some great options to simplify the process.

At Strom MN, we have years of recruiting experience for both project-based and long-term job placement. If you’re looking to recruit staff for a specific project, here are the best tips to move forward effectively.

Best Tips for Quickly Recruiting Staff for a Project

To recruit more efficiently for your next project, there are a few steps you can take to improve the process. It’s important to have a different approach for project-based staffing than for a direct placement role, as you likely will need to offboard as well as onboard.

1. Determine Estimated Length

The first step to recruiting for a project is determining how long the position needs to be filled. Figuring out the length of the role can help you write the job description properly and appeal to the right audience. Estimating the length of a project can be tricky, but we recommend the following steps:

Create a list of key tasks and the overall scope for the project – this is where you should identify the final step of the project. You should do this and the following steps per each job function. So for example, you might start this process by looking at the tasks of a mechanical engineer and then later repeat by looking at the tasks for a CNC machinist.
Collect a time estimate for each task, and add them up. If you don’t have documented hours for specific tasks, your best bet is to “guess high.” It’s better to overestimate and complete the project sooner than underestimate and have to go over budget.
Add estimated revision time to your estimate. If you’re unsure, a good rule of thumb is any task that may need revision, either double the hours from the original task or divide them in half, depending on the task. For example, something that may require just a quick review to confirm details could be estimated at half hours, but something that may potentially need more revision work – like reviewing a blueprint – aim higher.
On top of this total, add in some extra hours for unexpected events, delays, etc. 10-15 hours are a good buffer for unforeseen circumstances.
You should now have a grand total of estimated hours for this project.

You now have two options for posting your job listing. You can list out the total number of estimated hours (ex: 100 hours), or you can divide your estimated hours by desired working hours (ex: 2-3 weeks). The determining factor here will be the type of job and what collaboration is necessary. For many industrial, mechanical, and engineering positions, you’ll want to look at a length of time vs. specific hours, as your hire(s) will likely need to collaborate with other team members and work on-site. In this case, they will need to work within your working hours.

2. Create a Strong Job Listing

Now that you have your perimeters, it’s time to create a job listing. The key to finding the right people interested in the position is to create a strong job listing. Instead of merely listing what you want from people, focus on the value for the job seeker. What is the company culture like? What’s exciting about this project?

When hiring for a specific project, it’s absolutely vital to be upfront that this is a contract position and not a long-term position. This will be a huge deciding factor for applicants, and you need to make sure they can see that immediately. Include phrases like “Contract Position” or “Project Position” in the actual job title itself. The job description should also make it clear that this position is for a project only. This is where you’ll reference the estimated length you identified in step one.

Related Content: How to Write Effective Job Postings

After determining the content of your job listing, the next step is to get it in front of the right people. Blasting it out on every job posting site will likely lead to a lot of applicants – but they might not necessarily be a good fit. You’ll often get unqualified applicants filling out job listings. That’s why it’s important to…

3. Find the Right Staffing Agency

The best way to find qualified applicants is by choosing a good partner. A staffing agency can match your project with their pool of qualified candidates. Recruiting is what staffing agencies are best at, and you’ll be able to reap the benefits by working with them. However, find the right staffing agency starts with these tips:

Define your requirements (see tip 1)
Do your research on potential staffing agencies
Get recommendations from colleagues in the industry
“Interview” the agency by asking questions
Assess communication quality and customer service
Look for a specialist in your area

These tips will help you find the right staffing agency to fill an empty position in your company quickly and get you back on track.

Related Content: Find Qualified Staff Now

Partner with Strom Minnesota

Using our tips above, you can find great candidates faster than ever. If you’re looking for assistance with the hiring process, our team at Strom MN can support you every step of the way. With years in the recruiting and staffing industry, we will help you find the right candidates for any high-skilled engineering position. If you’d like to hear how we work, reach out to us today to get started.

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How to Choose an Engineering Recruitment Agency

September 12, 2024 by bwadmin

Looking for your next engineering job? Don’t work with just any staffing agency. Work with a recruiter who knows your industry inside and out.

It’s important to not only choose the best recruiter to highlight your skills, but also find a company that truly gets your niche. A general recruiter may not have the experience and knowledge needed to truly understand what you do and what you want in a position.

With years of experience in engineering and manufacturing recruiting, our team at Strom MN knows just what to look for. Keep reading to learn how to choose an engineering recruitment agency and learn the right questions to ask, so you can work with the best company for you.

Checklist for Choosing an Engineering Recruitment Agency

1. Browse Open Job Postings

The easiest way to get a feel for an engineering recruitment agency is to jump straight to their job postings and start browsing. This will give you a good idea as to the focus (or lack thereof) of the recruiting agency. Look not just for general engineering jobs, but also for specific positions like mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, structural engineering, etc.

If they post a wide variety of jobs from all industries, it may not be a good fit for you. An agency that focuses on engineering will have more relevant company contacts and be better equipped to match you with a potential job.

Also look to see what information is available publicly, and how much the agency keeps close to their chest. Ideally, you’ll want to see key information publicly available for each job posting – essential duties, location and qualifications.

Related Content: Explore Our Open Engineering Positions

2. Check Out Reviews

The easiest way to determine the credibility of a recruitment company is to head straight to their reviews — from both employers and employees. From an employer perspective, you can see how the agency works with companies, whether they stay in communication, and what their overarching goals are. From an employee perspective, you can see if people like working with the agency, determine whether job searchers have liked their placements, and gain insight into company values and how they work.

A great tip for finding both the good and bad of a company is to filter 3-star reviews, so you can get an unbiased view of the agency. Then, look at the extreme negatives and positives. This gives you a good idea of the reality of the company. Also look at how the company responds to reviews. A negative review doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a bad fit for you, but seeing how they react to negative feedback can help inform if you want to work with them.

3. Determine Their Speciality

It can be extremely helpful to match up a recruitment agency’s specialty to what you’re looking for. A generic recruiter has a wider pool of irrelevant jobs and industries to sift through. In many cases, organizations who are looking for engineers won’t work with general recruiters and instead will only work with a recruiter who specializes in manufacturing, construction, industrial work, etc.

Here at Strom MN, we focus on engineering and manufacturing in particular, and we have an ongoing relationship with relevant organizations in Minnesota and the surrounding region.

Related Content: Find Your Career

4. Ask the Right Questions

Once you find a contender for your next recruitment agency, it’s important to ask the right questions. We recommend asking these 10 key questions of any engineering recruiter:

What experience do you have with the engineering industry, specifically?
How do you alert applicants to open jobs?
What are the top 3 qualifications required for this position?
Why is this position open?
How long has this position been open?
What is the company culture like?
Is this a temp-to-hire opportunity?
What do you know about the company?
What does the interview process look like?
Do I need to follow up with the company directly?

With the right questions, you can sift through to decide whether the recruitment agency has the jobs you’re looking for and can support you in the ways that you need. If at any point you feel uncomfortable during the process, it’s 100% okay to take a step back and try again with another recruitment agency. At the end of the day, you know what support you need.

Find an Engineering Recruitment Agency

Using the above checklist, you can find the right engineering recruitment for you in no time. If you want a head start, our team at Strom MN has hundreds of engineering-based positions open at a time. Browse our database to see if your skills match up with one of our open positions and reach out when you’re ready. If a position is a good match, we’ll get in touch.

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Punch Press Operator Resume Template

August 27, 2024 by bwadmin

Looking for a new position as a punch press operator? Use our FREE resume template to easily create or update your resume.

Related Content: Browse Open Punch Press Operator Jobs

Below you’ll find a sample resume – you’ll want to update the specifics of education, experience and skills with your details.

FREE Punch Press Operator Resume Template

[First Name] [Last Name]

Phone: [000-000-0000]

Email: [yourname@email.com]

[City, State, Zip]

Objective

Skilled punch press operator with [X years] of experience in machine setup and operation, with a record of producing quality parts in a productive manner.

Skills

Good communication skills – fluent in English [and insert other language(s)]
Ability to multitask with a careful attention to detail
Ability to read and interpret blueprints and job packets
Experience using punch press machines, calipers, gauge pins and drop-through gauges.

Experience

[Position 1 Name]

[Company Name] – [Date] – [Date]

Successfully operated punch press machines during working hours, to maintain required production outputs.
Inspected and recorded part dimensions per quality plan and customer specifications.
Recognized and reported problems when parts do not conform to customer specifications.
Packaged finished parts for next operation, and report part counts and labor accurately and in a timely manner.
Kept work area tidy and clean from scrap.

Education

GED or High School Diploma

[School Name, City, State] | [Month Year – Month Year]

Now Hiring: Your Next Job

How to Find an Engineer Recruiter in Minneapolis

July 30, 2024 by bwadmin

If you’re an engineer looking for a new position, a career recruiter can help you find your perfect job. However, not all job recruiters are going to be able to understand the ins and outs of engineering and your specific expertise. Additionally, an out-of-state or international recruiter may not be able to best serve your needs.

In this case, you need to look for a job recruiter who’s local to the Midwest (ideally, to Minnesota) and who works primarily with engineers. Here are some tips for finding that perfect recruiter.

What is an Engineer Recruiter?

A recruiter is someone who finds qualified candidates and matches them with open job positions. This can be for temp positions, temp-to-hire or direct placement jobs. In our experience, most engineers who are looking for jobs in Minnesota are looking for longer-term placements.

An engineer recruiter is someone who specializes in finding jobs for engineers. Strom Minnesota works with engineers and companies to fill engineering positions with qualified candidates. This sets us apart from other recruiting companies, who focus on breadth and not depth. Because we work with engineers so closely, our recruiters understand what various engineering jobs entail, the common concerns engineers have and have working knowledge of industry terms. This shared understanding makes the job-hunting process smoother for everyone involved.

How to Find an Engineer Recruiter in Minneapolis

If you’re specifically looking for an engineering recruiter in Minneapolis, here are a few tips for finding an organization.

Begin your search online, but avoid aggregate job sites like Indeed. You’ll have more luck using a service that specializes in engineering jobs, vs just a general job search board. Strom Minnesota’s online job board features a wide array of temporary manufacturing positions in the Minnesota area.

Once you’ve found a company, take a look at their website. Are they based in Minnesota? Are most of their positions related to engineering?

If you’re looking for a local recruiter, you want to find a recruiter that has a Minnesota address.

Another place to look for engineer recruiters is on LinkedIn. Simply search for “engineer recruiters” or “engineering recruiters” and limit your search to Minneapolis zip codes.

Once you’ve found a recruiter you’re interested in, you should ask them a few questions to learn more about any job openings and their qualifications.

→ Read now: 10 Questions to Ask an Engineering Recruiter

The good news – if you’ve made it to this blog, then you’ve found a Minnesota-based engineering recruiter. Don’t waste your time scouring the internet for job postings or waste time applying with multiple individual employers. Strom Minnesota takes all the hard work out of the job search, so you can find a new position faster.

We hire engineers across all major focuses:

Browse all of our current open positions. To get started, it’s as simple as submitting an application for any job you’re interested in. If you don’t see one that’s a good fit, you can also join our job database to be matched with positions. Either way, a career recruiter will be in touch for follow-up.

Mechanical Engineer Job Posting Template

July 29, 2024 by bwadmin

Are you a business hiring for a mechanical engineer? Use our FREE template below as a jumping-off point for creating your job posting.

FREE Mechanical Engineer Job Posting Template

Mechanical Engineer Position– [INSERT LOCATION]

Hours: [INSERT HOURS]

Pay Range: [INSERT PAY RANGE]

[Insert Company Name] is seeking a Mechanical Engineer to join our team. Primary duties will include developing designs and concepts for [Insert Industry] and ensuring equipment meets performance specifications and cost requirements.

Benefits Include:

[Insert Benefits]

Mechanical Engineer Duties and Responsibilities:

Designs [Insert Application(s)] by applying engineering skills and experience.
Evaluates mechanical and electromechanical systems in design.
Confirms system and product capabilities to meet specifications.
Selects construction and fabrication techniques that will economically and reliably meet standards and safety specifications.
Collaborates with in-house engineering team and outside vendors.
Works closely with Marketing to review product documentation.

Mechanical Engineer Requirements

Education:

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering preferred, but experience in lieu of a degree may be considered
High school diploma or equivalent

Skills:

Familiarity with [Insert CAD Software]
[X] years of related experience
High level of proficiency in English speaking, reading and writing
Thorough understanding of manufacturing processes
Experience preparing engineering documentation
Working knowledge of [Insert Industry-Relevant Manufacturing Processes]
Able to work collaboratively and independently

How to Find Mechanical Engineers

Looking to fill contract, temp, or ready-to-hire positions? Strom Minnesota can help. Using our database of thousands of skilled workers, we can match ideal employees for you – with 0 work on your end.

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What are Manufacturing Jobs You Can Do from Home?

July 8, 2024 by bwadmin

Since manufacturing is such a physical, hands-on job, the question of what positions can be done remotely is a challenging one. However, there are some manufacturing jobs that can be done remotely.

In this blog, we’ll take a look at some of the most common manufacturing jobs that can be done from home – either entirely remote or hybrid. Because each company is so different, this blog is intended to be a jumping-off point for your own research and not an industry standard.

Note: The jobs below are not reflective of current open positions through Strom Minnesota.

Related Content: How to Take Manufacturing Digital

Remote and Hybrid Manufacturing Jobs

Data Entry

Because data entry mostly requires working with software, this is a position in the manufacturing realm that’s frequently able to be done remotely.

Customer Service Representative

Customer service can easily be made remote and done from home. While this position doesn’t require specific manufacturing knowledge before training, manufacturing experience can certainly give applicants a leg up.

Design Engineer

In some cases, a design engineer may be able to work remotely partly or primarily. This position may still require in-person work, but it can also be more easily moved remotely than other engineering positions.

Quality Engineer

Quality engineers can have the opportunity to work remotely, although they may still be required to come on-site or travel to vendor locations.

Related Content: How to Become a Quality Assurance Engineer

Manager or Coordinator

It’s usually preferred that managers and coordinators operate on-site, but some companies allow managers or coordinators to work on a hybrid schedule.

These are a few examples of manufacturing jobs that can be done from home. With safety concerns and an increased desire for remote work, we may see more and more positions move to a hybrid model.

Find a Manufacturing Job Online

After determining how your skillsets could apply to the structural engineering field, your next step is to find the right job.The first place to start is right here at Strom MN. Start working with Strom and find a job that matches your abilities and interests today.

Browse open remote jobs

Browse open hybrid jobs

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5 Essential Skills for Structural Engineers

June 11, 2024 by bwadmin

Structural engineers are the architects of the future, literally shaping the world around them.

Whether you’re currently working in the field of structural engineering or exploring this exciting career path, uncover the five essential skills that every structural engineer needs to thrive in this industry.

1. Experience with Structural Software

First and foremost, experience with industry-standard software is an absolute must. The most common software you’re likely to encounter as a requirement in job listings are:

AutoCAD
Revit
RISA
Staad/Staad Pro
Mathcad

While a company will typically want to hire someone with experience in their existing software system, if you have a knowledge of several different tools you can often transfer your skills and knowledge.

2. Experience Working with Multiple Teams

Structural engineers will frequently be called on to work with multiple teams, so interpersonal communication skills are important. Patience and the ability to answer repeat questions is also key – as you’ll often be asked to explain concepts to non-engineers.

3. Observation and Evaluation of New Construction

In addition to drafting and designing new construction, structural engineers are often required to evaluate the completed structure. An eye for detail is absolutely essential here – you’ll need to look for damage, incorrect construction and defects to ensure optimal performance and safety.

4. Evaluating Existing Structures

Along with reviewing new construction, a structural engineer is often called on to evaluate existing structures – and often, ones that you had no direct hand in building. Here, an objective eye is key as well as proactive documentation.

5. Fastidious Record-Keeping

Fastidious and frequent record-keeping is a vital skill for any structural engineer. This requires a solid grasp of written communication and a forward-thinking mindset.

Where to Find Your Next Structural Engineering Job

Explore Open Structural Engineering Postings

Check Our Job Listings

How to Write a Resume for Manufacturing Engineer Jobs

June 5, 2024 by bwadmin

Whether you’re a new graduate or re-entering the workforce, updating your resume for modern standards is crucial. For manufacturing engineers in particular, there are a few key tips to keep in mind. Explore what you need to know and unlock a FREE template you can use below.

Resume Tips for Manufacturing Engineers

When writing your resume, keep these key tips in mind:

Use a reverse chronological format – This means that when listing jobs, experiences and skills you’ll start with your most recent and go backwards from there.
Use standardized fonts – Many employers use automated software to analyze resumes and will automatically reject any who don’t use a standardized font. Stick to Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri or Helvetica when writing your resume.
Tailor your resume to the specific job – If you’re applying for a job description that emphasizes an attention to detail for example, you’ll want to be sure to include that phrase in your resume.

Get more resume tips on our blog: How to Write an Effective Resume for Manufacturing Jobs

Manufacturing Engineer Resume Template

[First Name] [Last Name]

Phone: [000-000-0000]

Email: [yourname@email.com]

[City, State, Zip]

Objective

Results-oriented Manufacturing Engineer with [X years] of experience in optimizing production processes, enhancing product quality and reducing costs within [specific industry or sector]. Dedicated to implementing cutting-edge solutions that streamline operations, elevate productivity and exceed goals.

Skills

Demonstrated proficiency in the interpretation and use of engineering design drawings and technical specifications to develop machining processes, procedures and control techniques from customer design inception to final production.
Ability to identify and evaluate complex, ambiguous business problems or technical issues and provide well-thought-out solutions.
Ability to quickly grasp the complexities of disparate quality issues and assist staff in solving technical issues to effectively meet customer needs.
Strong knowledge of CNC machining/programming (milling, turning, Swiss), and assembly operations. Knowledge of cutting tools, fixture design, plastic and metallic materials, and coolant requirements.
Knowledge of industrial math including arithmetic, geometry, trigonometry and statistics.
Knowledge of E2 Mfg, Mastercam and SolidWorks [or insert relevant software].

Experience

[Position 1 Name]

[Company Name] – [Date] – [Date]

Supported new component estimates throughout the quoting process to establish labor, equipment, tooling and outside services cost estimates.
Served as a technical support resource for ongoing/day-to-day manufacturing operations and continuous improvement programs.
Reviewed and interpreted associated specifications, and entered and updated the ERP system.

[Position 2 Name]

[Company Name] – [Date] – [Date]

Improved safety and function of equipment through the use of programmable logic controllers.
Assisted in the development and implementation of new manufacturing processes and products.
Oversaw installation to ensure machines and equipment were installed and functioning according to specifications.
Collaborated with the Production Department to provide a high-quality product delivered to the customer on-time.

Education

Diploma in Engineering
[Institution Name, City, State] | [Month Year – Month Year]

Now Hiring: Your Next Job

10 Questions to Ask a Manufacturing Recruiter

May 9, 2024 by bwadmin

Whether you’re new to the recruiting world or have worked with other staffing agencies, it’s useful to know the right questions to ask your manufacturing recruiter. By keeping our list in mind, you’ll gather important information and feel more comfortable throughout the recruiting process.

10 Questions for Your Manufacturing Recruiter

1. What type of manufacturing roles are offered?

While you may be open to any job in the manufacturing industry, most likely you have a particular role and experience to fill. Ask a manufacturing recruiter the specific types of roles they typically hire for. This will help you determine if they’re a good fit for your needs, or if they hire too broadly.

Related Content: Browse Open Manufacturing Positions

Note: The following questions are to be asked once a recruiter brings you a job of interest.

2. What top skills and qualities does the job require?

By asking your recruiter what skills, qualities and experience are required for the job, you can figure out whether you will be a good fit for the role. Even if you haven’t had a particular job or don’t have the exact skills, chances are that your skills could still be applicable and transfer over easily.

If you feel like your resume or application skills could use a boost, check out our related blog: How to Advance Your Manufacturing Career.

3. What are the day-to-day responsibilities in this role?

Beyond just the skill required, knowing what you’ll be doing is imperative to determine whether you want to move forward in the recruiting process. Knowing what you’ll be doing on a typical day is helpful in determining if the job is the right fit for you.

4. Why is the position open?

Knowing why the manufacturing position is available helps you know what you’re signing up for. Are you stepping in as a replacement for a former employee or is this a new role? Depending on why the job is open, you may be walking into a completely different situation. Having some information in advance can help you prepare.

5. How does this role contribute to the overall success of the company?

Knowing how you will fit in within the company helps to determine whether you want the job. Asking how your role contributes to company success will help you visualize your new role. If the hiring manager at the company can’t answer this question and a strong company culture is important for you, then this may be a role to skip.

6. Is the role a temp-to-hire position?

Knowing whether the role is temporary, permanent, or temp-to-hire can be helpful when deciding if you’d like the job. Many manufacturing roles will be listed as temporary only, but your recruiter may have insight that the role has the potential to evolve into a permanent position.

7. What is onboarding like? Will I need any on-the-job training?

Onboarding techniques and on-the-job training differ from job to job, so asking about them is essential. It’s helpful to know if the process requires travel and/or atypical hours.

8. How long is the contract period? Where is the job located?

Understanding how long the position is contracted for and where the job is located is essential so you can figure out the logistics of everything. That way, you can ensure you and/or your family plan accordingly regarding finances, medical, moving technicalities (if the job isn’t local), etc. If you’re working solo, you may be more inclined to relocate than if you have a larger family with roots in your local area. By asking your manufacturing recruiter these questions, you can be on the same page for where you’re willing to work and for how long.

9. When will I hear back from the hiring manager?

While your recruiter may not always be able to predict how long it will take to hear back if you’ve been accepted or not, it’s still worth asking. In many cases, your recruiter will have a long-standing relationship with the company that’s hiring and an insight into their process.

10. What happens next?

Asking, “What happens next?” is essential to learning how a manufacturing recruiter and company work. Knowing the next steps can help reduce worrying about when the recruiter calls back, if they call back, how soon you’ll have to depart for the job, etc. The “next steps” question is essential, but many people often forget to ask it and are left wondering.

Where to Find a Great Manufacturing Recruiter

If you don’t already have a contact, you may want to find a manufacturing recruiter to back you ASAP. While a traditional recruiter can help you find a generic job, manufacturing recruiters are going to be more helpful with the specifics of your goals in the manufacturing industry.

If you want to find a well-versed resource in your niche, Strom MN has a team of knowledgeable manufacturing recruiters ready to guide you through the job search process. Reach out to us to get started, or explore our manufacturing positions and send in your application today.

Check Our Job Listings

How to Find Manufacturing Jobs Online

May 9, 2024 by bwadmin

Online job searching can be an overwhelming process. Finding a relevant role in an infinite digital realm of job possibilities is daunting – especially in manufacturing, where thousands of openings are posted daily. And then, you have to stand out amidst hundreds of applicants.

So where do you begin your search with all these endless possibilities and limited time to sift through them? And how do you ensure you find great results? Learn how to find manufacturing jobs online and weed out the ones you don’t want with our easy-to-use tips.

5 Easy Tips to Find Manufacturing Jobs Online

1. Write Your Company and Career Wish List

Thoroughly research manufacturing companies and careers you’re interested in joining. Create a wish list of organizations and positions that your qualifications meet and another list of those that you will accrue the experience for later. Create long-term goals for where you’d like to be in your career and in your future company. Throughout your job search, check the career pages consistently for open positions that match your current expertise.

If you don’t have the experience yet, keep those qualifications in mind as you look for your next job. Try to find positions that will lead you in the direction of working for your dream company or obtaining your dream career.

Another easy way to accrue the necessary experience for your future career is to use manufacturing recruiters like Strom MN. By working in a temp position, you can quickly gain the expertise necessary for your dream job without spending too much time in one place. Basically, it’s a fast way to gain experience that can lead you to your ideal position in the future. Plus, another perk is that you could find an easy way into your dream job if you find a temp-to-hire position that works with that particular recruiting company.

Need extra help getting your foot in the door for your future position? Learn how to write a great resume with our tips below.

2. Use Social Media to Your Advantage

Larger corporations and up-and-coming companies are found on most social media sites. While LinkedIn is one of the best ways to connect with like-minded business individuals, other social media sites can also help with your manufacturing search. Social media makes it easy to follow your favorite companies and get a good idea of what it’s like to work for them and it helps you stay up to date when new job postings come out. By following the companies you’re striving to work for or that have a great approach to the manufacturing industry, you can learn how to ace interviews, connect with the right people, and find your dream job faster.

LinkedIn is especially great for building a network of past and present coworkers to help influence who you work for in the future. On top of that, it’s a great place to enhance your credibility in the manufacturing industry by highlighting the important people you’ve worked with and know. This will help your expertise stand out even more. When a future employer checks your page, it will help tell a story of who you are and how you work so that they’ll want you for their company, too.

Another way to quickly find manufacturing jobs using social media is by following the Strom MN LinkedIn page to stay up-to-date on new postings for local employers. Pages like this are essential for accessing current job postings and project information, so you can find a well-fitted position sooner.

3. Use Job Boards – But Apply On The Company’s Website

Indeed, ZipRecruiter, LinkedIn, and other job boards can be valuable tools for finding open jobs, but they can also cause you to put in more work with fewer results. Don’t get us wrong, job boards are great for finding jobs. However, they often aren’t as updated as the company’s own website or a recruiting company’s job boards. Whether a bot added the job or notifications aren’t checked frequently, most job postings don’t remain accurate for long – if ever.

On the other hand, staffing agencies are a fantastic source for manufacturing jobs. The great thing about a staffing agency is that job postings are updated immediately. Hence, you never have to worry about wasting your time applying for a job that no longer exists. While most companies on job boards don’t have time to update their posting immediately, a staffing agency is built around being timely with the positions offered.

Long story short, apply on the company website after finding a job posting that fits or find a recruiting company for the most up-to-date job postings. You’ll yield much better results when you’re learning how to find manufacturing jobs online.

4. Build your Network and Add Authority

With the manufacturing industry having such a big online presence, it’s essential to build your network and add authority by partaking in that online presence. Make sure you have a fresh, active, and filled-out profile in professional forums, popular manufacturing pages, and on LinkedIn. This will ensure your endeavor to find a manufacturing job is fulfilled by creating an online presence, adding credibility, and building yourself as a figure of authority in your industry.

With your networking done and out of the way, it’ll make it even easier to showcase your skills as manufacturing jobs arise. At the same time, you can prepare yourself even more by having your resume filled appropriately to submit to online job postings on a whim.

Need even more tips on how to advance your career?

Related Blog: How to Advance Your Manufacturing Career

5. Use a Manufacturing Recruiter

If you’re searching for a specialized job, it can help to find a specialized manufacturing recruiter to help you find that position. Why would someone waste time with a generic recruiter who’s only going to assign them to generic jobs when you can have someone dedicated to your niche and job desires?

By using a manufacturing recruiter specifically, it can be easier to find the precise job that you want to advance your career. An easy place to start is by searching “manufacturing recruiters near me” or by simply exploring our manufacturing careers on Strom MN. By working with one of our specialized recruiters, it becomes even easier to find the positions you want with so many applicable options. On top of that, you’ll have not one, but two people looking for career possibilities for your future.

Contact Strom MN today to get started, or explore our manufacturing job page to see what’s available now.

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Where to Find Manufacturing Jobs Right Now

Finding manufacturing jobs online is easier than ever before, but it can also be overwhelming. By following our tips above, our goal is to help you find your next job position faster online.

Want even more job searching tips? Working with an experienced engineering recruiter like Strom Minnesota can help you prepare for any job interview and take the hard work out of finding positions. Don’t waste your time scouring the internet for job postings or waste time applying with multiple employers that you never see or hear from again. Strom MN takes all the hard work out of the job search, so you can find your next position faster.

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How to Find Temp to Perm Engineering Jobs Online

April 9, 2024 by bwadmin

For many engineers, they want the opportunity to transition into a permanent position. Starting on a contract or temporary basis gives them the freedom to leave at the end of the engagement – but the stability of a full-time position now and the opportunity for a permanent position later.

If you’re an engineer looking for temporary to permanent job opportunities online, here’s how to find the best jobs that fit your needs.

How to Find Temp to Perm Engineering Jobs Online

Your best place to start with finding the right engineering jobs online is to partner with an engineering recruiting company. This offers a few key advantages that engineers should know:

When you work with a recruiter, you don’t have to do as much heavy lifting. The recruiter will actively find qualified jobs for you, which means you don’t need to spend hours scouring LinkedIn, Indeed and other job sites.
An engineering recruiter specializes in your industry, which means they can provide better direction and expertise over a traditional recruitment agency. At Strom Minnesota for example, our engineers appreciate that their recruiters understand their industry – so they can trust that their recruiter will source jobs that fit their specific needs and wants.
Companies will often work directly with a recruiter without ever posting their jobs online – which means if you partner with a recruiter, you have access to more jobs than the public does. This also means a smaller applicant pool to compete with.
Engineering recruiters have the expertise and relationships with existing manufacturing organizations to bring you more qualified opportunities to choose from when applying for jobs.

Strom Minnesota often hires for our manufacturing clients on a temporary to permanent basis. For both the employer and employee, this offers more of an opportunity to ensure that the job is a right fit.

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Why Positive Work Cultures are More Productive

April 5, 2024 by bwadmin

It’s true – positivity is a powerful force.

Having a positive work culture isn’t just important for employee’s mental health – it’s also critical for increasing productivity and retaining employees. It reduces turnover and attracts Gen Z employees, who are less likely to stick around in a toxic work culture.

Harvard Business Review researched the effects of a positive work culture on productivity and found some interesting results.

Toxic Health Effects of Negative Work Cultures

First, HBR looked at the impact of high-pressure, stressful and extremely hierarchical organizations. The research found some shocking statistics:

Health care expenditures at high-pressure companies are nearly 50% greater than at other organizations. (Source: BMC public Health)
More than $500 billion is siphoned off from the U.S. economy because of workplace stress, and 550 million workdays are lost each year due to stress on the job. (Source: APA)
In a large-scale study of over 3,000 employees, results showed a strong link between leadership behavior and heart disease in employees. (Source: NIH)

These studies backed up with anecdotal experiences show as well – that an intense, high-pressure work culture often has the opposite intended effect on productivity. Beyond the negative health impacts, these high-pressure cultures also see a higher rate of employee disengagement and lack of loyalty – which both lead to a huge increase in turnover.

Productive Effects of Positive Work Cultures

First, what exactly is a positive work culture? HBR defines a positive culture as one with these six essential characteristics:

Caring for, being interested in, and maintaining responsibility for colleagues as friends.
Providing support for one another, including offering kindness and compassion when others are struggling.
Avoiding blame and forgiving mistakes.
Inspiring one another at work.
Emphasizing the meaningfulness of the work.
Treating one another with respect, gratitude, trust, and integrity.

When an organization fosters a culture of positivity, the following benefits are observed, that have a direct impact on productivity:

Employees are more likely to stay with a company.
Less turnover means less money spent on onboarding and training, as well as fewer gaps between activities.
When the company culture is positive, employees are more likely to recommend the organization’s services to relevant family members and close friends.
Less internal friction between employees and between employees and senior leadership helps increase productivity.

(Source: University of Michigan)

How to Foster a Positive Work Culture

These findings from HBR show the importance of fostering a positive company culture. In order to foster a positive culture, change must come from the top-down. Bosses and managers need to lead the charge and set an example in order for a positive culture to take root. HBR recommends that managers encourage positivity in the following ways:

Foster social connections. Friendly relationships between both coworkers and management should be encouraged.
Show empathy. Employees who feel seen and heard are much less likely to disengage.
Go out of your way to help. When you help others, they’re more likely to help you in turn. This increases loyalty within the organization.
Encourage people to talk to you – especially about their problems. Trust and respect go hand-in-hand toward creative positive interpersonal relationships.

Note that a positive culture doesn’t mean that everyone is happy and smiling all the time and that no negativity is tolerated – instead it’s giving employees a space to be seen and heard and to constructively release any frustration. This creates a genuinely positive atmosphere that your employees want to be a part of.

Looking to fill contract, temp or ready to hire positions? Check out our Build Your Workforce page to see how Strom Minnesota can help you find qualified candidates to fill your open positions.

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