Not that long ago, the hiring process consisted of applying for a job, going to an interview, and getting a “yay” or “nay” as to whether you were hired.

Fast forward to more recent times – and the hiring process has gotten a little (ok, a lot) more complicated. From mandatory phone screens to multiple rounds of interviews with entire committees, the process is longer and more stressful.

On top of all that, employers are no longer simply evaluating skill set and work history. They also want to assess personality, as well.

Enter the personality test.

While you might not think your personality plays that big a role in your job, more and more employers are realizing how important it is to evaluate each candidate’s personality. They’ve been burned in the past by a candidate that looked great on paper, sounded brilliant in the interview, and then didn’t fit in with the culture or didn’t fit well with the job once hired.

And in fact, as one of the leading staffing firms in the Northwest, Provisional knows the majority of hiring mismatches come from a lack of cultural fit, not a lack of skills.

Sound like a big hassle?

Well, there’s a benefit for you too.

By administering personality tests, such as Myers-Briggs, employers can better assess whether you’re a good fit for the job and the company culture. That means if you don’t get offered the position, you might want to count your lucky stars. The position or the company culture may not have been well suited for you.

So despite what you think, personality tests aren’t meant to create stress and headaches for job candidates; they’re simply meant as a tool to enable employers to hire the right fit candidates.

With all that said, is there anything you can do to perform well on these kinds of tests? Here are some thoughts:

1. Don’t try to game the system. It might be tempting to be less-than-honest on a personality test in order to get hired, but you’re really short-changing yourself in the end. If you do get hired and the position or culture isn’t right for you, then you’re going to wind up miserable. Instead, answer each question candidly.

2. Take a sample test. The questions won’t be the same as on the real test an employer gives you; however, familiarizing yourself with the process will make you more comfortable with it.

3. Focus on what you can control. You can’t change your personality. What you can change are things like your resume, your interviewing skills, and whom you offer as a reference. So focus your energy on making those as strong as possible.

Are You a Talented Pro Looking for a New Opportunity?

If you are, give Provisional a call. As one of the leading staffing firms in the Northwest,, we can work with you to assess your background and personality, and then match you with Northwest jobs that are a great fit for you. Contact us today to get started or search our Northwest jobs now.

Parents typically teach their kids to be kind, cooperative, and forgiving. But are these traits that could actually hinder people in their jobs? For most, the answer is “yes.” In fact, according to the book “Nice Guys Can Get the Corner Office,” an overwhelming 61% of Americans think that niceness can impede success on the job.

So why is that? There are a variety of reasons, including:

Being too nice can impact your ability to stand up for yourself.

Whether in salary negotiations or a project meeting, being too nice can cause you to keep your mouth shut so that you don’t “rock the boat.” As a result, you may not get recognized for jobs you’ve completed successfully, other people may not take you seriously, and they may even take advantage of your niceness.

Being too nice can impact your ability to make effective decisions.

People who are too nice at work can face career derailment because they have a “can’t we all just get along?” attitude. They generally don’t like confrontation and difficult work situations, and therefore tend to avoid them at all costs. This highly cooperative attitude may be fine when you’re just starting out or early on in your career, but as you’re moving up, it can impact your ability to make tough choices and be viewed as an effective leader.

Being too nice can impact your ability to manage employees.

This tendency to avoid confrontation isn’t just a problem in decision-making. It also becomes a problem when trying to manage employees. For instance, if one of your employees isn’t performing well, it’s your job to confront that person, offer constructive feedback, and work with them to develop a plan for improvement. This can be a challenging position to be in for someone who simply wants to be well-liked.

With all that said, you don’t need to be mean and overly aggressive in order to get ahead at work. In fact, just like being overly nice, those traits too can also negatively impact your career.

Instead, it takes a balanced approach to move ahead in your job.

For instance, it’s a good thing to be cooperative, as long as that attitude is balanced with the ability to stand up for yourself and your opinions when necessary. It’s also good to be trusting of others, but when someone throws you under the bus, you need to confront them in order to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

And if you’re ready to advance your career with a new job in the Northwest, Provisional can help. As a one of the leading Northwest employment firms, we work with many of the region’s leading employers and can help you find a job that’s a great fit for you.

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Searching for a new job is stressful enough. But having your job hunt exposed to your boss can put your current position at risk – before you’re ready to jump ship. And with the economy still stagnating, there are no guarantees that you’ll find a new opportunity in a timely manner. To help you, here are some suggestions on how you can conduct an effective – and confidential – search for jobs in the Northwest:

1. Be discerning about where you send your resume.

Some job seekers take the approach of applying to every single opening under the sun. Not only is this not effective, it can also expose your job search much faster. So only apply to those Northwest jobs that you truly feel are the right fit for you, even if they are few and far between. Also, in your cover letter, let the employer know that your job search is confidential.

2. Keep your LinkedIn updates to a minimum.

If you’re regularly trying to polish your LinkedIn profile, and you’re connected to your boss or co-workers via the site, then they will be notified of those updates. Making a few edits is fine; everybody does it (or should be doing it) on an ongoing basis. But making numerous updates and getting recommendations week after week will most certainly shine a light on your job search.

3. Don’t use office equipment.

No matter how tempting it can be, don’t use any office equipment or systems, whether it’s the copier or the Internet, to conduct your job search. First, if those systems are monitored, then your job search will be exposed. Secondly, it’s just plain wrong to use resources belonging to your current employer for your job search. Instead, use your cell phone to check your email. And if you need to make a phone call, wait until your lunch break.

4. Dress carefully.

Warning bells will go off if your typical work outfit consists of jeans and a t-shirt and all of a sudden you start showing up wearing a suit and tie. So either build enough time into your schedule to go home and change, or bring a change of clothes with you.

5. Try not to disrupt your workday with job interviews.

If possible, try to schedule interviews after work or early in the morning. Hiring managers understand that you are currently employed and, as a result, some may be willing to schedule an interview at 7:30 a.m. or 5:30 p.m.

If that’s not possible, then try to use your lunch break for interviews. An interview may last longer than an hour, so you’ll need to let your current employer know that you will be using some personal time after lunch for an appointment.

Whatever you do, try to keep the disruption to your workday at a minimum. If you’re coming in late or leaving early regularly, without a good reason, your boss will begin to suspect you’re interviewing for jobs.

If you’re currently employed, and would like some help finding a new job, please contact Provisional. Not only can we uncover rewarding jobs in the Northwest that are a fit for your skills and personality, but all of our searches are conducted in a completely confidential manner. Contact us today if you’d like to get started.

The competition in the Northwest job market can be fierce. That means there’s no room for error. Unfortunately, even the most careful applicants can make mistakes that could cost them the job offer. What are they – and how can you avoid them? Keep these mistakes in mind for a better chance at winning that job.

1. Typos on your resume or in your cover letter.

Typos may seem trivial to you, but, as a Northwest employment agency, we can tell you that they make a sloppy first impression. The last thing you want is your resume to end up in the trash because you misspelled one word, especially if it’s a Northwest job that you’d be a terrific fit for. So before hitting the “Send” button, proofread everything. Better yet, ask someone else to proofread your cover letter and resume for you. When you’ve been reading the same thing over and over, it’s easy to miss typos.

2. Including too much fluff in your cover letter and resume.

It’s o.k. to talk about your strong work ethic and drive to deliver. But back that claim up with specific examples. Hiring managers are looking for results, not rhetoric.

3. Arriving late.

Arriving at an interview late is a good way to lose out on the job offer. Granted, the interviewer may look past this one faux pas if you have a good reason, but you’ll also be under much more scrutiny as a result. To avoid this situation, give yourself plenty of time to get to the interview location. Account for things like bad weather, traffic, and construction.

4. Not preparing for your interview.

Before your interview, you should have researched the company, developed a list of questions you have about the company and the position, and prepared your answers to some commonly asked interview questions. If you don’t prepare thoroughly, it shows. Trust us. It also gives off the impression that you’re not really interested in the job.

5. Talking too much during the interview.

Whether it’s due to nerves, or an uncertainty as to how much information to offer, some candidates talk way too much – and end up shooting themselves in the foot. So keep your answers short, sweet, and targeted to the question the interviewer asked.

6. Talking too little during the interview.

On the other hand, some candidates don’t seem to want to talk at all, only offering “yes” or “no” answers. This is your opportunity to sell yourself to the interviewer, so don’t be afraid to clearly state your achievements and why you’d be a good fit for the position.

7. Dressing inappropriately.

Not dressing the part is another good way to miss out on the offer. When you’re dressing for the interview, think conservative, polished, and well-groomed.

And if you need some help finding a job in the Northwest, please contact Provisional. As an experienced employment agency, we work with some of the leading employers in the region and can help you find a position that’s a great match for you.

It’s important that you carefully prepare for each and every job interview you have. Good preparation includes creating a list of questions that you want to ask the job interviewer. That said, there are some questions you should definitely avoid. Here are five:

Question #1. What does your organization do?

If you prepared for the Northwest job interview, you should already know what the company does. Before going to the interview, you should have researched the company online and learned about who they are and what they do. So asking a broad question about what the company does simply makes you sound unprepared.

Question #2. Can I transfer to a different position?

This question is another major no-no. This basically says to the interviewer: “I know this job isn’t right for me, but I’ll take it anyway.” The bottom line is that if a job isn’t right for you, you’re probably not going to be successful in it. So be honest with the interviewer if you think that’s the case. And if you’re interviewing with a Northwest company you really want to work for, let the interviewer know that too (i.e. “I’ve been following your company’s performance in the news and am so impressed with your recent initiatives, but I just don’t think this particular position is right for me.”). If you’ve made a good impression, the interviewer might keep you in mind for future job opportunities.

Question #3. How long before I can get a raise?

You’re asking for a raise before even getting the job?! A more diplomatic way to get the information you’re after is to ask the interviewer if the company conducts performance and salary reviews each year.

Question #4. I have a health issue. Do you think it would be covered under the company’s insurance policy?

First of all, by asking this question, you’re sending the message that you’re not so much interested in the Northwest job, as you are in the benefits that go along with it. Secondly, the interviewer probably doesn’t know off the top of their head what’s covered and what’s not covered in the company’s insurance policy. Instead of asking this question during an interview, wait until the job offer has been extended to you. Then, before you accept, ask to learn more about the company’s benefits program, including health insurance.

Question #5. Do I have to undergo a background check?

Asking this question makes it look like you have something to hide. If you’re trying to learn more about the selection process, then ask that question directly. If you really do have something to hide and the employer requires a background check, then expect your “secret” to surface. There isn’t a lot you can do to keep a black mark on your record under wraps. But you can mitigate its impact by offering full disclosure. Negative information that is honestly revealed and discussed by you is less harmful than if it is discovered during a background check.

And if you need help landing interviews for a job in the Northwest, then please contact Provisional. For over 16 years, our Northwest employment agency has been placing professionals with great companies in temporary, temp-to-hire, and full-time positions.