Job Tips - Posts By Corridor Careers

It’s a gamble. If you follow job posting best practices, even in the current climate, many recruiters and HR professionals practice the ‘post and pray’ method of job postings. Merely uploading the job description should be enough to attract quality candidates, right? Here’s why this is wrong, and some tips on how to market your […]

Learning how to stand out in new virtual environments is a key skill current job seekers need. We share some tips for making your next virtual career fair a success.

The Gazette, an employee-owned local media company, has launched a community grant program to help Eastern Iowa businesses continue marketing during the coronavirus pandemic. The program allocates up to $100,000 in matching advertising dollars to assist local businesses during the impact of the coronavirus mediation restrictions. Funding for General Business Promotion and Employment Marketing Employment […]

Other than the warm feeling of charity, volunteering can yield many benefits that can give you a leg up when trying to land your next job.  According to a LinkedIn survey, one in five hiring managers said they have hired someone because of their charitable work.  Volunteer opportunities can open doors to new connections and […]

Filling out online job applications can be a long process and seem never-ending when you are going through your job search.  If you need some online apply tips, we’re here to help. Each application may ask similar questions, yet it is important to tailor your answers to the job you are applying for. Remember these online apply tips to make your online job application process go as smoothly as possible.

Even before the coronavirus, companies used phone interviews to start the recruiting process. These tips are specifically for phone screens. See this resource for Zoom interviews (video calls). Phone screens or initial interviews are your first chance to make an impression on a potential employer.  So it’s important to treat them just as seriously as […]

Wondering what to wear to an upcoming job fair or job interview? Our advice? Keep it simple. 10 Tips on Styling for a Job Fair Here are 10 tips on how to style yourself for a job interview or job fair. Start with the basics: clean and neat socks and undergarments. These really make a difference […]

Corridor Careers was pleased to be asked to be a guest on Ethical Perspectives- a weekly look at the news sponsored by the Inter-Religious Council of Linn County. This week we discussed trends in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa City Job Market and how employers can attract talent. Host Quinn Pettifer welcomed guests Tim Carty, Director […]

In The Works is a radio segment series in partnership with local AM600 WMT Newsradio.  Doug Wagner, our host, & Liz Kennedy, Corridor Careers, talk with area experts on the topic of workforce trends and information for both job seekers and employers. Trends, Skills, and Career-Readiness, Oh My! Liz and Doug chat about trends in […]

Visiting a Career Fair isn’t the same as an interview, but it does give you one on one time with employers and recruiters.  It pays to be ready to answer the typical interview questions and gives you a chance to practice your skills. 5 Questions you should ask: Don’t forget you need to ask Employers […]

By now, you may have seen the viral video of an adorable 2-year-old pleading with Alexa to “play baby sherk.” She was persistent in her ask, but Alexa could not understand what she wanted until Mom stepped in and said the magic words for her. A human knew exactly how to handle the voice request, […]

We want to offer lots of package options to area employers, however, we know that HR professionals and business owners don’t have time to sift through the various options. Our latest feature is designed to help employers select a great package based on their individual needs. “Help Me Choose” will deliver three great options based […]

Plenty of people think job fairs are a thing of the past in the digital age. Don’t believe them. Job fairs can be a treasure chest of opportunity if you know how to work them. We decided to break it down into 4-areas:  Research, Planning, The Day-Of, and Follow-up. Research Employers One of the best […]

In a recent survey with Iowa job seekers, we heard a common theme: “We wish employers would post salary information in job listings.” “It’s frustrating to not be able to see how much a position pays before applying for a job.” Why don’t all employers post their salaries? Sometimes sharing a salary puts employers in […]

After bouncing around a few different cities in the Midwest over the last couple years, I made the challenging, yet right decision to move back to my hometown of Cedar Rapids in January of 2018.  Most recently I had been in Chicago, and while Chicago offered much in the way of dining, nightlife, and entertainment […]

Hiring is hard.  With an unemployment rate of around 2.7% in Eastern Iowa1, you know you’ll be competing with other employers for candidate attention, let alone finalizing the job offer and attracting top talent.  And with so many points of entry for candidates to conduct their job search, posting your job online can feel like […]

When searching for a new job, updating your resume can seem like a big task. Between summarizing your previous experience down to a few sentences and trying to squeeze everything onto one page, there’s a lot to consider. However, it’s best to make sure the basics are covered: Make sure it’s up to date with […]

We’ve updated our take on career fairs. You know, the thing some hiring pros think are a waste of time? Here at Corridor Careers, our team still feel that job fairs are a valuable way for job seekers and hiring professionals to interact – especially if the job seeker does some prep-work first. Whether you’re […]

If you’re like most graduates fresh out of college, you have an idea of how much money you need in your first job, but salary negotiation is a foreign concept. Little wonder it’s one of those things most college classes don’t teach. First Things, First – Always Negotiate If there’s one thing career advisors agree […]

Whether you’re looking for your very first job or first job out of college, there are a lot of factors to consider before making up your mind. Most job applicants look at pay first. That’s understandable, especially when you’re just getting started. However, the joy of good pay quickly fades if you don’t like the […]

Ask college students about past internships and you’ll get a wide range of answers. Some students found they were a stepping stone to their first jobs and others just felt like coffee jockeys for the paid help. A well-chosen internship can be a great opportunity to learn more about how the real world operates. Before […]

Prepping for a nursing job interview might seem straightforward but the field of nursing carries with it additional considerations beyond what is expected of other job candidates.  After all, people are putting the care of their loved ones in your hands. Hospital and clinic administrators have to interview and hire accordingly, especially given the large […]

Professionals in nearly every industry are using LinkedIn – 87 percent of recruiters use it to recruit new hires. As a job seeker or recent college grad, it’s important to have a strong profile that outlines your strengths and experiences. Below we outline some Linkedin tips on how to get your LinkedIn profile ready for […]

So you’re considering continuing your education? Now’s the time to set some goals for the coming year. Whether it’s because you’re ready to move jobs, looking for a higher position or just seeking to challenge yourself, there are many benefits to continuing your education. Below are seven reasons (and one bonus one) you should consider […]

So you want to network.  Or at least you’ve heard that you should.  You’ve planned on wearing your best shoes, brushing your teeth twice and talking about yourself at several strangers for a few hours until someone hands you a job. Easy, right? Not quite. We’ve come up with 6 networking strategies for job seekers. […]

So you did it. You survived all of those tiring all-nighters, grueling end-of-term finals and (somewhat) balanced keg stands and you’re ready for next phase of your life. Graduating from college is a huge feat that calls for celebration. But when the party is over, , it’s time to find a job and knowing how […]

Are you a serial job searcher who always keeps your options open? Or, do you only hit the job sites when you need a job, like, right now? Maybe you feel trapped in a job that’s sucking the life right out of you, and you cruise job sites as therapy after particularly bad days. At […]

So you’ve landed a job in a new city and your future employer has offered you a relocation package. Great news! Right? Relocation packages are a great incentive to accept a job offer but it’s important to consider the whole picture – cost of a move, finding jobs and schools for your family, etc. – […]

Anchored by the crossroads of Interstate 80 and 380, the Iowa Creative Corridor is steeped in a vibrant community that values economic development in all kinds of disciplines. The area’s professional and economic strengths attract a wide range of industries and bring a variety of employment opportunities to the region. Below is a selection of […]

Prior to the pandemic, workplace culture was a longterm trend. But the companies who had been working on company culture all along, have remained strong through this crisis. A lesson that more companies will pay attention to in a post-covid-19 world.

When you hire a new employee, hopes are high all around and everything is shiny and new. Studies show that the longer you extend the pink cloud stage, the longer you can expect to retain that employee. A thoughtful plan for bringing new employees into the fold can greatly improve your odds of keeping the […]

5 Tips for Getting Your Online Job Application Noticed Back in the day, job hunters and their advisors spent a ridiculous amount of time determining what kind of paper, envelopes and type style a job seeker should choose for their resumes. The idea being that some human, somewhere, was actually holding your resume in their […]

Unless it’s a “don’t let the door hit you on your way out” kind of situation, where the reasons are fairly obvious, most employers need to know why employees are leaving them. After all, according to the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (IRLE) at the University of California at Berkeley, the average cost to […]

A lack of skilled workers, a record number retiring baby boomers, and the generally negative perception of manufacturing as a career by Iowa’s young people – these are all factors making it difficult to fill Iowa’s manufacturing positions. Iowa’s low unemployment rate of 4.6 percent is the lowest since the recession began. While this bodes […]