IT Staffing Blog: Tech Staffing Tips & Guides

An Extra Special Retirement

Apr 25 2023

Coming up on May 1^st, AP Professionals will be saying goodbye to an amazing part of our team.

At the core, AP Professional’s mission is to create relationships that last a lifetime. That applies not only to the clients & consultants that we work with but to our internal employees as well. There is truly only one person in our office (besides our owner) who has touched almost every single life that has come through AP Professionals’ doors. Mary Krick started with AP back on May 1^st, 2000. She joined the company only 2 years after Jerry Tenenbaum opened the AP Professionals of Phoenix location in 1998. Mary has been an invaluable asset to our team & a mentor to all new hires who have passed through the company. We took some time to sit down with Mary and talk to her about her well-loved experience.

What year did you start with AP Professionals?

“I started working with AP back on May 1^st, 2000. I wanted to ensure that I stayed onboard to complete a full 23 years with the company. That is why I am retiring on Monday May 1^st, 2023. Easy to keep track of!”

What positions have you held with AP?

“I started as the Office Manager. I held that position for 15 years before an unfortunate injury kept me out of the office for a few months. When I returned, I swapped positions with another colleague and started working as an HR Administrator. This involved onboarding consultants, answering phones, coordinating AP events, organizing travel accommodations, offboarding requirements…lots of that stuff!”

What is the biggest changed you’ve seen AP go through?

“The Technology – I can’t believe the difference it’s had on how we do everyday tasks. We used to have a full filing room and now it’s all on our computers. I like to think that I’ve always adapted pretty well to the technology that we’ve brought in throughout the years. Lately I’ve just learned what I need to get by, but its worked!”

What has been your favorite part about working for AP?

“Talking to our consultants has to be my favorite. I love being able to connect with them each day and help them accomplish whatever they need when they call. Years ago, the office employees took a personality quiz, some received powerful, some received exploratory, but I received personable: Friendly, outgoing and warm with high management skills.”

Do you have a favorite memory from working at AP?

“Oh yes – The first time I brought my daughter Lisa into the office with me. She was about 10 or 11 at the time and I didn’t have a sitter for her. I brought her in with lots of things to keep her occupied, but Jerry put her to work instead. She spent the day filing paperwork & Jerry gave her some money on our way out! He didn’t care if it was done correctly or anything like that but she was just happy to come to work with mom! Jerry came to a few of Lisa’s school plays and dance recitals, and it always warmed my heart to see how much he cared. He didn’t have to do any of that back then.”

Do you have any advice for someone just starting at AP?

“Come in with a very open mind. Things change pretty quickly around here, and it’ll keep you on your toes! As long as you have an open mind and give things a shot, you’ll be just fine. Everyone is very friendly. Being from upstate New York like the Tenenbaum family, I always felt right at home here”

What are you planning for this next chapter?

“My husband and I will be moving back to the east coast to be closer to my daughter, her husband and our newest granddaughter! She was born only a few months ago and I can’t wait to be able to see her more often. It will be weird not coming into work every day but, I’ll keep busy!”

Thank you Mary, for your unwavering support, positivity, hard work, and light that you brought into the AP Scottsdale Office each and every day. You have continuously made our internal employees and consultants feel welcomed & taken care of. We wish you absolutely nothing but the best in this next chapter of your life. Don’t worry, we will still be keeping up with you! You can’t get rid of us that easily!

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The Do’s and Don’ts of Resumes

Mar 21 2023

Tips for what our experienced recruiters are looking for on a daily basis.

With so many resume tips out there, it can be hard to weed out the ones that actually are helpful for job seekers. We will be discussing things candidates should & shouldn’t do on their resumes according to our experienced recruiting team. With an average of 12 years of experience across our recruiting team, they are ready to spill all that they have learned! After looking over thousands of resumes over the years, they know exactly what stands out and what it is an automatic turn off.

The 1^st place tip that our recruiters could easily agree on was…

Personalize your resume for the job. Customizing your resume is key to getting an interview. This means curating your bullet points to include only qualifications and experiences that are most relevant to the position. Be sure to remove anything that does not directly relate to the job. Be sure that you will be able to speak to these items in an interview setting.

The tip that came in 2^nd place was…

Keep it concise. Your resume should be no longer than 2 pages. The average person spends less than 2 minutes reading your resume so many won’t make it past the second page. To go hand-in-hand with this tip, use the space you have efficiently but keep it readable. If your sections are crammed together and not visually appealing, the recruiter or hiring manager won’t spend time deciphering it.

Finally, the 3^rd place tip came to…

Include a summary paragraph at the top of your resume. You want to tell the reader exactly who you are, what you have to offer and why they should keep reading your resume. Hook their attention at the beginning! A summary paragraph is more beneficial than including an objective statement or a cover letter. This summary should highlight your most relevant qualifications and achievements.

Bonus Tip: If you want to make your resume stand out visually as well, highlight or bold the skills that the role requires. Highlighting/bolding your skills that are specifically relevant to the job, is a great way to catch the managers attention! Especially if they are going through a lot of submissions. You want yours to stand out!

If you want some extra help, we love this article (Linked: 43 Resume Tips) because it breaks down resume tips into specific areas that you might need assistance with. This will give you tips on how to show off your skills, how to best navigate employment gaps, how to show your personality and more.

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Multifactor authentication Apps

Mar 14 2023

Multifactor Authentication Apps: What they are, if they help, which ones we like the best & what to keep an eye out for.

When it comes to keeping your personal information safe, you might consider using a multifactor authenticator (MFA) app. However, there are so many apps to choose from, how do you know which ones are the safest? Below is all you need to know to make the most informed decision for yourself and/or your company.

What are multifactor authenticators?

Multifactor authentication apps (MFA) help to make it basically impossible for hackers to get into your personal/business accounts. As a matter of fact, any online account that you have can be secured with an MFA app. When you first download the MFA app you will be asked to link the account you desire to the app using a unique to you QR code. Once linked, each time you log into that account, a one-time passcode will be generated in real time to your MFA app. Enter in the one-time code (that only lasts about 30 seconds) and you’re securely into your account!

Do MFA apps really help?

Yes! Statistics report that in 2017 only 28% of accounts were secured with an MFA app. In 2021, 78% of accounts were secured with an MFA app. MFA applications use one-time codes that automatically reset every 30 seconds. These one-time use codes are sent to both your login account & your authenticator account. The codes are generated independently of each other to link point A to point B, making it difficult for anyone to intercept the code. Since the codes only last 30 seconds, they are updated on both ends in real time. Microsoft reported that 99.9% of compromised account attacks were blocked when an MFA was in use.

Which apps are the front runners?

MFA apps that you will see listed over & over again are Microsoft Authenticator, Google Authenticator, and Authy. All serve the same purpose, are easy to use, provide a high level of security and work with both Android and iOS systems. Check out the articles below that we found extremely helpful for a deeper dive into each of these most popular apps. Others that we came across with significant positive research results were Duo & LastPass Authenticator.

However, with all technology, keep an eye out for scams.

In January of 2023, a scam authenticator app made its way into the Google Play Store. Unfortunately, over 10,000 users downloaded the scam authenticator and put all of their personal data in jeopardy. The app was created and called 2FA Authenticator. This app lasted in Google’s Play Store for Android users to download for 15 days before being removed. Once downloaded, the malicious code would use keylogging and screen recording to gather usernames & passwords entered into any account used on the device. Unfortunately, it is very hard to tell the difference between which apps you can or can’t trust in the Google Play or Apple Store. Be sure to only download an app that has thousands of downloads, positive reviews and only after you have researched it on your own! You can read more about the scam authenticator app at the link below.

Articles referenced to check out:

HP Tech Takes

NY Times Best Two-Factor Authentication App

PCMag News Malicious Android 2FA Authenticator App

17 Essential Multifactor Authentication Statistics 2023.

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