• The official blog of Abacus Group — a place to share our knowledge and thoughts on trends in recruiting •

Do not underestimate the value of doing research before an interview. Interviewers have more likely than not done extensive research on you, it’s important to extend the same courtesy. Don’t be afraid to seek out individuals who may have insight into the company. Photos online may even indicate the appropriate attire for the interview. If you do a good amount of quality research, it will translate in your interview and set you apart from the competition.

The Thank You email is not always necessary, in fact, sometimes recruiters will advise against it. However, when it is called for, it is important to make sure the email is portraying the interviewee in the best light. There is no scaffolding for the Thank You email as it will ultimately be dependent on the role, company, and industry. However, the infographic below works as a launching pad for sending the perfect Thank You email.

Like any role, hard skills must be complemented by soft skills in order to not only land the job but to excel in the role. Below are five important hard skills that are currently sought after in administrative professionals.

Summer certainly isn’t the easiest time to find a job but it’s best to look at the season as an opportunity to kick your search into gear, perhaps even take a different approach.

There’s nothing to grow or learn from if day in and day out you are applying the same skills to the same tasks. Bringing this into a professional light, the notion remains relevant but with more challenging factors at play.

Starting a new job is both nerve-racking and excited so it’s only natural that amidst all of this, you can forget some of the basics that are crucial to getting off on the right foot.

This method is best applied to behavioral questions that refer to your past experiences, be them with a previous employer or just in general.

Very simply, no one understands a millennial more than a millennial. It’s important for a recruiter to understand the motivation of their candidate. A recruiter seeks to learn what motivates a candidate not only to find new work but also to keep thriving in a position. A millennial recruiter can bridge the growing gap in the market.

Sometimes money becomes the dominant focus of one’s job search—and it shows. This mindset greatly damages one’s prospects in meetings with potential employers. Job seekers should verbally prioritize other, unrelated factors, including new learning opportunities, company reputation, professional recognition, and long-term career development.

Abacus Group announced today its placement on the 2017 list of America’s Best Professional Recruiting Firms. Abacus, which specializes in executive search and temporary staffing for Accounting, Financial, and Administrative positions across all industries, earned an impressive ranking of 25 on the list of 250. In addition to its distinction as one of the top 10% of recruitment firms in the nation, Abacus Group is the highest-ranked company headquartered in NYC.