PRA Insights
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Hot Jobs for 2021
- February 3, 2021
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Career Advice
No CommentsHot Jobs for 2021 As 2020 fades into the rearview, the job market picture is beginning to clear for 2021. The Covid crisis has upended expectations, with some clear winners and losers. Entire sectors of the economy have shut down, while others went into hyperdrive. This leaves us with a direct question: what are the
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Biden’s Plans for H1Bs
- December 23, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Visa & Immigration
Biden’s Plans for H1Bs 2020 was another contentious year for the U.S. immigration debate. This was no surprise, given the Covid crisis, its related economic downturn, and the election. The result was more uncertainty about the H1B visa program, especially for those in it. We’ll have a new administration this upcoming January. We’ve read Joe
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3 Steps to Begin Your 2021 Today
- December 21, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Career Advice
3 Steps to Begin Your 2021 Today We’re entering the final days of 2020, a year that’s brought frustration to people, especially when it comes to their careers. It can be difficult to move ahead when it feels like the entire world is against you. People have lost their positions, had their plans dashed, or
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5G and Autonomous Driving: A New Partnership
- December 21, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Technology Insights
5G and Autonomous Driving: A New Partnership 5G and autonomous driving are two emerging technologies tied together in their growth. While 5G is much further along in its development, it will create opportunities to make autonomous driving a full reality in the future. The two technologies are integrated in three main areas. Infotainment Infotainment is
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Interview Follow Up – Get the Offer!
- October 28, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Interview Tips
Interview Follow Up – Get the Offer! Smart job candidates put a lot of effort into getting ready for an interview. Amateur interviewers assume mission accomplished once they shake hands and leave. Those serious about getting an offer to know their work isn’t done. A solid follow-up could be the missing ingredient to put you
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Connectedness – The Key to Remote Work Success
- October 20, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Remote Work Management
Connectedness – The Key to Remote Work Success The Covid crisis has reconfigured the global workplace in ways no one could’ve predicted beforehand. The biggest, and most discussed, change has been in remote work. A shift to more work-from-home positions was already underway before the pandemic hit. The quarantines that came down forced organizations to
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Advice for H1Bs – 3 Keys
- October 1, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Visa & Immigration
Advice for H1Bs – 3 Keys The American immigration process can be daunting and intimidating, especially for those going through the H1B visa program. Uncertainties follow you every step of the way. Getting picked in the lottery alone remains a challenge. That said, H1B holders, and those looking to become one, can take steps to
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3 Keys to Quit Like a Pro!
- September 18, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Career Advice
3 Keys to Quit Like a Pro! You’ve had it. You weighed the pros and cons of leaving your current position, and have decided to head for the door. Now it’s a question of how to handle the resignation professionally. Here are three keys to do it. 1. Stay positive and professional This can be
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Crushing Your Interview with Success Stories
- September 10, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Interview Tips
Crushing Your Interview with Success Stories When you’re interviewing for a new position, chances are you’re up against other candidates with resumes that read much like yours. They’ll have worked in similar positions, with matching responsibilities and skills. How can you stand out? Your accomplishments are unique to you and show you’ll succeed under tough
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The 3 R’s to Ace Your Interview
- August 28, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Interview Tips
The 3 R’s to Ace Your Interview Interviewing is a challenging, complex process. Your success depends on your ability to communicate. Miscommunication leads to mistakes that will lose your offers. In our 30+ years in the recruiting field, we’ve worked with candidates who left an interview thinking they’d nailed it, only to find out their
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3 Recent H-1B Visa Controversy Updates
- August 22, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Visa & Immigration
3 Recent H-1B Visa Controversy Updates H1B visas were a controversial topic coming into 2020. The COVID crisis has made them even more so, leading to new discussions about the visa and its effect on tech sector employment. These discussions are often based on myths and misconceptions we’ve discussed before. Significant developments over recent months
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Do Not Make This Mistake!
- August 13, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Interview Tips
Do Not Make This Mistake! There exists an age-old rule of interviewing almost every professional knows. It’s something we’ve advised candidates against for the 30+ years we’ve been in business. Despite this, we’ve seen an uptick in candidates making this mistake and torpedoing an opportunity in the process. What is this mistake? Talking about politics
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3 Interview Mistakes to Avoid
- August 2, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Interview Tips
3 Interview Mistakes to Avoid PRA USA has been in business for 30+ years, and in that time we’ve seen candidates make a multitude of mistakes in their interviews. You can never say “we’ve seen everything,” because there’s often a new surprise right around the corner. That said, certain errors keep rearing their ugly heads.
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Should I Quit?
- July 22, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Career Advice
Should I Quit? Almost everyone has experienced a bad work situation. It could be anything from a disrespectful boss to a negative work environment, low pay, or the company’s financial instability. Any of these could make you feel like quitting. Is that the right decision? You can’t know if you’re deciding on emotion alone. Some
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Detroit and Silicon Valley: A New Partnership
- July 17, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Technology Insights
Detroit and Silicon Valley: A New Partnership It’s difficult to think of two areas more different than Detroit and Silicon Valley. One is regarded as a relic of a bygone era and the other the home of tomorrow’s innovations. Even as automotive technologies advance into new, high-tech spaces, Detroit can’t seem to shake its rust-belt
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4 Keys to a 2020 Job Search
- July 8, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Career Advice
4 Keys to a 2020 Job Search We’ve now passed the halfway point of 2020, and a quick bounce from the COVID-19 crisis is not in sight. As the year moves forward, more and more people will be finding themselves having to do a job search in less-than-ideal circumstances. While parts of the country have
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H1Bs and the American Skills Shortage
- July 1, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Visa & Immigration
H1Bs and the American Skills Shortage The recent attention on H1B visas has brought renewed public attention to the topic of the perceived shortage of skilled talent in the American job market. It’s the issue driving the entire debate. The two points of view are: There is a severe shortage of candidates with the technical
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3 H1B Visa Myths (and the Reality)
- June 24, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Visa & Immigration
3 H1B Visa Myths (and the Reality) It seems every aspect of U.S. immigration is controversial, and the H1B visa is no exception. Political organizations and interest groups have been arguing for years it’s being used to drive out American workers, replacing them with cheaper foreign labor. Some quick facts about the H1B: Designed for
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Set-Up a Winning Video Interview – 5 Tips
- June 17, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Interview Tips
Set-Up a Winning Video Interview – 5 Tips Remote work is on the rise, kicked off by the COVID crisis. It follows that video interviewing is increasing as well. A successful set up is key to being successful in this space. The image interviewers see when you come up on the screen has the same
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Salary Negotiating – Tips from an Expert
- June 10, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Interview Tips
Salary Negotiating – Tips from an Expert Job seekers are often intimidated by the idea of negotiating a salary. Money is an uncomfortable topic for a lot of people, especially when it comes to how much you’ll be making for at least the next year. There’s a wide variety of theories, articles, videos, and other
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5 Ingredients to Writing a Follow-Up Note
- June 2, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Interview Tips
5 Ingredients to Writing a Follow-Up Note I was talking to an engineer this past week looking to keep in touch with a company he’d interviewed with right before the quarantine. I suggested dropping them a quick note to make sure they were keeping him in mind. He asked me what he should put into
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5 Keys to Recruiting During Covid-19
- May 12, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Hiring Advice
5 Keys to Recruiting During Covid19 All economic downturns are challenging for both job seekers and employers. This one, however, is presenting unique challenges. In previous recessions, there were always employers with critical needs actively hiring select talent. The current quarantine has thrown a wrench in that for most. That said, if you have critical
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3 Keys for Finding Transferable Skills
- May 6, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Hiring Advice
3 Keys for Finding Transferable Skills All too often, we lose promising candidates from being too hung up on finding someone who can “hit the ground running.” With such a tight candidate market, you can’t afford to wait until you find someone who is a 100% technical match. Transferable skills need to be considered when
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4 Embedded Industry Trends from Covid19
- May 6, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Technology Insights
4 Embedded Industry Trends from Covid19 In the 30 years PRA has been in operation, we’ve worked through booming and shrinking economies. While all downturns have common trends, they also feature key elements that set them apart. This current one is no different. Using our experience from earlier downturns, our ongoing conversations with employers and
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4 Keys To Finding The Right Employee
- May 6, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Hiring Advice
4 Keys To Finding The Right Employee The United States’ talent shortage is real and becoming more acute. Employers are reporting difficulty recruiting the right talent as the quality of applicants continues to drop. You have to be pragmatic in this environment to get the people you need. Too often, recruiting efforts focus on skill matching
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3 Big Tips On Nailing Your Interview
- May 6, 2020
- Posted by: Dan Trudeau
- Category: Interview Tips
3 Big Tips On Nailing Your Interview We’ve been in the recruiting business for thirty years, which means we long ago lost count of the number of people we’ve coached through the interviewing process. Most of them regarded interviewing as a test they must pass. They believed the main objective was to communicate how their