The Key to Better Time Management: A Look at Who’s Got the Monkey

Being the boss is hard work. You never seem to have enough hours in the day, which can be frustrating. You’re always looking for ways to get a better handle on your time, and that starts with how you manage your employees.

As a busy staffing agency in Las Vegas, the experts at PrideStaff Las Vegas know exactly how you feel. At many companies, the balance of work is seriously off-kilter. Managers constantly have too much on their plates, while subordinates often don’t have enough to occupy their day.

This issue was highlighted by William Oncken, Jr., in the November-December 1974 issue of the Harvard Business Review. He explained this is often due to employees passing a problem — i.e., the monkey — onto their manager, instead of solving it themselves. If the problem of too many monkeys and not enough time sounds familiar, find out how to nip it in the bud.

Three Tips to Keep the Monkey Off Your Back

Don’t Drop Everything

You don’t have to be constantly available to your team. If any employee comes to you with a problem when you’re in the middle of something, politely ask them to put a meeting on your calendar to discuss it, unless the issue is extremely urgent. Refusing to be interrupted will help you stay on pace with your goals for the day, while saving you time in the long run, because you won’t have to track the person down later when you have some free time to assist.

Avoid Taking Over

Sometimes it might seem quicker and easier to solve a problem for an employee, instead of allowing them to work through it themselves. Ultimately, this approach isn’t effective, because you end up with even more on your plate and employees eventually realize they can get you to do their work for them.

When you meet with the person, offer helpful guidance, but don’t take the reins. Give them actionable steps to take, without volunteering to do the work for them.

Schedule a Time to Follow Up

Before the employee leaves your office, schedule a time for them to return with an update. If they have a designated time to meet with you again, they’ll save their questions until then. This will keep them from constantly dropping by or emailing you for assistance. It will also create a sense of urgency on their part, so you shouldn’t have to waste time constantly checking on them.

Hire the Right Person for the Job

Filling an open position on your team is a very big deal, so allow the experts at PrideStaff Las Vegas to assist. We won’t stop searching until we find the right fit, so contact us today to get started!

Job Description Best Practices to Ensure Your Jobs Get Clicked On

Rewind from the moment when you hire that perfect employee. Move back through their impressive interview, through reading their stellar resume, all the way to the point when the process started.

What kicked everything off? What’s the event that led to you getting the opportunity to hire such a first-rate candidate?

The answer: the applicant clicking on your job posting.

You can’t hire first-rate talent if you don’t have access to first-rate talent. A perfectly calibrated hiring process won’t get you anywhere if your job description doesn’t inspire exceptional candidates to click on it.

Here are a few tips to help you get the most engagement from your job descriptions:

Get Feedback From Current Employees

Start the process of crafting the job description by consulting your current employees. They do the job day to day, giving them significant insights into the job’s benefits and drawbacks. Your current staff can provide the best road map on how to sell the position to others.

Think About the Job Title

Companies often put little thought into job titles. They are often generic and dull. Internally, that might not matter. But, in terms of job descriptions for recruiting purposes, job titles present a key selling tool.

The job title acts like the headline for a news article. You don’t necessarily want a “click bait” version, but a little panache can go a long way in presenting something that prospective employees might respond to.

Give a Pithy Summary of the Position

Once upon a time, job postings went into newspapers, where companies had to pay by the word. For that reason, postings tended to be short, catchy and to the point.

Nowadays, when internet postings make up a significant portion of market, there are no word limits. So companies go on. And on. And on.

Listing detailed bullet points about the position’s responsibilities makes sense. But take some lessons from the old days. Start off with a pithy introduction giving an overview of the position.

Describe Your Culture

Go beyond the description of the specific job and make a pitch for your company culture as a whole. People want to work at a company where they feel safe and can expand their skills.

Let potential applicants know you provide that type of experience. Provide a mission statement outlining your corporate goals.

Don’t Oversell the Position

We talked about click bait before. Don’t let your attempts to sell the position turn into hype.

The proliferation of hype on the internet has made people defensive about overstatement. If you try to oversell the benefits of your company or the appeal of the position, you’re less likely to inspire a click and more likely to initiate an eye roll.

Present the Long View

Don’t just sell the present. Sell the future as well. People aren’t just looking for jobs. They are looking for career advancement and long-term opportunity.

If you want to increase engagement, highlight the enduring value of the position. Focus on an employee’s ability to learn skills and develop experiences. Also, make sure people know that they can advance within the company.

Bringing in the right candidates makes the hiring process easier and more productive. A strong recruiting partner can make this possible, maximizing your ability to bring in effective talent. Contact the top recruiters at PrideStaff today for more information.

Follow This Memorable Way to Introduce Yourself at a Job Fair

Job fairs can be a great way to network with employers and learn about job opportunities, but it can be challenging to know how to get noticed and be memorable. It can be overwhelming to deal with many employers all in one spot, but if you have a plan and prepare, you’ll be able to approach them with confidence. Make a positive first impression on employers by following these steps for introducing yourself at a job fair:

Research Ahead of Time

Job fairs typically post a list of employers expected to attend, so research ahead of time to narrow down the employers that most interest you. Knowing what employers you’ll be dealing with will help you focus and be able to prepare your introductions better.

Focus on Your Body Language

First impressions are partially formed before you even say much of anything. Start your introduction off on a strong note by focusing on conveying confidence through your body language. Smile, make eye contact, and give a firm handshake as you meet employers at the job fair.

Deliver Your Pitch

A pitch is essentially a few sentences that concisely describes who you are, and your work background and goals. Don’t go to a job fair until you have developed your pitch and practiced delivering it. A well-thought out pitch will make employers remember you as professional and an effective communicator.

Ask Thoughtful Questions

Hiring managers are often drawn to the prospects that seem the most enthusiastic about working for them. Show that you’re sincerely interested by asking thoughtful questions about the company or the role as you’re introducing yourself at a job fair. Don’t ask self-serving questions, such as about compensation, but rather about things like their mission or what it takes to succeed there.

Have Materials Ready

Once you’ve given your introduction and made a bit of small conversation, keep the momentum going by having your application materials, such as your resume or business card, ready to give out. This makes the most of your memorable first impression, since the company representative can have your materials on hand to jog their memory after.

Get Their Contact Information

Don’t feel like you have to be passive and wait for employers from a job fair to reach back out to you. Be proactive and don’t leave without politely asking for their contact information. Follow up within the next day or so by sending a LinkedIn request or brief email, letting them know it was nice to meet them and that you would be appreciative if they would keep you in mind for any openings.

Ready to Find a New Job? Contact PrideStaff!

Not finding the right job opportunities for you? Improve your job search by working with PrideStaff Akron. Our team of recruiters can match you with the jobs that are the best match from employers across industries. Search our database of current available jobs to get started.

 

4 Phone Screen Mistakes That Can Kill Your Chances for an Interview

Phone screens save a lot of time and effort. They’re easier on candidates like you and employers too. You can both assess each other quickly and decide if there’s a potential match. If there’s not, then you simply get to move onto other opportunities without a big investment. If there is, then hopefully you get called for an interview.

However, just because these screens often take place in the comfort of your home, doesn’t mean you should take a casual approach. In fact, as Phoenix employment experts, PrideStaff knows that’s a big mistake many candidates make. Hiring managers expect you to be ready to answer any questions they have. They could be from the most basic to the more complex. You really need to be prepared for anything, which means it’s easy to mess up.

To ensure that doesn’t happen to you, avoid some of these other common mistakes that could kill your chances for an interview:

Don’t multi-task.

It’s tempting to organize your desk, check your email, or shop online while you’re on the phone. But don’t do it. Focus solely on the screen instead. It’s so easy to get distracted and you don’t want to have to ask the hiring manager to repeat anything because you weren’t listening closely.

Don’t talk money or perks.

This initial conversation should simply be about the position and whether your background is a potential fit. Don’t ask about how much it pays, the number of vacation days you’d get, or whether you can telecommute. Of course, if the hiring manager brings up these topics, then they’re fair game.

Don’t end the call without asking questions.

Just because it’s a 15-minute phone screen doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask questions at the end. In fact, if you don’t, it signals to the hiring manager a lack of preparation and enthusiasm. Plus, how will you know if you want to pursue the opportunity if you don’t ask questions and get more details?

Don’t be late or put the interviewer on hold.

Etiquette is just as important during a phone screen as it is in a face-to-face interview. So make sure you’re on time for the phone screen and don’t ever put the hiring manager on hold to accept another call, unless it’s an emergency.

During a phone screen, the hiring manager is looking for a few things. They want to confirm you have the skills to do the job, gauge your interest in it, and try to get a sense of whether you’d be a good cultural fit. It’s really that simple. So give them the details they need and avoid the mistakes above, and you could be well on your way to an interview and an offer.

Want expert assistance finding job leads and securing your next great opportunity?

The Phoenix employment experts at PrideStaff can help. We’re passionate about connecting talented candidates like you with top local jobs in and around the city. Contact us today to learn more or get started.

 

 

 

 

Tips For Finding the Job You Love in 2019

Up until now, you’ve been working to earn a living, but you’re ready to change that. One of your 2019 New Year’s resolutions is to finally find career satisfaction.

PrideStaff Las Vegas, one of the top event staffing agencies in Las Vegas, Nevada, understands the importance of having a job you truly enjoy. Chances are, you spend at least 40 hours per week at work, so it has a profound impact on your life. Here’s some advice to help you get on the right track.

Five Tips to Find a Job You Love

Consider Your Strengths

Being really good at something feels great. When you’re able to lead the pack with your especially sharp skill set, your chances of achieving high levels of job satisfaction go way up.

Of course, this isn’t always the case. You might be really good at something that doesn’t particularly interest you. If this sounds familiar, just focus on the skills you enjoy, because finding fulfilling work is the whole point of this search.

Think About Your Desired Lifestyle

When searching for a new job, there are many issues to consider. The work itself should be first and foremost, but you also need to think about external factors, such as salary and working conditions. Ensuring your new job can uphold your current standard of living is a must because you won’t be happy if you’re forced to make sacrifices in your personal life because of it.

Seek Informational Interviews

No one knows what it’s like to be in a certain job or work for a specific company better than the people living it. Reach out to your network and browse LinkedIn to find professionals currently holding positions and/or employed by companies that interest you. Get in touch with these people and request an informational interview to learn about their daily work life. The more informed you are, the better your chances of making a sound decision for your future.

Test Drive Your Options

There’s no better way to decide if you’ll like a job than trying it out for yourself. Temporary assignments make this possible because you’ll get to hold a variety of jobs in a short period of time, without burning bridges or tarnishing your resume.

Don’t Rely on Your Instincts

This might sound a little crazy, but going with your intuition isn’t the best way to make a career move. When it comes to your professional life, the best decisions are those of an informed nature. Therefore, conducting research and doing everything you can to learn about the position is the only way to get it right.

Get a Job You Love

If you’re ready to find a job you’re truly passionate about, allow PrideStaff Las Vegas to assist. Our team of expert recruiters is here to help you find a temporary, temp-to-hire or direct hire opportunity with a top Clark County employer. Contact us today to start your search!

Bend Staffing Firm Recognized as Winner of PrideStaff’s Office of the Year Award

After an amazingly successful start, Owner/Strategic-Partner Matt Ertle is pleased to announce that his Bend office has sustained that momentum and was recently named the recipient of the George A. Rogers Award. For nineteen years, the national, franchised staffing organization has bestowed this annual honor upon the PrideStaff office that has achieved the strongest results in revenue, growth, quality management and community involvement.

From the day it opened, the Bend office generated tremendous sales which yielded early success. In 2017, Ertle and his team received the distinguished 5 Star Award for outstanding revenue growth during their first six months of operation. The following year, the Bend office was named PrideStaff’s New Office of the Year.

When interviewed, Matt shared credit with his entire team. “Each day, everyone in our office is committed to delivering exceptional client and talent experiences,” said Ertle. “We are grateful for the community of businesses and people we serve.  By living out our mission and leveraging PrideStaff’s resources, support and amazing reputation in the industry, we’ve rapidly scaled our growth – and set the stage for continued success. I’m proud of everything we’ve accomplished during our first years in business, and I look forward to serving this community in the years ahead.”

PrideStaff George Rogers, Founder and CEO was pleased to once again have the honor of recognizing the organization’s top-performing office. “PrideStaff Bend is a beacon for our entire organization, demonstrating how our unique franchise model can generate early momentum and sustained success,” Rogers said. “By embodying PrideStaff’s values, leveraging our proven processes and demonstrating exceptional leadership, Matt has achieved amazing growth and profitability which I’m confident his team will sustain for years to come.”

For more information about PrideStaff, please contact Matt Ertle at 541.797.6941.

About PrideStaff

PrideStaff was founded in the 1970s as 100 percent company-owned units and began staffing franchising in 1995. They operate over 80 offices in North America to serve over 5,000 clients. With over 40 years in the staffing business, headquartered in Fresno, CA, PrideStaff offers the resources and expertise of a national firm with the spirit, dedication and personal service of smaller, entrepreneurial firms. PrideStaff is the only nationwide, commercial staffing firm in the U.S. and Canada with over $100 million in annual revenue to earn Clearly Rated’s prestigious Best of Staffing Diamond Award six years in a row highlighting exceptional client and talent service quality.

For more information on our services or for staffing franchise information, visit www.pridestaff.com

Tips for Managing Challenging Employees

In your role as a manager, you will inevitably have to deal with difficult employees. They may be insubordinate, overly argumentative or even bullying. The root of the problem may be laziness, boredom or a lack of motivation. Whatever the reasons behind the situation, it’s up to you to nip it in the bud.

Evaluate the Situation

Begin by fully assessing the situation so you have a clear perspective on what’s going on.

  • Observe the employee in different settings. Pinpoint the behaviors that introduce stress or toxicity into their workplace. Then, observe how others respond. Try to isolate the one or two top problematic behavior patterns. Hint: In some situations, they will quickly become obvious. In others, you may need to dig more deeply.

Develop a Plan

Based on your observations, determine whether the situation calls for coaching, counseling, training or discipline. Your time invested upfront in thinking this through will pay off in the long run.

  • Coaching emphasizes specific behavior modification. Counseling focuses on problem behaviors and their implications, and can often turn into coaching opportunities. Training supports skills development and fills knowledge gaps that may be contributing to bad behavior. And as a last resort, discipline reflects an immediate improvement program – and should involve your HR team.

Confront the Problem

Don’t procrastinate when it comes to effectively addressing the problem. You may be tempted to work around it or wait it out in hopes it will resolve itself or the problem employee will leave. This is not an effective approach. You’ve done your research and made a plan. Now, it’s time to execute it.

  • Focus on the behavior, not the person. Keep an open mind. Their negative attitude and actions may stem from fear, confusion, personal problems or other factors, not necessarily pre-meditated negative intent.
  • Listen actively as you talk with a difficult employee. Stay calm and positive. Ask open-ended questions that will stimulate a productive conversation. Only when you find out what the real source of their behavior is can you effectively find a solution.

Develop a Solution Together

Unless you and the employee agree upon a solution, their negative behavior will continue. Their buy-in is critical in order for them to change it.

Take the Right Follow-Up Action

After you’ve provided a reasonable length of time for a change in behavior, schedule a time to revisit the issue with your employee and give feedback on noted changes or lack thereof.

  • If positive changes have taken place, take this opportunity to rebuild your manager-employee relationship. Show you have confidence in your team member and value their contributions.
  • Know when you’ve reached the end. While the goal is always to reach a positive solution, sometimes it’s simply not possible. When you reach such an impasse, it’s time to accept reality and instigate termination procedures in accordance with your company policy.

Are you or other managers at your company struggling with the stress of handling challenging employees? Let the leadership development experts at PrideStaff Modesto help. We can provide coaching, resources and as needed, staffing assistance to effectively address your issues and keep your workforce team satisfied, productive and motivated. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.

Interview Itinerary (Part 2): How to Prepare for Your Interview

Scoring an interview for a job you’re really interested in is very exciting. Making it to this step is a huge deal, so you should be proud of yourself.

As a leading event employment agency in Las Vegas, PrideStaff Las Vegas knows how many applications employers have to go through to narrow down the list of candidates they want to interview. Now that you’ve come this far, keep the momentum going by dedicating plenty of time and effort to interview preparations. Here’s what you need to do to shine on the big day.

Four Tips to Prepare for Your Interview

Learn as Much as Possible About the Company

Interviewers are impressed by candidates who do their homework. You’ll definitely be asked what you know about the organization, and if it’s clear you barely aware of the basics, you’ll send the impression you’re not that interested in the job. Avoid this by carefully reviewing the company website, blog, social media presence and recent mentions in the news.

Choose Your Attire in Advance

Like it or not, the manner in which you present yourself will sway the interviewer, so put considerable care into your clothing choice. Try the entire outfit on several days in advance to make sure everything fits and is clean. This gives you plenty of time to shop for something new or visit the dry cleaner if your top choice isn’t ready to go.

Do note, as a general rule, you should dress one level above the company dress code for your interview. For example, if the company has a casual dress code, choose a business casual outfit.

Practice Responses to Common Interview Questions

There’s no way to predict exactly what questions you’ll be asked, but most will probably be pretty standard. The Internet is filled with lists of common interview questions, so pull one of these pages up and start preparing responses. For best results, find someone to ask you these questions so you can practice saying your responses out loud.

Create a List of Questions

The interviewer isn’t the only one who gets to ask questions. At some point, they’ll give you the floor, and it won’t look good if you have nothing substantial to ask. You might come up with questions during the interview, and if so, that’s great. As a backup, it’s smart to prepare a few in advance, as nerves might cause you to having trouble coming up with any on the spot.

Be the Candidate Who Gets the Job

If you no longer feel fulfilled in your current position, PrideStaff Las Vegas is here to help you make a change. Contact us today to start your search for a rewarding new temporary, temp-to-hire or direct hire opportunity!

Become The “Go-To” Person In Your Office With These 6 Tips!

Developing a reputation as the “go-to” person in your office comes with a lot of benefits. It can also mean a lot of extra work, but the added assignments represent an investment in your career development.

The “go-to” status means you have a high profile among your colleagues. It can mean additional respect. It also helps your position with management, putting you in line for additional promotions and bonuses.

Longer term, developing a reputation as a problem solver and a high achiever brings you the opportunity to pad your resume with meaningful experiences. You can leverage these if you decide to move on to another position.

But how do you attain the coveted “go-to” designation? How do you become the first-stop person for problem-solving?

Use these six steps to make it happen.

Network

The first step to becoming a “go-to” office savior: People knowing you exist. Get to know your co-workers. Build relationships.

Having a strong network within your company works like word-of-mouth advertising. If people start asking around for someone trustworthy and competent, your name will start to come up.

Volunteer

To build a reputation, you need to rack up achievements. But how do you get the opportunities without the reputation?

Well, you have to create them for yourself. Volunteer for all the assignments you can. Look for things that need to get done and nominate yourself as the person to get them done.

Take Assignments to the Next Level

When people search for a “go-to” employee, they aren’t looking for someone who’s going to put in the minimum required work and then head home early. They are looking for someone who will impress.

When you’re given a project, invest extra time in making the product stellar. Take it to the next level. Inject it with as much creativity as you can muster, so that people remember what you did and let others know what a great job you did.

Stay Calm

Your output is a key component to building a “go-to” reputation. But your vibe at the workplace is equally as important. You’re not likely to get assigned many key projects if you get visibly frazzled by difficult tasks, snap at co-workers, and generally end up making a scene.

In all situations, display a calm, collected demeanor (even if you don’t feel very calm or collected at the time). It will help cement your growing workplace legend.

Keep Learning

A broad knowledge base will make you indispensable. If you want people to seek you out for advice, make sure you know what to tell them.

Stay informed about where your company is headed and develop the skills it will need for the future.

Become a Leader

Don’t hang back. Don’t become just one member of a team. Look for ways to take charge.

Even on relatively unimportant projects, seek out leadership positions. It will give you a great experience and will allow you to develop a reputation as someone who can get things done.

Developing a “go-to” reputation can drive your long-term career advancement. Once you’ve picked up additional skills and built up a strong skill set, put them into action by partnering with a strong recruiting partner.

A high-level staffing firm, like PrideStaff, will find the perfect position to utilize your current skills and help you develop new ones for the next stage in your career. Contact our top Oregon recruiters today to learn more about what PrideStaff can do for you.

What Happens if You Get a Warning at Work?

Getting a warning at work from your superior is something to be taken seriously. But just because it is a big deal, doesn’t mean you have to give in to anxiety and fear. The way you handle the situation can help you turn it around and move forward, leaving you empowered rather than feeling hopeless. Learn more about the next steps to take if you get a warning at work:

 

  • Keep Your Cool

As difficult as it may be, try to keep your cool as much as possible when you receive the news. Don’t immediately start defending yourself – take a deep breath and try to keep your reaction to yourself to prevent an emotional outburst you may end up regretting.

 

  • Pay Careful Attention

Whether the warning is delivered verbally or in writing, pay careful attention so you feel confident you clearly understand the message. This will help you approach the aftermath with a fresh mindset, rather than ruminating on the possibility that you misunderstood.

 

  • Request Clear Next Steps

Ensure you completely understand what expectations will need to be met as part of the warning. Don’t walk away without having a clear set of next steps from your boss. You need to be confident on what exactly they will need to see from you to determine the long term outcome of the warning.

 

  • Self-Reflect

Once you’ve had time to let the news sink in, take some time on your own to self-reflect. Try to be as objective as possible – does your manager have a point? Are there behaviors you need to improve? Why did you choose to act that way? Get to the root of the issue so you can take control and move forward.

 

  • Create a Plan

Take everything you learned from your boss’s feedback in the warning itself and your own self-reflection and determine the best course of action for improvement. Carefully consider each area that needs improvement, along with what specific plan of action you can take to fix it. Use this information to set detailed and time-sensitive goals.

 

  • Begin a New Job Search

Unfortunately, official warnings are often a sign of the beginning of the end. Even if that is not the case and you end up improving in a way that is satisfactory to your boss, it can make you feel more empowered if you begin the search for a new job. Knowing that you’re taking charge and not just waiting around for potential bad news can give you confidence and reduce your stress since you won’t be blindsided if the worst case scenario occurs. You may even find a job that’s a better fit!

 

Start Your Job Search with PrideStaff Akron!

Improve your management skills by hiring the right employees for your team. Turn to PrideStaff Akron to get started finding qualified and motivated candidates. Our team of dedicated recruitment specialists will work closely with you to determine your unique needs and evaluate candidates closely to ensure a great match. Contact us for more information on how PrideStaff Akron can help you with your employment needs.