You Love Your Job, But Your Contract is Coming to an End… What Do You Do?

They say all good things come to an end. But do they have to?

You have been contracted for a short-term project. You knew the position came had an end date, but over time you’ve developed a strong feeling for the company. The work is rewarding, the people are great, the culture is a perfect fit. You want to stay.

How do you make this happen? It may seem like the workplace equivalent to turning a fling into a long-term romance.

Here’s four pieces of advice for turning a contract position into a full-time job.

1. Get Your Hustle On

If you want to stay at the company, let someone know. Talk to your direct supervisor to see if an extension is possible. This may seem aggressive, but don’t try playing hard to get and don’t get shy.

Unfortunately, part of being a contract employee is having to hustle work. Unlike full-time employees, contract employees know their position has an expiration date.

So bring some of that hustle to bear. Don’t just ask… try to convince. Before you approach the powers that be, put together a presentation about how keeping you on would create value for the company. Show them how you can make them money long term and they will at least have to listen.

2. See if They Need Other Help

Your current project might have ended. But (hopefully) the company has other goals on its agenda. You might not be able to keep your exact position, but you might be able to find another role within the same corporate structure.

Find out what else the company has going. Before the end of your position is even in view, learn everything you can about the firm’s other operations, so you can assess whether it has other places where you fit in. Be ready to convince the people in charge that shifting you over to the new project will be worth their while.

3. Be Prepared to Move On

Remember, it might not work out. As much as you like the company and as much as they like your work, they might not be able to keep you on. Your current project might have a definite conclusion and their other priorities don’t fit your particular skills.

So while you are preparing to convince them that you want to stay, prepare yourself emotionally for a potential departure. This brings us back to the fling/romance metaphor. Don’t let the company break your heart. Be open to other options. And remember: it’s a long career. Make sure to leave the company on good terms. Other opportunities might come up in the future.

4. Talk to Your Staffing Agency

You know how actors and athletes have agents? Well, when their contracts come to an end, they have a support staff ready to help them negotiate the next one.

That’s what a staffing agency does for you – they provide expert advice to help you navigate your specific situation. Contact a leading PrideStaff recruitertoday to find out how they can maximize your career opportunities.

How to Increase Candidate Interest in Your Employment Opportunity

To maintain a top-notch workforce, you have to attract top-notch talent. This can be challenging in today’s economy, as leading candidates can pick and choose where they work and what they do.

As noted in Forbes, recruitment is selling. Your company is your product, your desired candidate is your sales lead, and every interview is a sales call. Your job is to generate enough interest that a candidate will consider your organization their first choice for employment.

Use Effective Salesmanship

Make the best impression possible in order to grab and hold candidate’s interest in your opportunity.

Look objectively at the job. Would you accept it? If the answer is no, then top talent is likely to feel the same way.
Know what you want in an employee. Take the time to craft a clear, detailed and comprehensive job description. Thoroughly describe your organization and the job, as well as expectations and requirements.
Include attractive features of your company culture. People want to work for an organization that values them and where they fit in. Is your company innovative and entrepreneurial? Then say so. Are you more traditional and conservative? “Top-quality, 50 years of legacy and counting” could help to convey this powerful message.
Offer competitive pay and benefits. Refer to this in your JD. Don’t leave it for candidates to infer; they want to know. If you don’t want to list a number, provide a salary range or simply say, “Competitive salary dependent on experience.” Lay out any perks that are especially appealing or unique to your company, such as a 401(k) and match, retirement benefits, health and dental plans and flexible scheduling.
Make your best impression. Take an interest in each candidate as an individual. Make them feel welcome, from first contact with your recruiter until they complete their hiring experience. Show appreciation for their time. Keep an open mind during the entire process.

The most important aspect of your successful candidate sourcing and hiring process is customizing it to the unique needs of your organization. The Pridestaff Modesto team can help you identify those needs and access the right talent in your area to fill them. Contact us today to talk more about your strategic talent solutions.

Resume Round-Up (Part 6): How to Properly List Collegiate Accomplishments on a Resume

College is a great time to learn and grow. The experiences you have during your time on campus can help you get a strong start to your career — but you already know that.

Whether you’re a recent grad or still working to pursue your degree, you’ve racked up a list of accomplishments that will seriously impress both potential employers and staffing agencies in Las Vegas. Some of these — i.e., scholarships, Dean’s List, leadership positions — should be included on your resume, so learn how to get it right.

Four Tips for Listing Collegiate Accomplishments on Your Resume

Create a Separate Section

Put your hard work on display by highlighting it in a separate section — with the exception of your GPA, which should be grouped with your education details. This type of information doesn’t really fit into any other standard resume categories, and designating a special space for it will make it stand out. Most hiring managers quickly scan resumes, so this will help ensure they don’t inadvertently glaze over these key details.

Include Relevant Achievements Only

You did a lot of great things in college, but not all of your accomplishments will relate to the job at hand. By now, you probably know the importance of tailoring your resume to fit each position you apply to, and that includes the content in this section. Unnecessary information could cause the hiring manager to miss details relevant to the job and question your fit for it.

Be Specific

Vague accomplishments are useless, so brag a little. Briefly highlight what you did and when you did it, so the reader can fully comprehend how awesome you are. For example, writing “Held multiple student leadership positions” is nowhere near as effective as “Debate team captain, 2017-18” or “School newspaper editor-in-chief, 2016-17.”

Know Their Expiration Date

When you’re a student or a recent grad, collegiate accomplishments can add serious depth to your resume. However, they do have a shelf life. After college, you’re expected to replace them with achievements from your new life in the professional world. There’s no set rule on how long is too long to keep this information on your resume, but aim to remove it in five years or less.

Stand Out From the Crowd

You’re a talented professional any employer would be lucky to have on staff, so team up with PrideStaff Las Vegas to get the job you deserve. Contact us today to discuss your goals for the future and start your search for a fulling temporary, temp-to-hire or direct hire opportunity!

4 Simple Tactics to Make Sure Your Candidate is a Good Fit

You spend a lot of time and money on recruitment. So why does it seem like such a hit-or-miss proposition?

After weeks of sifting through resumes, conducting interviews and gathering opinions from various departments, you still end up with someone ill-suited to your corporate goals. Now, you have a tough decision: Settle for a less-than-perfect situation or start the process over again.

Small mistakes during the recruitment process can add up to a suboptimal outcome. You can make the best choice you can, given the options you have, but structural issues can put you in a situation where the best possible choice isn’t available.

There are ways to avoid this situation. Here are four things you can do to help ensure best candidate is there when the final hiring decision is made:

1. Have a Comprehensive Game Plan

The process of running a candidate search can become so routine that you stop thinking about it. Place the job post, review resumes, conduct interviews, repeat if necessary.

But doing things the same way every time can make things haphazard. Mistakes get repeated. Nuances get missed.

Each time you go to fill a position, think about what you are looking for. Make sure your criteria fits the specific position. Review whether the company’s goals have changed since the last hire (Growing more or less? New skills/technology becoming more necessary?) and incorporate the evolving business situation into your process.

Make all the pieces of the job search fit together and know exactly what you are looking for.

2. Craft a Great Job Posting

Let’s rush through some food metaphors. If you want to make a great meal, you need the freshest ingredients. If you want to catch the right fish, use the right bait.

And (switching back to HR for a second) if you want to find the right hire, start with the right candidates. That process starts with the job posting.

Having a strong hiring plan involves optimizing every part of the process. Many companies will put a great deal of thought into things like resume sorting or interview preparation, but then throw together the initial job posting. However, this is your first communication with prospective hires. Use it to send the message you want and draw in the type of people you want to hire.

3. Pre-interview

Interviews represent the most time-consuming part of the recruitment process. Taking steps to limit the impact frees up resources for other things.

Find ways to prescreen candidates prior to an in-person interview. You can use online questionnaires and tests to help whittle down the number of viable candidates. Or conduct short phone or Skype interviews to narrow the field further.

4. Concentrate on Culture

It’s relatively easy to tell whether someone meets the basic skills requirements for the job. An honest resume will tell you that. Most failed hires happen because of culture issues.

Make communicating culture a priority during every stage of the hiring process. Outline your expectations in the initial job posting, make culture a prominent topic of conversations during interviews and review what you expect as you begin the onboarding process.

If you are looking to optimize hiring for culture, it helps to have a partner. Pridestaff is a leader in the temporary staffing industry. Use their expertisse to help get you the right candidate from the start. Contact our top Central Oregon recruiterstoday to find out how.

Why Being a Better Listener Will Improve Your Career

When was the last time you had a conversation with someone and realized that, while that person technically heard you, they didn’t listen to a word you said? It happens far too frequently – and if you’ve found yourself in that position, you know how frustrating it feels. It’s something worth considering, especially for your career: Hearing is a sense, but active listening is a skill, and one that’s worth working on if you want to get ahead.

What it can do for work.

First, it will help you have a better understanding of not only your assignment but also your boss’ expectations. Good listening skills allow you to build better rapport with coworkers, clients, and superiors, as well as making them feel supported. Finally, this skill will help you work better in a team, resolve problems with others, and help you truly understand what people are saying.

Use more than your ears – look like you’re listening.

Active listening also involves your eyes. Look the other person in the eye and you’ll automatically pay attention, and they’ll see that, too. Avoid interrupting so you can let them speak and mull over what they have to say before answering. You also want to sit still (fidgeting signals boredom) and nod your head to indicate agreement or understanding. Look for verbal cues that will give you further understanding and ask questions to clarify any of their points.

Make listening effective and easy.

You may want to listen well but have your own natural walls to get around, such as personal biases or prejudices, a short attention span, your own feelings (worry, anger, fear), an inability to understand someone’s accent, or difficulty hearing due to a loud background noise. Fortunately, none of these barriers are insurmountable. Awareness and a desire to listen more effectively will help you improve that skill.

A seemingly simple skill, active listening truly can have a positive impact on your career path. To take that next step down the path, work with PrideStaff.

How to Avoid Hiring Headaches & Get Better Employees

You want to land top job candidates. But it can be a daunting task. And if you make the wrong decision and bring a poor-fit employee on board, it can wind up costing you in more ways than one. As one of Tempe’s top staffing services, PrideStaff knows your team is counting on you to find a new hire that’s the right fit. To help you in the process, follow these tips:

Infuse new life into old job descriptions.

Your job posting is the first thing candidates will see. Don’t turn them off with a long-winded one that focuses only on your needs. Remember, the end game here is to attract high-quality talent. To do that, you have to promote the job in a way that makes them want to work for you. So in addition to your own needs and the job’s requirements, focus some space on what makes your company unique and the opportunities you can offer.

Expand your recruiting avenues.

When it comes to recruiting, don’t simply post a job on a major board and hope for the best. In today’s world, there are plenty of avenues from which to recruit top candidates. First and foremost, make sure you have an employee referral program. This is a great way to engage and reward employees for talented referrals they send your way. It’s also a low-cost and effective way for you to access a pipeline of qualified potential new hires.

Beyond that, make sure you’re promoting your job postings on your website and across social media. In addition, don’t forget the importance of in-person networking. Having a regular presence at industry conferences and events is a great way to attract and recruit experienced passive candidates.

Conduct consistent interviews.

The interview should be a conversation between you and the job candidate. At the same time, it needs to have a format that you’re following if you’re going to maximize the time spent together. So do your homework ahead of time and create an agenda you follow for each candidate you meet with. Likewise, review each candidate’s resume ahead of time, so their background is fresh in your mind.

Don’t skip references.

Checking references is a time-consuming process. But don’t get tempted to skip it. You could find out a major red flag that helps you to avoid a hiring mistake. Or references could simply confirm the positive impression you have of a candidate, delivering peace of mind about your hiring decision. Either way, it’s an investment of time and energy well spent.

Get expert help.

If you don’t have the resources to devote to the hiring process, you could wind up making a decision in a hurry; one you live to regret. Instead, get expert help from a local staffing service provider in the Tempe area who can assist with all aspects of hiring, from writing the job posting to interviewing and checking references. That way, you’ll get more time to focus on other business priorities, while still accessing top-quality candidates you need.

Interested in learning more about the difference a professional staffing service can make in your hiring efforts?

Give PrideStaff a call. As one of Tempe’s leading staffing services, we can help you with every aspect of the hiring process, so you can get the talented people you need. Contact us today to learn more or get started.

Make Sure You Answer These Four Questions Before Negotiating Your Salary

Getting ready for a salary negotiation can be nerve-wracking. Unless you’ve got the Wolf of Wall Streetgene, which will allow you to walk instantly into any situation ready to sell, the whole concept of negotiation might strike you as completely foreign.

Our whole lives, we’re taught to stay humble, don’t talk about money and avoid confrontational conversations. Now you’re expected to do all three. The key is to walk into the negotiation prepared, both in terms of knowledge level of your mental state.

To give you a better idea of what we mean, here are four questions to ask yourself before you head into your salary talks:

1. What’s the Market Rate for This Position?

The key to any negotiation is information. You can bet the company has copious statistics about the market and the going rate for your position. After all, they negotiate with candidates all the time. You just negotiate with them once in a while.

So do as much research as you can. Find out what people in your position earn on average, keeping in mind things like regional differences. If you are working remotely, for instance, you can either focus on where you live, or where the company is located. Find out which has a higher standard of living and push to make that the basis of negotiation.

2. What Makes You Special?

Research can only tell you about averages. It won’t tell you about particulars.

As much as the job market looks to treat you like an interchangeable cog, you are unique. You have a unique mix of talent, education, skills and life experience that is different than any other candidate.

Some of that stuff doesn’t matter. But other things have value, even if that value is sometimes hidden. Figure out what you offer that no one else can. Then make sure the bring that up during your salary talks.

3. Are There Benefits/Bonuses?

It’s easy to get fixated on a salary. That’s obviously the biggest part of your compensation. But it’s not everything.

Sometimes the seemingly fringe items – the bonuses and benefits – represent a place to make progress in negotiations. Remember: everyone has a boss. The person you’re negotiating with can’t afford to “lose” the negotiation. They might not be able to meet your salary demands, because that number is highly scrutinized. But other items might involve more discretion.

You might be able to secure things like extra vacation days, travel expenses or education reimbursements. Even if you can’t get these things, asking for them gives you bargaining chips. In the end, it can’t hurt to ask…

4. Am I Prepared to Walk Away?

Negotiation 101: The winner is whoever is most willing to walk away.

Knowing whether you can pass on the position will help you decide how hard to fight for that last dollar. If it’s a job you’ll love or an opportunity you can’t pass up, maybe you shouldn’t risk getting too aggressive. However, if you are on the fence about the position, that gives you license to push.

In any case, you are better off going into the negotiation with a partner. A staffing agency can help you figure out your market value and put you in a better position to earn what you deserve. Contact our top Central Oregon recruitersat PrideStaff Bend today to find out more.

Tips for Showing Your Employees You Appreciate Them

Employee appreciation doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate. But it does have to happen on a regular basis. And regardless of your budget for this purpose, if staff rewards and recognition are done right, you’ll find it’s money well spent.

By incorporating recognition into your company culture and daily routine, your business will benefit from increased employee engagement and productivity, higher talent retention rates and ultimately, a healthier bottom line.

Make It Personal

Unless you show your appreciation in a way that’s personal to an employee, your efforts will backfire. Take the time to notice individual employees’ positive contributions and successes. Get to know the person and what a meaningful form of recognition would be for them. For instance, some people need public acknowledgement, such as a shout out at a town hall meeting. Others prefer a simple, heartfelt thank you delivered in person at their workstation.

Does an employee have a family at home? Maybe your recognition comes in the form of a gift card to the movies, a local theme or waterpark, or a sporting event.
What interests an employee outside of work? Learn their preferences and favorite hobbies and interests, and tailor your rewards accordingly.
Accompany gifts with a personalized card or note. This makes the entire experience truly powerful and memorable.

Use every opportunity available to express your gratitude and appreciation. Keep it real and keep it sincere. Practicing this regularly will make both your employees and you feel better, knowing that you took the time to care.

More Ideas

Employee appreciation can come in many forms:

Money: Salary-based raises, bonuses, gift certificates or cash awards.
Written words: In addition to thank-you notes, letters of appreciation in employee files, postings on bulletin boards or articles in company media.
Development opportunities: Sending people to conferences and seminars or working out a personalized career growth plan.
Fun treats: Buying pizza or subs for an employee and their entire team, a special delivery of cookies or a fruit basket or renting a popcorn machine for a week.
Symbols and honors: Certificates, plaques, a larger office or work area or better equipment.

Again, it all comes down to the person and what would make the best impact on them.

The workforce development experts at PrideStaff Fresno can help you keep employee recognition fresh, relevant and meaningful to everyone involved. For more ideas on this and other talent management strategies, contact us today.

How to Encourage Your Employees to Be More Productive

It happens from time to time: Employees who previously did well and stayed on task have slowly but surely fallen off the mark and become less focused on their work. Fortunately, you can help them find their productivity without cracking the whip too hard or coming across as a mircomanager.

Encourage physical health.

Sometimes employees come in sick because they feel they can’t take the time off. This has a twofold effect: It spreads germs to others and forces an employee to attempt work while not at their best, resulting in mediocre effort at most. Make sure they know the wellness programs included in a company benefits package, offer support for chronic conditions, and create a workspace that offers such options as standing desks. Suggest employees take periodic breaks to get up and move around and let them feel it’s acceptable to stay home when sick.

Help with financial stress.

When employees must pinch every penny and worry about how to pay for the unexpected (accident, illness, etc.), this causes a tremendous amount of stress that takes their focus and time away from their work. And lost productivity leading to financial stress can become a self-fulfilling prophecy if not taken care of right away. Offering financial wellness class or debt consolidator access to employees will help them manage their money and feel more in control, allowing them to stay productive instead of worrying about paying the bills.

Recognize the importance of mental health.

37 percent of people with depression do not seek treatment – and that condition costs businesses up to $35 billion a year. It’s much more than simply trying to “work through it”, and employers who recognize this will have grateful employees who can concentrate on their work rather than simply making it through the day. Make it clear that mental illness and depression are acceptable reasons to take the day off and help them find the treatment they need, taking away the stigma of living with a mental illness.

“Presenteeism”, the concept of being there but not really doing anything, can get pervasive when you as an employer don’t recognize the signs. Doing what you can to alleviate the big triggers will help your employees stay productive. To find your next great employee, work with PrideStaff.

3 Easy Tips for Managing Summer Employees

If summer is your busy time, you likely have more than rising temperatures to contend with. You also have a staff of seasonal employees to manage.

When all goes well, they’ll offer you the extra hands you need to get work done and keep customers happy. If, however, they’re not managed properly, the situation can negatively impact your core team and your valued customers.

To help ensure that doesn’t happen to you and you get the most from your seasonal staff, here are a few quick tips from the Tempe recruitment team at PrideStaff:

Tip #1: Train them.

When it comes to seasonal employees, they won’t require an extensive training program like full-time staff. However, to make sure they’re clear on their role, your expectations, and how they fit into the big picture, it’s important to offer them some level of training. It will take more of an investment upfront, but they’ll be able to become productive faster with fewer mistakes made along the way.

Tip #2: Treat them as part of the team.

Getting seasonal employees to blend well with your existing team members won’t happen automatically. It’s up to you to roll out the welcome mat, offer introductions, and do what you can to make seasonal staff feel like part of the team.

For instance, if there’s a company picnic, invite them to it. Also, on their first day, be prepared so they don’t feel like they’re waiting around or getting lost in the shuffle. The more you embrace them, engage them, and treat them like any other employee, the harder they’ll work for you.

Tip #3: Talk about performance.

Every employee needs feedback to stay on track and improve. It’s no different for your seasonal staff. If you want them to deliver the best performance, you need to praise them when they’re doing a good job and offer correction to change course, when needed.

While you don’t have to schedule a formal review, simply talking to them on a regular basis about their performance – and also asking them if they have any questions or concerns – is a good way to spot problems before they escalate.

Being a short-term boss isn’t always easy. But follow the tips above and you’ll be able to ensure your seasonal staff is productive and motivated, all while you get the bump in staffing levels you need.

Interested in learning more about staying flexible with strategic staffing?

Get help from Tempe’s trusted recruitment team. At PrideStaff, we can get to know your company, its culture, and your staffing goals to ensure you’re optimally staffed at all times of the year. Contact us today to learn more or get started.