3 Common Misconceptions about Partnering with Employment Agencies

More than 13 million people find jobs through staffing agencies every year. Working with an agency to find your next job can be a highly rewarding experience, as you not only save time and money, but also develop a valuable ongoing relationship with your recruiter.

Yet there are myths about partnering with an employment agency that need to be debunked. They include:

I can’t afford to work with an agency.

When you work with an employment agency to find a job, your total cost is … zero. Job candidates don’t foot the bill. Hiring employers do. There is a lot to gain, as you partner with a professional recruiter who will assist you with making contacts, brushing up and preparing for your interview, and making your job search process a success.

You can’t find the best jobs through an agency.

Most staffing agencies specialize in certain industries, so they have a clear understanding of business needs and how your qualifications address them. Many of the best employer/employee matches are made through agencies, from entry level through the C-suite.

Agencies only find jobs for temporary workers.

Many agencies offer part-time, full-time, contract to hire and direct hire opportunities along with temporary job placements.

If an employer likes you as a temporary worker and you both want the relationship to become direct hire, your agency will be instrumental in making that happen. The most successful agencies encourage their clients to hire from their temporary worker pool.
Recent research shows that 30 percent of individuals offered jobs by staffing agencies landed in direct hire positions.

PrideStaff Modesto specializes in both temporary and direct hire placements in administration, customer service, information technology, finance, legal support, healthcare, and production and distribution. We work with some of the most well-known and respected employers in the areas. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you find your next great job and realize your long-term career plan.

Multitasking Your Way Up the Corporate Ladder

Depending on who you talk to, multitasking can be a way to get more things done, or a way to get more things done poorly. According to Kevin Daum of Inc. magazine, multitasking is counterproductive because the tasks that you may accomplish are unlikely to be of the best quality. Daum considers the risk of making mistakes too high, and focus should be on one priority task at a time.

However, multitasking is a necessary reality in today’s busy corporate world. Constant connection to the internet via smartphones and tablets mean the temptation is always present to check email, texts, or social media no matter where we are or what we are doing. Savvy marketers exploit this remote internet access phenomenon and push information through channels that are more easily used while on the go, such as mini videos or other visual advertisements.

Ann Bachrach, author of the book “Excuses Don’t Count; Results Rule!” emphasizes the need to maintain a detailed calendar. With a lot going on, you must be aware of looming deadlines or events that you need to plan time to prepare for. Too many tasks increase the risk of missing a deadline, an important appointment, or a critical business meeting. Note everything on a calendar so that you can see, at a glance, your commitments.

The American Management Association recommends increasing your tasks incrementally. For example, if you start a new job or a new project, expect a learning curve. You will become quicker at each task as you gain experience. Then, once you are comfortable and up to speed, add an additional task, and so on. Monitor how long each task takes so that you can accurately gauge what you need to get done with the time available.
Take a break. Multitasking is stressful, and too much can lead to burnout. Take regular breaks and plan time for breaks in your schedule. A heavy workload may be completed quicker if you take an hour break to unwind and return refreshed to the task.
For tasks that you do repeatedly, find ways to make them easier. Preparing for a task takes time investment up front, but it will save you time and mistakes in the long run. For example, create computer templates, keep paperwork or equipment at hand and well-organized.

Partner with PrideStaff to take your career in a better direction. Our professional staff can guide you to the best employers whether you are looking for short- or long-term employment.

Why an Ongoing Recruitment Strategy Is Vital for Success

When considering a recruitment strategy, take a cue from the Boy Scouts: Be prepared. Employers who have a constant flow of recruits – rather than simply starting to look when an opening pops up – will always have quality candidates at the ready. Let’s look at some of the “hows” and the “whys” of an ongoing recruitment strategy.

If you want the best, you have to bring them to you.

The concept of recruitment means you’re looking for the best candidates, and doing what you can to attract them. So it’s not merely that you have to look for top talent; you have to give them a reason to come to you. An ongoing recruitment strategy will help you accomplish this. Engage with qualified candidates through social media and networking events, so even if a position isn’t open at the time, they know they can contact you when the timing works.

Develop an intern program – it’s like an extended interview for potential hires…plus they already know your business and you’ve seen them in action. Give them a reason to stay full time as positions become available.

Know what you need.

To make an ongoing recruitment strategy, HR has to stay on top of the company’s needs – what skills and competencies are missing? What area could benefit from an experienced employee who could lead others? Develop candidate profiles based on your best hires from the past so you know what to look for. Where can you go to find the best talent for the jobs you need? Creating relationships with area colleges and staffing agencies will allow you to create a talent pipeline that will help your company succeed – no wasted time figuring out who can best supply you with the candidates you want.

Even talented employees leave.

It may have nothing to do with your company – perhaps a family member got hired elsewhere and they’re moving, or the employee decides they want to pursue a different career. The companies who anticipate the loss of key employees also have recruiting strategies to replace them – they have that talent pipeline of qualified candidates in the wings. And bear this in mind: If, in an exit interview, you discover a top worker has chosen to leave because he’s unhappy with the company, it’s also worth taking time to listen to his concerns and adjust so future recruits won’t feel the same way and leave as well.

One of the best ways to build your recruitment strategy is to partner with someone who always has qualified candidates. Visit PrideStaff to make them part of your pipeline and to get advice on how best to build it.

Boost Your Overall Team Productivity This Summer

During the summer, productivity may not always be at its peak. Distractions abound and projects can get derailed. How do you keep employees engaged, motivated and productive when everyone is mentally on the seventh fairway or in beach mode?

Take time to look ahead.

Summer can be an ideal time to take stock of where your employees are at mid-year against their annual goals and objectives. Take stock and while you’re at it, get creative about your vacation season back-up plan.

Meet with employees one-on-one and engage them in discussion about their aspirations. Define or revise your development plans accordingly. Make sure that all their goals are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound.
Meet with team members before they take time off. Discuss any assignments that will need to progress or be completed in their absence. This could be a great time to cross-train or reassign duties to less-experienced employees looking for development opportunities.

Be flexible and have some fun.

Flexibility is key to boosting productivity all year long, but it takes on a whole new level of importance during the summertime.

Adjust work schedules to accommodate seasonal needs. Child care can be a challenge at this time of year, or people may just crave extra time to spend a weekend at a summer home or working in the garden. Consider compressing workweek schedules to allow for Friday afternoons off or other morale-boosting changes.
Celebrate fleeting summer days and team accomplishments. Have a picnic or team outing to a park, music festival, farmers market or sporting event. Showing employees that you appreciate them by inviting them to partake in some workplace-sponsored bun helps keep spirits high and performance levels elevated.
Make sure employees actually take their vacations. It’s important that they understand that they’re expected to take their earned time off. If not, they may experience burnout, reduced creativity, or stress and related ailments, all of which can seriously hamper productivity.
Little things mean a lot. Keep employees engaged by offering performance-based incentives. This doesn’t have to be costly. For instance, give them that sunny afternoon off in recognition of accomplishing a particularly challenging stretch goal, or say thank you for a job well done with a gift card to an area shop or attraction.

For more tips on boosting team productivity throughout the year, contact the recruitment and workforce development experts at PrideStaff Modesto. Read our related posts for additional helpful tips.

Four Strategies for Implementing a Team Building Activity in the Summer

For many, team building activities conjure images of treasure hunts in the local park or worse, outward bound activities involving rope courses and other physical challenges.

If the goal is to promote team building among employees, the type of activity must be an all-inclusive one that staff will enjoy or, at least, attend.

Katie Morrell of American Express recommends first identifying what is to be achieved from the team building activity. A physically challenging outward bound trip might be appropriate for a young, fit and energetic sales team. But it will scare the living daylights out of 90 percent of US office workers. Is the goal to increase competitiveness or camaraderie?

If the goal is to improve communication and interpersonal relations, a more sedate exercise could diversities and preferred methods of working and communicating. For example, in a neutral location conduct diversity training such as the Myers-Brigg personality test.

Host a brainstorming event to seek feedback from staff such as ideas for improving processes or where to focus investment. This type of event should include a frank discussion about the company’s direction, strategy, and future goals. It is crucial to take positive action on the suggestions from staff so that they can see that their opinions are respected.

Hire a motivational speaker. The American Program Bureau features professional speakers such as David Breashears, a filmmaker, adventurer, and mountaineer who scaled Everest twice, and who recounts his team’s challenges and courage on the deadliest day in the history of Everest’s climbing expeditions.

Poll employees and ask them what they would like to do. Perhaps offering more than one option could be a possibility as long as there is a core exercise in which everyone can participate. Expect some work that involves team building activities, but treat staff to a day out or a meal afterwards. David Krevitt of Huffington Post states that group outings or lunches are effective in promoting collaboration and camaraderie.

Looking to Hire this Summer?

Partner with PrideStaff for your short and long-term staffing needs. We can assist you in finding staff that will complement your existing team and integrate effectively.

How to Diffuse Workplace Negativity Before It Escalates

Employers want their offices to act as well-oiled machines with everyone getting along – or at least having disagreements that lead to greater understanding of each others’ positions. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen – and when the negative vibes go unchecked, they can poison the entire workplace. So here are some suggestions on how to address the office antagonism before it gets out of hand.

When you have some control, communicate.

If you, as a manager or supervisor, have the power to influence the negativity, do so as soon as possible after hearing about it.

First of all, poor communication may have started everything: a new policy that’s not fully understood, a disgruntled former employee spreading rumors, a misinterpretation of a company email, etc. Use a systematic approach to solve the problem by speaking with the employees affected by the negativity. Get to the root cause of the low morale and put together an action plan – with input from numerous employees so they feel involved personally – to solve the problem.
Continue communicating as much as possible and check in to make sure the plan remains effective.

When employees feel they have no control, accentuate the positive.

Sometimes negativity comes from something that happens to and affects employees, such as a hiring freeze, necessity for mandatory overtime, corporate downsizing, and the like.

If you have the ability to influence any part of the situation, do so: Make sure those in power understand the negative impact of the situation and, if possible, do what you can to influence it.
Listen to employees and their frustrations – sometimes they’ll just need to feel they’re being heard, literally and figuratively. Offer opportunities for them to voice their concerns and share what you can so employees feel they can trust you. And shut down pessimistic thinking or false rumors that can increase negativity.
Speak with employees and ask questions that will give you thorough answers as to why they’re feeling low – it could circle back to lack of communication again. Overall, help employees to feel heard and included.

You can’t always solve the problem of negativity, but there are steps you can take to lessen or diffuse it. For advice on how to handle such situations, visit the professionals at PrideStaff.

Focus on Personal Growth and Development for Long-Term Career Success

No one cares as much about your career as you do. So if you plan to continue to learn and advance, you need to get in the driver’s seat. Take charge of your professional future and set yourself on that yellow brick road to long-term success and happiness.

Network to Greatness

Don’t wait till you’re ready and eager for a new job. Start networking today, if you haven’t already. Whether you stay at your current company or decide to make a change, your networking investment will pay off. But, what you give is what you get.

Select three to five influential people. Take the initiative to introduce yourself to them. Ask if they can spare 20 minutes for coffee or a drink. At that time, ask their permission to reach out to them for conversation, guidance or future career advice. Make it a habit to stay in touch.
While networking, talk about your successes. Share your career victories and aspirations. Ask for advice about how to accurately measure success.

Build Your Brand

Share your passions with people, including those in areas outside your immediate role. Offer ideas and suggestions, and become a thought leader. Mentor others.

Jump into your thought leader role with both feet. Write down the skills, traits and strengths that best define you. Then write a personal vision that includes the brand characteristics that most appeal to you

Be a Lifelong Learner

You’re responsible for your own growth. In doing so, stay current with industry developments and technology, Avoid becoming obsolete.

Constantly master new capabilities and gain different experiences. For instance, remain open to a lateral move in order to broaden your base.
Carve out time to grown. Devote a minimum of 10 percent of your time to career growth. No excuses accepted!
Stay relevant. Taking responsibility for your own personal growth provides a sense of control over your career and your future.

The professional career coaches and recruiters at PrideStaff Modesto can partner with you to develop and realize your successful strategy for short and long-term career growth. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.

Do You Love Your Job?

Not many people can claim to love something that they do day in and day out. In fact, Forbes reports on a poll by Harris that finds that 40 percent of employees would leave corporate America if they could do something more creative. But that leaves 60 percent who would not.

What drives job satisfaction?

Job fulfillment comes from a sense of personal contribution. If you can identify a way that your skills can contribute to something that matters to you, and make a career doing so, you will love your job. A study by Careerbliss and reported in Forbes, identifies the happiest workers. The study asked respondents to rate various factors such as daily tasks, colleagues, supervisors, development, company culture, and rewards. Here is a summary of the findings

Security guards were the most unhappy, followed by merchandisers, and salespeople. Security guards often have a boring role with minimal room for advancement and the pay is low. Merchandisers who set up goods inside stores see few results from their work. Sales people make a fair salary, but the job can be grueling. Salespeople must manage difficult customers and stressed managers.
School principals were the happiest citing that the job, despite its headaches, provides unlimited rewards in terms of watching children learn, expand their minds, and pursue their dreams. Executive chefs were the next on the list. Fulfillment in this profession comes from the culinary creative aspects and the compliments received from those who enjoy the results of the efforts. However, the restaurant business has notoriously low profit margins requiring extremely hard work and unsocial hours, which are not for everyone.

Surprisingly, loan offices are ranked third on the list of happy employees. Although denying loans to some can be difficult, finding creative ways to help deserving borrowers can be extremely satisfying.

Daniel A Pink, author of “Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us” claims that a higher salary can actually cause an individual to be less effective, and a sense of autonomy and purpose provides motivation.

Looking for a New and Exciting Employment Opportunity?

Partner with PrideStaff Las Vegas. Our professionals can help you identify the type of work that will keep you engaged and driven and guide you in the direction of your passion. Contact us today!

Hiring Productive Employees that Strive for Success

Employers face challenges in the search for productive workers. In a region where hospitality, entertainment, retail, and construction represent the largest sectors, workers often switch employers or become less committed. Employers need strategies to find committed workers and ways to keep them engaged.

Increasing wages is one strategy that can ensure that your company attracts potential candidates. However, once on board, there is no guarantee that they will stay. The adage “you get what you pay for” is true in terms of talent and beating out the competition, but a company must also focus on providing other benefits to employees that will keep them challenged and productive.

High turnover rates will be increasingly common as the economy improves. The Nevada Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation reports an increase in the job quit rate and a high level of job seeker confidence.

To retain your best workers, ask what they most want from an employer. Many workers require flexible schedules or health programs. Others may require a higher salary. Invest in employees to reap the rewards.

Partner with a staffing agency that knows your industry and the workers. PrideStaff monitors the local economy, employers, salary benchmarks, quit rates, hiring rates, and labor availability. We are a source of valuable information that your company requires to design the right staffing plan. Use our resources to reduce your hiring costs.

Productive workers require training and the right tools. Industries with high customer contact, such as hospitality, services, and retail, require workers with soft skills. Employees should have good language skills and the ability to manage customers. These traits can be difficult to identify in candidates. PrideStaff understands the need for soft skills and is expert in identifying those candidates that will be the best ambassadors for your firm.

Jeff Haden of Inc. explains how important wage and salary levels are to employees. Fair compensation can ensure you hire the best, but meeting additional employee needs will retain your best workers and their productivity.

Be confident that your compensation and training programs are at appropriate levels.

Looking for Hiring Assistance?

Contact our team of experienced recruiters today for more information on the benefits of partnering with our team as you strive to grow yours.

4 Character Traits to Look for in a New Hire

Recruiting is expensive. The associated costs of a new hire can run as high as 150 percent of the employee’s annual salary. What are the most important traits you should seek in candidates to ensure that every new hire is a success?

Four forerunners are:

Aptitude

Fifty-seven percent of businesses say they face a critical shortage of appropriately skilled entry-level workers. While some jobs require extensive experience, in many cases it’s best to seek raw talent with lots of aptitude and skill, rather than hire those who think they already know your business.

The added baggage that comes with experience is not always an asset. Some of it may have to be unloaded before you can effectively retrain and acclimate a new hire to your organization.
Look for the ability to quickly build rapport. Along with team-building aptitude, seek out the capability to handle rejection and willingness to follow proven processes.

Attitude

There’s a thin line between aptitude and attitude, and you need both.

Skills can be taught. Attitude is a reflection of a candidate’s basic personality, which is much harder, if not impossible, to change. Make your final selection based on attributes such as flexibility, passion and accountability. One of the main reasons new hires fail comes back to personality – or attitude – issues. This may include poor ability to receive and act upon feedback, lack of motivation, or simply an unsuitable temperament for the job.
Forty-nine percent of businesses say new college graduates lack business acumen. But if a candidate fails in this regard because they have no sincere interest in your company, they may be applying for the wrong reason. This does not make them a good long-term prospect as you seek to nurture and grow your top talent.

Emotional Intelligence

Technical competency is a key asset, but emotional intelligence sets a person apart when it comes to effectively making decisions and empathizing with the needs of colleagues and clients.

Emotional intelligence is a general assessment of a candidate’s ability to control their emotions. A high EI level also means they can sense, understand and react to the emotions of others, and successfully manage relationships.
Employees with a high EI level are more likely to stay calm under pressure. They can manage conflict, and they lead by example. They tend to be more thoughtful in making key business decisions. They admit to and learn from their mistakes. They listen as much or more than they talk, they handle criticism well, and they consistently show grace under pressure.

Integrity

As noted by Forbes, “Success will come and go, but integrity is forever.”

Integrity means doing the right thing at all times and in all circumstances – whether or not anyone is watching. It takes courage to do what’s right, regardless of the consequences.
Avoid hiring anyone who does not seem trustworthy. If someone appears dishonest in any one aspect of their lives, this is likely to carry over to other areas. Don’t dismiss small transgressions like fudging employment or academic dates on a resume. If a person can’t be trusted in these matters, how can you possibly trust them to work for you?

The professional recruiters at PrideStaff Fresno can help you set hiring criteria and find candidates with the characteristics you need to best reflect your employment value proposition. To learn more, read our related posts or contact us today.