Employees Behaving Badly? Here’s What to Do

Rudeness.

As a manager, it might seem like the least of your worries, but it can actually have a big impact on your bottom line, from reduced morale to a decrease in productivity…not to mention dissatisfaction if employees are rude to your clients or customers.

That said, as one of the leading staffing agencies in Phoenix , PrideStaff knows that  “rudeness” typically isn’t outlined in the company handbook – making it hard to deal with.

But you can remedy bad employee behavior and get your team off to a great start in the New Year. To help you, here are some common situations and how to combat each one.

1. An employee is late to work…every morning.
   Everyone is late at one point or another. But when it’s the norm – and perhaps even becomes the office joke – then it’s a problem that needs to be dealt with.To do so, meet privately with your late employee. Ask them the reason behind their tardiness. Maybe it has something to do with childcare and you can remedy the situation by allowing them to work 9:30 to 5:30 rather than 9 to 5.
2. An employee is constantly texting or talking on their phone, even during meetings.
   In today’s day and age, some people have a hard time separating themselves from their smart phones. However, texting during a meeting just isn’t appropriate in most situations. But rather than singling one person out, notify all employees of your cell phone policy. In it, clearly outline the rules and regulations of using cell phones at work. 
3. An employee is always telling off-color jokes.
   A joke seems harmless enough, and yet, when it comes to sexual harassment law, a joke or comment doesn’t have to be directed at a certain person to be offensive.So if you have an employee who’s regularly calling over co-workers to watch a racy video on YouTube, put a stop to it. Let them know that such behavior could be viewed as harassment and that it won’t be tolerated.

    

4. An employee doesn’t clean up after themselves.
   Whether it’s leaving the company kitchen a disaster, or the bathroom sink sopping wet, you have one employee who seems unable to leave common areas clean.If this sounds familiar, then simply let the employee know what everyone else is thinking. Explain to them how unpleasant it is for their co-workers to have to clean up after them. When you confront them, they’ll like be shamed into compliance.

If all your efforts to deal with a rude employee fail – and they continue to act out in a way that’s harmful to the team – then it may be time to terminate them.

If that’s the case for you, give PrideStaff a call. As one of the leading staffing agencies in Phoenix, we can help you hire employees who are not only qualified and skilled, but also respectful to others.

Contact PrideStaff today to learn more about how we can help you.

How the Holidays Can Boost Your Job Search

With the holidays just around the corner, it can be tempting to put your job search on hold. After all, you’ve got a lot of shopping, decorating, and baking to do.

But, as one of the leading Tempe employment agencies, PrideStaff knows that halting your hunt is actually the last thing you should be doing. In fact, the holidays are not only an ideal time to keep up with your job search – but also to ramp things up.

Here’s why:

Your competition is putting their job searches on hold.
Many other job candidates put their searches on hold for the holidays. They’re simply too busy to keep looking. As a result, there’s a lot less competition out there – which is great news for you. Employers don’t stop hiring because it’s the holidays, so why should you stop looking?

Employers want to start the New Year with the right team in place.
As a result, there’s pressure to fill open positions before the end of the year. Many times, new projects aren’t launched until the beginning of the year. So once January comes around, companies want to be ready, willing, and able to move forward with them by having the right people in the right positions.

Employers that still have a hiring budget want to use it.
If a hiring manager still has budget money left and needs to hire, then they’re going to work hard to fill that position before the end of the year. Otherwise, they could lose those funds.

Opportunities for networking abound.
With all those holiday parties and gatherings to attend, you have plenty of opportunities to meet new people, make new connections, and possibly learn about new opportunities. So whenever you’re planning on attending a holiday event, set a goal of meeting at least three to five new people. In addition, be sure to carry plenty of business cards with you.

It’s a good time to touch base with people who can help in your job search.
Send out a holiday greeting card to wish your networking contacts, recruiters, and hiring managers you’ve interviewed with well. By taking this approach, you can reinforce and expand your network.

Need Help Finding a New Job in Tempe?
If you do, let us know. As one of the leading Tempe employment agencies, PrideStaff can give you access to a broad range of job opportunities – temporary or full-time – where you can put your skills to the best use possible.

Contact PrideStaff today to learn more about how we can help you.

5 Tips to Help You Hire for Attitude

You’ve likely heard this one before – you hire someone who looked great on paper, had the right experience and skill set, performed well in interviews…and then couldn’t fit into the culture.

If you have, you’re certainly not alone.

In fact, according to Leadership IQ, attitude causes 89% of mishires. Characteristics like emotional intelligence, coachability, and temperament all determine whether a new hire succeeds or fails – far more than hard skills do. As a result, hiring for attitude has become more important than ever, especially in today’s high-stress economy.

But attitude can be tough to assess. After all, as leading Tempe recruiters, PrideStaff knows that a candidate can certainly act one way in a job interview and completely different once hired.

So what can you do to find candidates with the right skills – and the right attitudes? Here are 5 tips to get you going:

Tip#1: Define the Types of Personalities that Work Well at Your Company.
Whether you have a more formal culture, or a laid back one, think about the types of personalities that work well at your company and fit in with the culture. When you’re evaluating job candidates, look for individuals who demonstrate those same traits and attributes.

Tip #2: Ask Behavioral Questions, But Don’t Lead Candidates.
One of the best ways to evaluate a candidate is to ask behavioral questions about how they dealt with a specific situation or problem.

For instance, it may be helpful to ask a candidate to talk about a time they had a conflict with a colleague. That said, don’t go a step too far and lead the candidate by saying “Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a colleague and how you resolved it.” A smart candidate will know how to position a challenge as a learning experience.

Tip #3: Ask About Culture.
In other words, ask each candidate what kind of culture and work environment they feel they fit in best. If a candidate is free-spirited and gregarious, they may not mesh well in a more buttoned up work culture.

Tip #4: Ask Follow Up Questions.
Many candidates have a prepared and scripted answer to common interview questions, making it hard to evaluate their true colors. That’s why you need to dig deeper and ask follow-up questions.

For instance, by following up with “Tell me more,” or “Why do you think that is?,” or “Why did you choose that approach?”, you’re forcing the candidate to reveal whether there’s real substance behind their initial canned answer.

Tip #5: Think About How Much You’re Willing to Invest in Someone With the Right Attitude…But Not A Lot of Experience.
In other words, if you found a candidate with the right fit attitude, who didn’t have a lot of experience, would you be willing to invest more time and resources into training them? How much extra would you be willing to invest?

Need Expert Help Hiring?

If you’d like help from the hiring experts, let PrideStaff know. As leading Tempe recruiters, we can source, screen, interview and help you hire candidates with the right skills – and the right attitudes – for your organization.

Contact PrideStaff today to learn more about how we can help you.

How to Bring Your “A” Game to a Job Interview

As one of the top Phoenix employment agencies, PrideStaff knows that today’s competition for jobs is fierce. As a result, when it comes time to interview for an opportunity, you need to bring your “A” game.

So what can you do to make a great impression on the hiring manager? Here are some tips:

Tip #1: Do Your Homework Before the Main Event.

Read through the job posting and write down relevant examples of past accomplishments you can discuss during the interview. Also, note the direct experience you have that correlates with the job requirements.

In addition, do some research on the company ahead of time. You’ll be able to ask more meaningful – and impressive – questions as a result.

Tip #2: Practice, Practice, Practice.

Do a practice run of the interview ahead of time. Ask your spouse or a friend to sit in and act as the interviewer. Even better, video tape the mock interview so you can gain a true sense of your strengths and weaknesses when being interviewed.

Tip #3: Be Ready for Game Day.

Dress for success, arrive early, and greet the interviewer with a firm handshake and plenty of eye contact.

Be prepared to sell yourself during the interview – including the unique value you bring to the table, what your professional goals are, what motivates you, ways you’ve invested in yourself and your career, and your top accomplishments that are relevant to the job.

Always be succinct when answering questions, keeping your responses relevant and to the point.

Also, try to convey a genuine passion for the company and the job.

Tip #4: Keep Your Eye on the Ball.

Don’t blow it at the end of the interview by discussing taboo topics. These include political or religious benefits, speaking badly about past bosses or colleagues, or discussing personal issues. The interviewer wants to know what you can do for them, not that you hated your last boss.

Tip #5: Warm Down.

Follow up the interview with a thank you note to the interviewer. Thank them for their time and reiterate why you think you’d be a great fit for the job opportunity.

Want More Help Landing a Great Job?

If you do, let us know. As one of the top Phoenix employment agencies, PrideStaff can give you access to a broad range of job opportunities, temporary or full-time, where you can put your skills to the best use possible.

Contact PrideStaff today to learn more.

How Much Weight Should LinkedIn Recommendations Carry When Hiring?

Over the past few years, LinkedIn has grown in importance as a recruiting tool. Not only does it offer managers the opportunity to source and connect with passive candidates, but it also provides valuable insight into a candidate via their profile.

But when it comes to LinkedIn recommendations, can they be trusted as a reliable indicator of a candidate’s true worth? Or should they be viewed simply as an empty list of praise and accolades?

As top Tempe recruiters, PrideStaff knows that you shouldn’t completely discount many positive recommendations – particularly when they support what you already know about a candidate from their resume and the interview process. However, they should also be taken with a grain of salt.

Why? Because LinkedIn recommendations aren’t necessarily a direct reflection of a candidate. They’re filtered and, oftentimes, biased in favor of the individual.

For instance:

• An individual can pick and choose whom they ask for recommendations from. And they’re likely not going to reach out to someone – a colleague or a boss – who would be more critical of them.

• Individuals can reject bad recommendations. So even if a candidate gets a negative review back (which is unlikely considering that most potential recommenders would rather ignore the “request for recommendation” rather than offer a negative one), they can simply reject it…meaning you can’t see the comments anyway.

• Recommendations are oftentimes traded between colleagues. In other words, one individual might recommend another in return for a recommendation. Therefore, even if recommendations are positive, they’re coming from individuals who have a personal stake in the recommendation.

On the flip side, LinkedIn enables you to verify whom the recommendation is coming from. As a result, you can see whether the person making the recommendation is a credible source. And if a candidate has many recommendations that offer specific details and information (rather than vague language or hyperbole) from credible sources, then that could be a good indicator as to whether they’d be a good fit for you.

The bottom line is that while LinkedIn recommendations shouldn’t be ignored, they shouldn’t be your only source for checking out a candidate. It’s imperative that you dig deeper in order to gain a true sense of each candidate…all so you can make a smart hiring decision.

Need Help With Your Hiring Process?

If you do, let PrideStaff know. As top Tempe recruiters, we work closely with each client to identify their unique staffing needs and then develop a recruiting plan customized just for them.

The results? Faster placements, better employees, increased efficiencies, and achieved goals.

Let us help you too!  Contact PrideStaff today to learn more.

The New Normal: Tips for Evaluating Underemployed & Unemployed Candidates

It wasn’t that long ago that underemployment or unemployment on a candidate’s resume was a big red flag for a hiring manager.

Fast forward to 2012 – where there’s an approximately 16% rate of unemployed and underemployed American workers – and it’s clear that the candidate landscape has changed a lot.

Furthermore, as one of the top Phoenix staffing services firms, PrideStaff knows that many individuals who fall within the ranks of the unemployed or underemployed bring plenty of experience and skill to the table. Luck, however, may not have been on their side. As a result, it would be wise to overlook employment gaps or career hiccups…and dig a little deeper to uncover the best fit talent for your position.

But in order to properly evaluate these candidates, you need to ask the right interview questions first. Here are some tips to help you:

Ask About Their “Reason for Leaving” Their Last Position.

If a candidate is unemployed or underemployed due to a lay-off, then ask specific questions that can help you gain a better understanding of the situation and why they were let go. For instance:

• Why were there layoffs at the company?
• Were layoff decisions made based on seniority?
• How many rounds of layoffs did you survive before being laid off?

Evaluate Their Job Search Strategy.

In today’s economy, there are plenty of job candidates who are hungry for a new opportunity, but have to hold down two or three jobs or live on unemployment to make ends meet in the meantime. And then there are those who don’t put much effort into their job search at all.

When interviewing, it’s key to gain a sense of which category a candidate falls into because it will demonstrate how driven they are. For instance, ask questions like:

• How do you uncover job leads?
• How many jobs have you applied to since you’ve been looking?
• What types of organizations have you been applying to?
• How many interviews have you had?
• Give me an overview of your job search strategy.

Don’t Forget the Fundamentals.

Even if a candidate has been out of the workforce – or out of their field – for a while, don’t forget to ask the basic fundamental questions, such as:

• Why do you think you’re a good fit for the position?
• What makes you stand out among your peers?
• What are some key accomplishments that have benefited your past employers?

As always, when it comes to finding the best candidate to hire, asking the right questions is vital. And thanks to an anemic economy, the above questions are important to add to your roster when interviewing underemployed or unemployed job candidates.

Need Expert Help With Your Interview Process?

If you’d like to outsource your interview process to the professionals, let PrideStaff know. As one of the top Phoenix staffing services firms, we can take the hassle out of hiring for you – ensuring you hire right, the first time.

Contact PrideStaff today to learn more about how we can help you.

3 Tips for Falling Forward Into a New Job

Fall is a time of change and reflection. And if you’re not getting the desired results from your job search, then it’s time to take a step back and re-think your approach.

So why aren’t you getting noticed – and what can you do to improve your results and get the job you really want? Here are three mission-critical tips to consider:

Tip #1: Take a Focused Approach.

Are you applying to every employment opportunity in Phoenixunder the sun – and keeping your fingers crossed something will pan out? If you are, then that is likely one source for your job search woes. When you spend all your time and energy submitting your resume to hundreds of job postings, then you’ll get lukewarm results, at best.

However, if you spend your time and energy taking a targeted approach – searching for employment opportunities in Phoenix that are the best fit for you, customizing your cover letter and resume for every single job opening, keeping track of those you applied to, following up regularly and really trying to promote yourself and why you’re better – then your efforts will bear fruit in the form of an interview offer.

Tip #2: Determine What Makes You Different.

In a sea of other candidates, you must know what makes you different from the rest. Do you have a unique skill set? Do you have an impressive track record you can quantify? Do you hold an advanced degree or certification that’s critical for success in your industry? Differentiation is a vital factor in any job search and can be used to give you the edge over other job candidates.

Tip #3: Ramp Up Networking Efforts.

When it comes to filling employment opportunities in Phoenix, many of today’s organizations don’t even advertise their staffing needs. Instead, they tap into the power of networking – reaching out to passive and active candidates they already know to determine if they’d be interested in interviewing for the position.

So if you’re not networking, you’re never going to know about these unadvertised job openings – and you’ll never get your foot in the door as a result. Even if an employment opportunity in Phoenixis posted, knowing someone within the organization who can walk your resume to HR will give you a huge competitive advantage.

Keep in mind, if employers need to hire for the New Year, then NOW is the time they’re going to be looking for talent. But if you’re taking the same old approach that isn’t working, then you could be flying under their radar.

So take a deep breath…and take a step back to evaluate your efforts and re-group. Tweaking your approach will hopefully help you fall forward into a terrific new job!

Get Employment Help from the Experts!

At PrideStaff, we’re experts in matching job candidates with terrific employment opportunities in and around Phoenix. So if you’re skilled, dependable, and hard-working, we want to hear from you! We may just have the perfect job for you. Contact PrideStaff today to learn more.

4 Reasons You Need to Build a Strong Talent Pipeline

As a business owner or manager, you likely know that your employees are the key to your success. But if you’re still relying on the old, reactive “business as usual” model when it comes to recruiting and hiring, you could land yourself and your organization in hot water.

That’s because things have changed a lot in recent years. As a leading Tempe staffing services firm [link to https://www.staffingagencyphoenix.com/], PrideStaff knows that the war for top talent is fierce and if you’re not being pro-active with your recruiting efforts, then you will lose out, plain and simple.

So how can you sharpen your competitive edge and recruit right? The answer: build a strong talent pipeline. Here are 4 reasons why it’s critical to your business success:

Reason #1: It makes hiring easier.

Part art, part science, hiring is a complicated process. But think how much easier it would be if you had a robust network of skilled talent you could tap into when the need to hire arises. It will save you time and money, as well as lead to fewer hiring mistakes, delivering a much greater return on investment.

Reason #2: You won’t have to hire under pressure.

When you have a sudden or unexpected need to fill a position, a talent pipeline can help by giving you fast access to a network of professionals. Even if none of your immediate contacts are available for the job, you can ask them for referrals, which are hugely valuable in terms of the quality of candidates you’ll gain access to and time savings.

On the flip side, hiring mistakes happen when you need to hire under pressure and don’t have time to source the best candidates.

Reason #3: You’ll gain a competitive edge over your competition.

When you have a talent pipeline that you’re in touch with on a regular basis and promoting your employment brand to, you’ll stay top-of-mind when someone is looking for the right job opportunity. As a result, you’ll have an edge over your competitors who aren’t regularly engaging top candidates.

After all, if you already have a relationship with a particular candidate, whom do you think they are going to accept an offer from? You or your competition?

Reason #4: It leads to better fit candidates and better hiring decisions.

In many cases, new hires leave the company after just a short time due to a lack of cultural fit. But when you’ve built a relationship with a network of candidates, and educated them about your company’s culture and the unique benefits of working there, you’re much more likely to make a good match…and a good hiring decision.

Tap Into PrideStaff’s Talent Pipeline!

If you don’t have the time or resources to build your own talent pipeline, then tap into ours. As a leading Tempe staffing services firm, PrideStaff has an extensive network of qualified talent ready to go to work for you.

Want to learn more? Contact PrideStaff today.

5 Ways to Turn Off Your New Hires

You just spent months sourcing potential recruits, pouring over resumes, conducting interviews, and evaluating the hard and soft skills of dozens of candidates.

You’re probably glad the hiring process is over.

So – after you’ve invested all that time and energy – why in the world would you make a new employee feel like a “second class citizen” once they’re actually on board?

If you’re like most managers, chances are, you don’t even realize you’re doing it.

But considering the fact that many new hires leave after just a few short months on the job, unhappy newbies are a reality in the workplace. And, as a leading staffing services firm in Phoenix, PrideStaff knows it’s in your best interest to engage your newest team members from the get-go, so they get off on the best foot possible.

 So what are some ways you could be turning off your new hires? Here’s a look at 5 of them:

1. You don’t have a workspace ready for them.

Your new hire gets to the office, excited and looking forward to their first day on the job…only to find out they’ve been forgotten about. No desk or workspace has been set up, so they need to wait in the lobby while you scramble around to get them up and running.

2. You schedule their first day when their supervisor is away.

The relationship a new hire has with their supervisor is an important one. And if you schedule their first day on the job at a time when their supervisor is not in the office, you’re going to leave a bad taste in the mouth of the new employee. They’ll assume the supervisor didn’t think meeting them was all that important, even if that’s not really the case.

3. You walk the new employee to their new desk…and then walk away.

Your new hire needs to be welcomed, not left alone on their first day. So don’t expect them to just hit the ground running and get to know people on their own. Introduce them around, assign a mentor to them, and make sure they have lunch plans for the first few days. You want them to feel like a part of the team – not like they just made a big mistake by accepting your job offer.

4. You keep the new employee up to their elbows in paperwork the first day.

The last thing a new employee wants to do is feel like they’re taking out a mortgage on their first day of the job. So try to keep the paperwork to a minimum. If you can, send it to them before their scheduled start date so most of it is already completed once they arrive.

5. You don’t have anything for the new employee to do.

The paperwork is signed off on, introductions have been made, a workspace is set and ready to go…and then your new hire has to sit and wait. If that’s the case, they’ll wonder why you hired them in the first place, leaving them feeling uncertain and frustrated. To avoid this, know on their first day what tasks and projects you want to get them going on.

Need Help Hiring New Employees?

 If you need professional help finding and hiring top candidates, let PrideStaff know. As one of the leading staffing services firms in Phoenix, we work closely with top organizations throughout the area to identify their unique staffing needs and deliver quicker placements, better employees, and achieved goals. And we can do the same for you!

Want to learn more? Contact PrideStaff today.

Fight Back! How to Power Through Your Midday Slump

Does this sound familiar? At work, you’re going full steam ahead all morning, crossing things off your to-do list and feeling productive. You take a quick break for lunch and figure you’ll dive right back into your work and power through the afternoon.

But somewhere between 2 and 3 p.m. you find your attention wandering and your energy flagging. In fact, all you really want to do is take a nap. How can you fight this slump?

Here are five proven tactics to power you through–or, better yet, keep you from feeling draggy in the first place:

1. Drink Some Water.
   Drink Some Water. Being even slightly dehydrated will lower your energy and often make you think that you’re hungry, which is why too many of us head for the vending machines and the sugary snacks. What you really need is water. Drink a full eight ounces of cool water to revive yourself and your body.
2. Get Up and Move.
   Sitting in front of a computer all morning, as most of us do, is an energy drain. Stand up, stretch, and take a quick walk–if you can’t go out and walk around your building, go up and down the stairs a couple of times, or just visit a friend in a far-off department. Get your blood pumping and your heart rate up to re-energize your tired body.
3. Refocus Your Focus.
   Have you been working on the same project for hours and feel your head getting heavy? Switch to a different project, at least for a few minutes. Your mind works better if you can change gears once in awhile. When you go back to the original project after the break, the cobwebs in your brain should be gone.
4. Just Breathe.
   But do it right. Shallow breathing creates less oxygen running through your system. Focus on deep breathing for a few minutes. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth for a count of five on both the inhale and the exhale. Fill both lungs, feel your ribcage expand outward, then exhale, emptying your lungs and feeling your ribcage collapse. Repeat 10 times.
5. Have a Healthy Snack.
   Often, a midday slump is due to your blood sugar levels dropping. Instead of succumbing to the munchies or those sugar cravings, eat something small and healthy: a piece of fruit, yogurt, a handful of nuts or a wedge of cheese and a few crackers. Sugary, fatty snacks will make your blood sugar soar, then crash, making you feel more sluggish than before.

When you find your energy lagging after lunch, know that you can do something about it! You’ll be happier, more productive and less tired when you learn how to control that drop in energy.