Posts filed under 'The Staffing Industry'
July 16th, 2008
I have been in Recruiting and Staffing in many facets for over 20 years. As I reflect back, I have met many people and been affected by their stories. I feel that while I can’t help everyone I meet, I have been able to help many people and have been blessed by getting to know them along the way. Believe it or not, candidates teach me a thing or two on a regular basis and that is what I love about Recruiting.
I have a very strong recollection of a candidate I was interviewing back in 1988. I recall it was a very, very hot summer. The company I was working for was near O’Hare airport and the traffic was horrible. I was always dealing with people for in-person interviews. Wilma, our Receptionist, called me and said one interviewee was 45 minutes early and one was 15 minutes late. I opted for the early candidate.
Her name was Rose, and she was a single mother from the south side of Chicago. She had no car, and took two forms of public transportation to get to the interview. And, she was 45 minutes early. She had a shopping bag that she kept by her feet during the whole interview. She had a beautiful phone voice (the position was for Customer Service). She did well in the interview and sold me on why she would be perfect for this job. Rose was someone who was so committed to getting to an interview early with many obstacles and she was more than qualified for the job. She was hired, did extremely well, and was there every day.
I found out later that the shopping bag held a change of clothing. She asked the Receptionist if she could use the restroom once she got there so she could be fresh for our interview. After all, she did travel for several hours. I have remembered Rose for all these years.
Tell us about your strongest workplace memory….
June 9th, 2008
Misconception #4) They only have temp jobs available: True, many companies utilize a staffing agency to fill temporary voids, however, the majority of job opportunities offered are temp-to-hire, long-term positions. Many staffing agencies have divisions that are tailored more for the skilled/professional job seeker. In those situations, direct placement into companies is becoming more and more popular among clients.
Misconception #5) They will take money out of my paycheck so they can make money as well: There is no fee to the job seeker and nothing is taken out of the employee’s paycheck. As a matter of fact, most times it is the client company who sets the pay rate and the staffing agency has little say in the pay rate. Once a pay rate is determined, that is what one will be paid. For skilled positions, there are often times negotiations that take place regarding salary, however, the pay rate decided upon is the same as if the job seeker would have went out to the company on their own. It is true that many times when a worker is hired in to the company, they are given a pay increase. This is a reward for working hard and getting hired in as a permanent employee of the company.
Misconception #6) Temps are just used for 90 days and then laid off before getting hired in: Prior to accepting a job through a staffing agency, one should always ask how long the assignment is intended to last. This will at least give you an idea if it is short term in nature, temp-to-hire, or unknown. Even if the position is temp-to-hire, there are no guarantees. Companies cannot always predict how business will play out, loss of contracts, etc. Unfortunately, lay-offs are a reality, whether it be through a staffing agency or otherwise. That said, most companies are looking to retain top talent. While it can be convenient for companies to lay off temporary workers first and foremost, it is not necessarily always the case. More often than not, when employees are let go, unless it is a mass layoff, it is performance-related in one way or another.
June 6th, 2008
Working with a staffing service has become a much more common avenue for finding a job . Some people shy away from filling out an application for some of the common misconceptions that they have heard through the grapevine.
Here are some misconceptions about staffing services:
Misconception #1: Temporary employees do not receive benefits. Most staffing services DO provide their temporary employees with some type of benefit program after they have worked a certain number of hours, so therefore, by working through a staffing service, temporary employees CAN receive benefits.
Misconception #2: Assignments are ONLY temporary. There are a lot of times when assignments are for a temporary time period, but most companies are looking for reliable people who can prove that they have good attendance and good work performance. The company may consider hiring them in, if they prove to be a good candidate.
Misconception #3: Temporary employees are “replaceable.” Temporary employees must take pride in the fact that they are able to learn many different types of jobs, and they are able to gain knowledge and experience in several areas. This makes them more marketable for other positions in the job market. Many companies cannot run efficiently without the assistance of temporary employees.
