Why Hiring an Employment Agency Can Pay Dividends

Since the latest economic downturn, many companies have changed their hiring practices. Some employers prefer to tackle the process themselves, while others turn to third-party employment agencies. There are plenty of reasons why hiring an experienced employment agency makes good business sense.

The commonly recognized plusses of outsourcing hiring is saving time and money. Picking the right employee the first time increases the length of retention and reduces recruiting and training costs. With the unemployment rate as high as it is, many people are desperate for work and employers are hit with a tsunami of resumes for open positions – some are highly qualified, while others are obviously not.

The employment agency will screen out the non-qualified applicants. This may seem easy enough, but many unqualified candidates insist that they can learn anything with training.

Companies that depend on employment agencies are typically seeking well-trained candidates who can hit the ground running upon being hired. They're also looking for someone who is a right match with the company's culture. Anna-Marie Sparks, president of NH employment agency Sparks Employment Group, says, "Making a positive employee to employer match is the most satisfying part of the business."

Many businesses prefer going through employment agencies because they can leverage the temp-to-perm model. This option allows companies to employ workers for a predetermined length of time – usually around 520 hours (13 weeks) – while the client company decides whether the worker is the right match. It allows the flexibility to: try a different employee if the worker is not a good fit, hire the employee at the end of the trial period, extending the period if they're still unsure, or buying out the remainder of the employee's contract if they know early on they found the right person.

Before hiring an agency, it's important to ask about conversion fees. Some agencies tack them on, while others do not. Usually, employees are thrilled when their contracts are bought out, as it places them in a permanent position sooner than expected and shows them they add real value to the organization, raising their self esteem. People who study employee motivation realize salary is not really the prime motivator for most people. The feeling that company wants me and values my talents is the factor that actually puts a smile on the face of "temp to perm" workers. This is especially true for workers that have been downsized for economic reasons and not their talents and abilities.

Employment agencies are primarily known for handling "temp" employees. Most agencies handle various other types of assignments, though the temporary employee business is as important as any of the other types of assignments. As was discussed earlier, agencies also handle "temp to perm" assignments. There are also "pay rolling" assignments where the employer picks the candidate(s) but has the employment agency hire the person and handle the human resources functions. The agency is responsible for handling the payroll, all taxes and workers compensation commitments.

Most employment agencies have a division, like SEG Direct (Sparks version), that handles permanent positions. Company Presidents, Engineers, IT, Human Resource Professionals and various other types of Leadership Executives. The agency will work from the client company job description, or help them develop one that will attract the appropriate candidates. The agency will accept resumes, interview, screen, background check and recommend the top candidates to the client company for further interviews. The best part of this method is, none of the candidates know the identity of the client company until they are in the final stages of the process. That shields the client company from aggravating phone calls, repeated in person check ins, and E-Mails asking about the process and where they stand in it. As a recent example, we had to find a full-time Financial Manager for a local company, who had to integrate with the parent company in Sweden. A candidate was identified, from a large number of resumes, that fit all the criteria and she was hired. Both the client company and the candidate felt it was a great "match."

It is a myth that employees that come from employment agencies are under trained and not interested in the company they are assigned to. There have been occasions in the past where there have been poor "matches" by agencies that have been more interested in sending a "body" to fill the order quickly as opposed to refusing the order due to lack of qualified candidates. This is generally the exception, not the rule. Employment agencies today need to be ethical and diligent in filling their orders to be competitive. Verifying the experience, references and testimonials of an employment agency  is a good way to be sure the agency is the best one to handle all your employment needs.

When you contact an employment agency, they should, as I would do as the author of this article, be happy to answer any questions you have as a client company and help you plan your current and future personnel needs.

Technorati Tags: agency, Dividends, employment, Hiring

When you've just graduated from college or finished your program you are enthusiastic and excited about getting out into the work world and jumping right in to your career. You have a sense of the importance of the moment as you begin this new and extremely significant phase of your life that may last you forty years or more.

Because you have only your education behind you, be it ever so fabulous, you know you will probably need to start by looking at jobs for entry level positions. Don't let this discourage you when you recognize the difference between the position you are likely to get and the one you have dreamed of as you planned your future. Jobs for entry level are really just starting off points.

Of course the term "entry level" itself suggests this. It's where you start when you first enter. Like when you enter a building you don't simply enter and then stand there in the entrance; you work your way through the building until you arrive in the room or area you wanted to get to. The same goes for your career. You start at level entry jobs and then gradually work your way up to the position you really want.

Even if you understand that the entry level job is just a point for jumping off, you probably want to start your climb from as high up as possible. You want to look at top entry level jobs to put yourself at the head of your game right from the beginning. To do this you will need to be sure that you have the education and as much experience as possible going into your search.

Top entry level jobs don't necessarily equal the highest paying entry level jobs. If it's a good starting salary you are after, look into companies that have a high pay rate and not just at those that offer a more prestigious starting job. Most employers will recognize that a better position that will get you moving upward faster is about as desirable as a higher paying entry level job, and will therefore not offer both the high pay and the prestigious entry level title.

When you are after that perfect job, whether it be in business, finance or any other industry, keep in mind that you simply can't start out on top, and in most cases you can hardly start anywhere near the top. You have to be able to prove your value and exhibit your skills and talent and the position you are after will eventually come to you. Just like with your search for your entry level job, persistence is the key to attaining what you want in your career.

Technorati Tags: entry, jobs, level

The Learning Initiative: Creating the Value in On-the-Job Training

Most business owners and executives know the value of training their workforce. However, in our time-compressed and fiscally-challenged world, more often than not, formal classroom training occurs infrequently, and companies are resorting more frequently to on-the-job training. If your organization needs to create just-in-time training because someone needs to be able to perform the job now, think about the following scenario:

While I was standing in line at a fast food restaurant, I observed the following interaction:

Rosa, who clearly was new to her job, was being given the following instructions by Robert, another employee, on how to ring up a special order—"Press number three, hit no onions, subtract medium drink, add medium chocolate shake.”

While explaining, Robert was standing in front of the register, hitting the buttons. Then he said, “Got that?”

Rosa said, hesitantly, “Yes,” and I knew, at that moment, that she had no hope of replicating that sequence for the next “special order,” nor did she understand what Robert had just done.

How many times is on-the-job training performed in this way in countless businesses?

The sequence often goes like this:

Trainer explains how to perform steps while actually performing the tasks Learner observes from a distance Trainer asks if learner understands Learner almost always replies affirmatively

What’s Wrong With This Picture?

Authors Jim Caple and Roger Buckley, in their book One-to-One Training and Coaching Skills, call this method, “Sitting by Nellie.” The thought is that simply by sitting (or standing) and observing, learning will occur by some form of “psychological osmosis.” It assumes that just because someone is proficient in doing a task, he or she will be good at teaching it to others.

Not only is this usually not the case, but it also assumes that all learners learn the same way. The reality is that there are multiple learning styles, and most people have preferred ways of learning. Think about how you would like to learn a new software program. Would you like to read the accompanying manual? Would you prefer to take a lecture class where the computer screen was projected onto a large screen for everyone to see what the trainer was doing, or would you prefer to load the software onto your computer and work through it by trial and error? Each of these methods uses a different learning style, and the best training utilizes a combination of these to appeal to the broadest base of learners.

It was pretty obvious from the look on Rosa’s face at the fast food restaurant that she was confused, and this is exactly what happens too often in most workplaces when on-the-job training is done without any thought to the best way to teach something to another person.

Ways to Improve On the Job Training

The next time you are asked to create on the job training, consider the following hints:

Explain the “What” and the “Why”—Take time to explain the job or task at hand. For example, suppose that you are training a new assistant in your office to do medical coding for a group of physicians. You know that if the assistant does not input the correct code for each procedure, the laboratory will reject the paperwork and the patient will not be able to get the procedure, or you will have to spend time on the telephone correcting the error. In this case, taking time, upfront, to explain not only what must be done to enter the data properly but the reasons you are asking her to do it in a certain way, could go a long way toward explaining the context of the job or task and the consequences of doing it improperly.

If you have time, you could provide some examples of times when the coding had not been done properly; examples or stories help solidify the learning. You might also do the explaining by asking questions rather than telling. This type of training engages learners since it is really a dialogue rather than a one-way monologue where the learner has to listen and remember.

Now Teach the “How”—Research tells us that trainees learn only 16 percent of what they read, 20 percent of what they see, 50 percent of what they see and are told, but 90 percent of what they get to practice doing. Additionally, in order to accommodate the various learning styles, you should provide time for observing, reflecting and doing.

In the case of the physician’s office, the person doing the training could enter a patient’s data and the proper codes while the trainee was observing. In order to take it farther than “Sitting By Nellie,” though, we would add the steps of reflecting and doing. Reflecting is the opportunity for the learner to comment upon what she is observing. It also provides the learner with time for every step in the task to sink in, and everything should be less of a blur than had she simply observed each step in the process.

Finally, the trainee should have an opportunity to practice doing the task while the trainer observes. The caution here is that the trainee will be slow to perform the steps since there will be someone “looking over her shoulder,” but it is a good way for the trainer to observe each step. The trainer should provide feedback—both what the trainee did well and what could be improved—at the end of the task—in this case, the finalization of the medical form. If an error needs to be corrected immediately, of course, the trainer will want to do so, but if it is not critical to the successful completion of the task, the trainer should wait until the task is finished and then suggest ways to do it differently. After two or three practice tries, the trainer and the learner should have a brief conversation summarizing the “what” and the “why” and allowing the learner to ask any final questions she may have at this point.

If you follow the steps outlined above, on the job training can be a very effective way of learning to do what is required on the job. Just don’t try to get it perfect the first time—especially if there is a line up of hungry people in front of you!

The original article on On The Job Training can be found on Human Resources IQ.

For people who want to start work right away, occupations that provide on the job training can be the route to immediate pay and benefits. Entry level job search and internships.

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Technorati Tags: Creating, Initiative, Learning, OntheJob, training, Value

Are you the creative type? If you are artistic and creating is something you really enjoy, you can't do better than to do it for a living! What could be nicer than waking up every morning knowing that you will spend the day doing something that you enjoy and getting paid for it?

A career in graphic design is the best choice for those with artistic flair. Taking your talents, studying how to utilize them best and then looking for a job using those skills is the path to take to a happy career.

Every good graphic design course will give you ample opportunity to create designs that you can use to create a portfolio. These designs are the best way you can show a potential employer what type of work you do which will help them decide whether you have what they are looking for.

Of course, before you look for graphic design entry level jobs, consider doing a little freelance work on the side while you are still in school. This is another way for you to gain experience and will give you references to use in your resume as well as a greater body of work to present to prospective employers.

As with any beginning job, entry level positions in graphic design will almost always pay less and have more basic requirements than higher positions. If you are extremely talented and have plenty of work to show, you might skip right past the graphic design entry level jobs and go straight into a more significant position, but if not, don't worry. You just need to prove yourself.

There are a couple of routes you can take in graphic design. You can work in a regular position as a hired employee for a company, large or small. This will provide you with steady work and a regular pay check. It is the most secure way to go in graphic design.

You might also opt to do freelance work. If you do this, you may have a few clients who use you on a regular basis for jobs, but do not have enough work to hire you as an employee. You might also find odd jobs for companies who need one-time services. This can be a fun way to go as you may have more variety in the work you are asked to do.

Of course you can also take a regular graphic design entry level job in a company and do freelance work on the side for extra income and especially for experience. This will help you to move up to a better position more quickly.

Whatever route you decide to take, keep in mind that this job is just a jumping off point. Once you have the chance to show your talent and gain experience you can move toward the job of your dreams.

Technorati Tags: entry, jobs, level

There is no better way to end up with the job of your dreams than to expand your set of possibilities through putting out feelers by networking with people you already know as professional colleagues or friends. Put this together with the power of the Internet to find opportunities for your specific talents, and you can become an unstoppable force. Use of the Internet to apply for jobs online though is supposed to be in supplemental capacity - it was never intended to be a jobseeker's sole source of information.

The best way to go about using the Internet to find job openings would be to go to a website that is specifically meant for jobs in your industry. There are lots of industry group websites that will have job listings for members of the profession. If you can't tear yourself away from the possibilities that general-purpose job sites offer, you don't have to spend a lot of time scanning each one of them turn by turn. You can make use of the meta-search engine like Indeed that goes out there and culls all the best opportunities there are on every major job website (like CareerBuilder and Monster) to present to you in one place. You can even search by different parameters injob location, job title or industry. Once you've established the parameters of your search, you can ask to be notified by e-mail every time something good for you turns up.

You're always hearing how in a job search, it isn't as much how talented you are as it is whom you know. There's no way to deny the truth in this little aphorism. Being in regular touch with friends and associates in your industry is vital to your chances of a new job. But you don't need to establish networking skills in person. LinkedIn for instance, isn't merely meant for the purpose of applying for jobs online; it can help people establish their own circle of business contacts in their industry. LinkedIn even has plenty of job listings that you don't find anywhere else. The site makes you aware of the job openings there might exist for you based on the kind of industry contacts you subscribe to.

Searching to apply for jobs online can be one of those major time sinks that the Internet has become well-known for. It's best to organize one's job seeking time online so that one doesn't find most of one's time taken up looking for jobs. Your time would be much better used in building contacts and networking than in using the Internet to merely search for jobs.

Technorati Tags: applying for jobs, internet, jobs online

Choosing The Right People To Trust With Data Entry Work

Our business recently had a large amount of data entry that we needed entered into our computer system quickly and efficiently, and we really didn't want to use our own resources to handle the job. Our young administrative staff were very busy with their own jobs to do and probably didn't have the appropriate speed or skill levels with their typing, so we started to look at the idea of hiring a data entry firm to get the job done. There were many different options available to us when we started investigating, we soon began to realise that regardless of cost we were going to save ourselves a lot of time and trouble. We found that there were a number of different ways to skin this data entry cat, the great news is you will find people to do the work in no time at all. From the experience we gained here are a few suggestions of the places you could seek suitable data entry operators.

Getting online and using the Internet is the first first we would recommend using to find data entry operations. You will find many online operators with years of data entry experience, from our experience these operators will be up for whatever you throw their way and most offer great references that are easy to check on. We found that there are a few ways to utilize these services, mailing the data in bulk packages is one option, we chose to scan our data and to send it digitally. We also specified for the operator we chose the exact requirements for the job and arranged to pay job by job, It is important that you are very specific about the timing of the data entry job you require done and also the accuracy of work that you will require. On the first job that we had people bid on we requested 100% accuracy but we found if we listed 98% accuracy that the price was improved incredibly and our documents were very acceptable. Obviously if your requirements include lots of numbers and a legal element you will want to specify 100% accuracy.

If you are not comfortable with sourcing a company online, another option we have used in the past is to hire locally. In the normal way that you would hire any administration staff, If you prepare a few quick and simple speed and accuracy tests specifically for the interview you will soon have someone to do the job. You can even offer to pay a flat rate for the entire project that you need done, The tactic that we use to encourage efficient performance is to offer a flat rate for the project and that way your contracted employee will be motivated to get through the work and move on to the next project they have in mind.

We have found that with really big projects of data entry we can offer a few people a trial to get the work and then naturally we give them different sections of the work to do and maximise the work done, we then decide who the fastest and most accurate trialist is and award them with the contract

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Technorati Tags: Choosing, Data, entry, People, Right, Trust, work

To most first-time job seekers, finding an effective way to present themselves through their resumes can be an experience filled with uncertainty and trepidation. What kind of resume preparation are they supposed to put in to end up with something that looks professional and does the job well? How are they supposed to make everything look attractive in the right way? Prepared the right way, the generic looking resume can easily be buffed up to look its best. All you need to do is to apply the tips and tricks you see below and right away, you should turn up with a more usable and better prepared resume.

Applying the best principles of a style manual usually does the trick for good resume preparation. To begin with, make sure that you don't ever use any redundant words to plump it up. The first words to go should be personal pronouns - words like I or me. Since the resume does come from you, everyone knows that it speaks of you. Go over the resume with a tooth comb to cull every unnecessary word, every 'the' or 'that which', and you should be on your way to a more urgent-sounding resume. Speaking of urgency, how many action verbs does your resume include? That would be a great measure of how hire-able you sound. Make sure especially, that each bullet point that you have on your resume comes with its own action verb right at the beginning of the sentence.

Bulleted points make for a punchy-looking resume like none other. Make sure that you have bullets for all the challenges you have ever faced in your professional life, and that you mention what action you took and how it all got resolved through your actions. Make sure that the most important responsibilities you ever got and the best achievements get top bulleting. Make sure that information that's not absolute relevant does not get a bullet at all. If possible, put different categories of bullets under different subheadings. Everywhere you look in your bullets, make sure that the information you put in there is absolutely to the point ('the point' is what bullets are supposed to be all about). A good way to make sure this is so would be to see if each bullet includes information that specifies with numbers what exactly you tried to achieve and how you did it.

In the end, go over everything repeatedly to check for punctuation, spelling and grammar - not just with a spell checker, but also by hand. A friend could go over everything to help catch mistakes that you are too close to the document to find. Resume preparation of this kind certainly adds punch and immediacy to it all and it's sure to not go unnoticed..

Technorati Tags: resume preparartion, resume writing

When unemployment percentages are high, competition for available jobs can be fierce. Anyone serious about getting a job will do whatever it takes to give them the advantage necessary to get the job. A center that specializes in job training and placement can help you know exactly what it is that will give you that advantage.

Job Training Some people already know just what they want to do or have already started out in a career, but have found themselves out of a job. Others, however, really don't even know where to begin. In a job training and placement center you can take assessment tests that will help you decide what type of job is best suited to your talents and interests.

Some skills are necessary for every type of job. Knowing how to communicate and organize your time are some of these. A job training course can help you learn these important skills.

When it's time to look for a job, you have to know where to search, how to fill out an application and the best way to respond during an interview. Classes are taught on each of these subjects.

The interview is something many job seekers dread. They aren't sure of the best way to answer questions or how to present themselves. Even if they know what they want to say or do, nerves may make it impossible for them to do it. Through practice interviews and with feedback you can become comfortable saying and doing the right things before you find yourself in the actual interview. This can greatly reduce nervousness.

Job Placement This second part of job training and placement is another very helpful part of the program. These centers have contacts and know how to help you find a good job. They can help you search and even point you in the right direction with a placement opportunity.

When looking for a job you will likely notice that there are opportunities in unskilled positions. These are usually low paying and cannot be considered a permanent type of employment. If you want a steady full time job that will allow you to use your talents and abilities a training and job placement center can help you get the edge you need to find and land a job that will meet your needs.

Another type of job training and placement comes through a vocational school. There you can get intensive training in your chosen field and end up in an intern or apprenticeship. You can gain valuable experience and have contacts for job placement when your time is up.

Through a job training and placement center you can gain the knowledge you need to land a good job, or you can get training and job placement through a more formal type of vocational school.

Technorati Tags: entry, jobs, level

When it comes time to choose a career, deciding what field to go into can be a daunting task. Unless you have great interest or talent in a specific field already, it can be hard to know what career path to follow. With job placement programs you can get the help you need to find a job working in a field suited to your personality, interests and abilities.

Tests have been developed that help narrow down your choices for a career that you might enjoy. By answering questions about yourself, you talents, experience and preferences, you can be matched up with some career choices that seem to be suitable for you personally. This makes the decision making process much simpler, as it narrows your choices down from thousands to just a few.

When you have an idea of what you would like to do career-wise you should work toward getting the extra knowledge and developing skills that will help you to find a good position in that field. Job placement training centers can help you with both choosing a career and gaining the knowledge necessary to succeed in it.

Even when you've selected the career that you feel you will be happiest working in, there is the chance that you won't be as content as you hoped. If you are undertrained you will not feel good about your career path and you will get a low level of satisfaction out of your job. In fact, it is likely to be a greater source of stress and frustration than of satisfaction. Nobody wants to wake up in the morning dreading heading into the office.

Career job training is essential for helping you to be the most marketable you can to future employers. For some people training takes the form of a college education. For others, a technical school is the best option. Still others will find online courses or even apprenticeships to gain the necessary knowledge and skills.

For those looking to get a job quickly, who do not have any formal education, employment centers can help them get the training they need to land a good job. Training programs can be found online, seminars can be attended and training courses in the center itself are all good ways of learning more about the field you will be working in if you don't have previous experience, or even if you do, but it is outdated and you need to learn the current technology.

It's important to have the best possible career job training in order to find yourself a position that will bring you satisfaction. This way you will have a job that is fun and possibly challenging, but not overwhelming and frustrating.

Technorati Tags: entry, jobs, level

College Recruiting Practices to Avoid

Senate hearings this week put for-profit colleges in the spotlight again for illegal and unethical recruiting practices at some very big name schools, such  University of Phoenix, ITT, Westwood and Kaplan. For-profit schools, as the title suggests, are operated to make profits  for the benefit of shareholders. Traditional colleges are not-for-profit institutions, which re-invest  income back into the institution's programs and facilities. They do not have shareholders to please. The admissions and financial aid staffs at  some for-profits can be under extreme pressure to increase enrollment and can be encouraged or required to ignore federal regulations and laws that pertain to recruitment practices meant to protect students.

Some of the tactics that used were revealed at the hearing this week in a video  that showed staffers from the Government Accounting Office (GAO)  working undercover as prospective students at several for-profits throughout the US. Practices included providing false or inflated data on salaries of graduates of their programs; not clearly informing prospective students about the real cost of tuition and fees; and not allowing students to talk to financial aid staff prior to making a financial commitment to the school. Employees of these schools have also been found to coach students to lie on federal financial aid forms or to  have falsified financial aid forms for the student.

Accreditation issues can also cause problems for students. Schools, both for-profit and not-for-profit, must receive accreditation from a recognized and approved accreditation agency to be able to provide educational services/programs. Individual academic programs must also be accredited. Accreditation means that the school and its academic programs meet recognized industry standards. All schools must be accredited to operate and to receive federal/state financial aid for their students.

 At some for-profits school, students have run into problems upon graduation, when they realize that although the school that they graduated from was accredited, the program that they completed was not. This is  important for careers that require employees be graduates of accredited programs and may prevent graduates for gaining needed professional licensure and as a consequence jobs in the desired profession. This can be an issue, particularly in allied health and technical fields.

To avoid be tricked into any school that may be inappropriate for the student's needs and goals, individuals should ask for:

1. The per credit tuition/fees required, the total number of credits required for the degree and the average number of semesters/terms  it typically takes to complete the program. 

2. What accreditation agency has provided the school's accreditation and if the academic program is accredited and through which agency.

3. Whether there are job placement services on campus and the names of companies that have hired  its graduates from the academic program being considered.

It would be advisable to compare programs at a for-profit college to a community college in the area, as they offer similar programs. Compare costs, length of program, accreditation, and job placement opportunities. For information on enrtry level salaries, professional training and licensure requirements, a great resource is the US Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook at  http://www.bls.gov/oco/. The OOH gives salary information by state as well as national figures. This will help determine if  salary figures presented by schools are realistic.

With a few specific questions and a bit of research those interested in any college, for-profit or not-for-profit, can find the program that leads to a satisfying career.

Technorati Tags: Avoid, college, Practices, Recruiting