Posts Tagged ‘hiring’

The Benefits of Temporary Work

Friday, July 29th, 2011

Temporary work is a great fit for individuals who want - or need - flexible work hours, while still earning a competitive wage. The definition of a temporary employee is someone who works for a company on a non-fixed term basis. From the employer perspective, hiring temps is also a cost saving method that serves business purposes for the company:

• meeting seasonal customer demand
• coping with surges in work flow
• covering employees absences due to vacation, sick time or maternity leave
• ramping up staffing resources slowly as the economy continues to recover

For the candidate, temporary work is a great way to gain experience and also learn about many different industries. It allows an individual to manage other commitments and strike the right work/life balance they need. Work only during the summer, take the summer off, or take a break altogether. Either way, if you are a temp, it’s your choice!

Check back for part 2 in this blog next week!

Summer Job Search Starts Now

Wednesday, March 9th, 2011

With our frigid weather, it may be difficult to imagine that spring - and even summer - are not that far off. For post-secondary students, this means that it’s not too early to start you summer job search. Thankfully, the job market is stronger than the previous two years, and trends indicate more opportunities will be available.

Before you start looking, make sure that you have a look at your resume with a fresh set of eyes. Are there new accomplishments or experiences that you need to include? What about volunteer activities? Invite a couple people to review your resume and offer feedback. Have you included important key words that will resonate with the job type and industry you are interested in? Remember, it is your calling card and the first step in opening the door to that next great job.

Next, let your contacts know that you have started to look for the summer. Also, make sure that you are utilizing all the social media channels available, especially Linked In and Facebook, which are great ways to connect professionally. Start checking out job boards and companies that may offer summer intern programs. Register with a staffing company like BOWEN. Think about potential interview questions and how you would respond. Get your references confirmed so that when that next job comes up, you are prepared.

Be open to the possibilities and good luck with your search.

The value of Outsourced HR

Friday, February 19th, 2010

A bad hire can cost companies a lot of money. However, for small- to medium-sized businesses, it is often difficult to manage the expense of a fulltime HR professional. Outsourcing Human Resources duties can make a lot of sense, both financially and from a staff resources perspective.

 

Outsourced HR can include services like pre-employment screening, reference checking, education verification, background checks and recruitment support. Whether it’s retaining the workforce you have, or building for the future, Outsourced HR can fill in the gaps with a company’s current HR team, or offer specific expertise for small companies without a designated HR person. Now that is good business!

 

It’s always important to understand the business you are in.  Employing, managing and supporting our people is essential but it may not be critical that these expertise are held in-house.  Do you need a compensation expert as part of your staff or only during salary reviews?  More and more companies are looking for alternate solutions to manage costs and resources.  As we consider demographic realities one might argue how we staff and currently see HR will likely have to change as we have so many retiring from the HR community and so few with similar expertise to replace them.  Outsourcing may be a big part of a future solution.  To get a sense of the quality of HR consultants in the market see our group of affiliates at HR Works.

Get out there! Job Seekers Tips!

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
As we start to experience slow growth in our economy, more jobs will become available. Employers are going to be cautious and potential employees should be aware of this mind-set going into interviews and negotiations. Here are a few tips to help you navigate the new job market:

  • Be reasonable in your expectations. Know what current salaries are for your profession. Salaries have gone through an adjustment in the past year. Don’t expect a big signing bonus - it’s not the climate for employers to be offering these as an incentive right now.
  • Do your research. Know the company! The job market is very competitive with lots of skilled and experienced people looking for work. Research will help you shine and also shows your initiative and interest. And take some time to prepare some meaningful questions about the company to ask at the end of the interview.
  •  Make yourself stand out in the crowd. Shine the spotlight on how you have delivered results in previous roles. Take the time to match your previous skills to the specific needs in the job you are applying for. Make it clear what you have to offer.
  • Be prepared to sell yourself. Now is not the time to be humble. You need to make it clear why you are the best candidate for the job.

Think of it as a sales opportunity! You are the product and your need to market yourself to open up new opportunities.