Eastridge Group’s Training Program Targets Specific Types Of Industries
SAN DIEGO — A local staffing agency is training workers to quickly fill specific types of job openings around San Diego County.
A new wave of workers, made up of mostly high school and college graduates, are training for jobs in the biomedical and biotech manufacturing industries with the help of staffing company The Eastridge Group.
“They know they can’t sacrifice quality for speed. They know exactly what is expected of them,” said technical trainer Yessenia Cota.
Four months ago, the company began the one-day training sessions to identify top candidates with excellent hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity. The program grew out of an increased demand for skilled assembly workers making between $8 to $10 an hour.
“As a young worker, it’s hard to get that experience and this gave me the opportunity,” said program graduate Owen Warner, who landed a job at Biosite, a San Diego-based company that makes diagnostic health products.
Biosite hired about 20 other graduates from Eastridge Group’s program, and they said the workers from the program catch on much quicker — within a couple of weeks instead of a month or more.
“We’re finding turnover rate is not as bad as it used to be. People are catching on and they’re able to do the job,” said Marcellus Kendrick of Biosite.
Government stimulus money has increased the demand for skilled construction workers, especially for projects at Camp Pendleton. Additionally, skilled electricians and carpenters are in need for the solar power industry and commercial properties. Experts said there is also a big need for web developers, network engineers and other IT workers.
“So certainly jobs are there. I think people need to get different training and approach the job market through networking and really consider a different industry that they have been in,” said Seth Stein of The Eastridge Group of Staffing Companies.
The unemployment rate in San Diego County was at 10 percent last month, down from 10.4 percent in April.
However, the rate is still about 1 point higher than this time last year.
Copyright 2010 by 10News.com. All rights reserved.
Eplica’s safety department operates with a purpose of reducing workplace injury by raising safety awareness amongst our clients. Its monthly newsletter, Safety Lines, is distributed to clients that opt in, and is now available to the public. Stay tuned for the Safety Lines newsletter each month to learn more about how to keep your workers safe.
December’s edition of Safety Lines highlights how everyone can protect themselves and their valuables during holiday shopping trips. It also covers how to prevent slips, trips and falls in the workplace and more. To view Safety Lines, choose the following link to open a PDF version for reading or printing:
In these economic times, there’s no shortage of candidates. But that doesn’t mean a staffing company should skimp on the job posting. In fact, a job posting could make or break you. Yes, people want a job – and sometimes any job seems to do these days. But the way you present an opportunity can actually be an important first step in attracting the right candidate for the job.
If candidates have all the important information up front, they can make a decision about whether or not the position is worth applying for. If the job posting is a good one, all their questions are answered right away. And if it turns out they decide it’s not the job for them, they’ve done the hard part – and your staffing company has one less applicant to examine.
Become a Writer, if Only for a Moment
A few short sentences or a long vague description on any position simply isn’t sufficient – even in a great economy. To create a solid job posting, think like a journalist, making sure you answer “who,” “what,” “when,” where” and “why.” And like any writer, you need to put yourself in the candidates’ shoes. Ask yourself what you would want to know about a position if you were the job seeker.
Staffing Industry Analysts did a study to find out what applicants want. So, speak to what is important to them through the posting. If you utilize the following info when crafting a job post, you may just be able to better target the right people:
• Only 54% think there isn’t a fee when working with an agency. People need to know the staffing service is free to applicants up front. • 72% of respondents say pay is most important. So, focus on pay if it is a good rate to promote. • 56% say quality assignments are important. Posting jobs often is a good idea so your staffing company is considered a great resource with quality openings. • 25% say communication about jobs is important. The more detail you can give about a position, the better. • 16% say location of agency is important. If you have multiple locations, are attending job fairs or have off-site recruiting events, this helps to entice applicants to work with your staffing company.
Job Postings Are a Marketing Tool
The job postings you create directly reflect your staffing company. So give them the same amount of attention you would if you were to have a feature ad in a magazine. Write more than one draft, be an editor, spell check and make it scream, “You want this job!”
Instead of just highlighting how great the client company is, be sure to speak to the benefits the applicant would experience. Saying the client is a “global market leader” isn’t enough. Instead, dig deeper and ask why it would be beneficial for the candidate to work at a well-established, global company. And don’t be afraid to state the obvious. Sometimes people don’t make the connection.
How the Web Can Help
It’s possible to write keyword-rich job postings online that can be picked up by search engine bots like Google or Bing. That means, your job posting could pop up on a search results page when someone types in a phrase that’s common to the industry they’re looking into.
In order to add keywords to a job posting, you have to once again put yourself in the candidates’ shoes. Think of industry-related terms they might use to search for a job online. Terms can be as general as adding the words “job” or “career,” or as specific as certain skills, certifications or education needed for the job. Browse job postings similar to yours and see what buzz words that post is targeting. Weave these words into your job posting as many times as you can.
And social media tools are a perfect outlet to get that job posting seen by the people in your community. Have a Facebook page? Find people to become a fan of your page who are in the industry you serve. If you’re a healthcare staffer, find professionals and clients in healthcare.
In most cases, you don’t need to look any further than your own back yard. Tell current candidates, employees and clients you’re in the social media sphere and invite them to join you. And then when you post a job on your Facebook page, you know it’s targeted recruiting because you’ve built that community yourself.
And the same goes for Twitter – both of these social media tools can be integrated together to update your audience quickly and in real time of any job openings your company has.
“We’re Just Too Busy for This”
Staffing companies have a powerful marketing tool readily available in a job posting. It may take some time to polish a post to make it great, but it can be well worth the effort. A great job posting could potentially save recruiters time in the end from weeding through those applicants that may have opted out if they had all the information up front.
And if your company is simply too busy or doesn’t have the resources in the recruiters you employ, try identifying those employees throughout the company that are willing to help out. Perhaps there’s someone on your team who has a knack for writing and has been waiting for an opportunity to share his or her skills.
Eplica provides our staffing company clients with marketing-communication services, including writing and editing, so they can build a brand from every angle – including something as simple as a job posting. Every communication is an opportunity – make the message a powerful one.
Now more than ever, staffing companies have an infinite pool of candidates to choose from. That’s good news for staffing companies and their clients but now staffers face a new challenge: how to sift through the grossly amplified applicant group and find “the one.”
For many staffing companies, it’s business as usual if they have a placement process that’s tried and true. But still, finding the right fit for a position with potentially thousands of applicants can be daunting. And as a best practice, it’s always smart to take the time to find the ideal fit between client and candidate to avoid added costs and build a positive reputation and brand.
Technology Saves You Time
Many of our staffing company clients have a strategic placement process that weeds out candidates who aren’t a good fit for the job from the very start. This includes creating a dynamic job board that lives on their Web sites. This job board offers important information for potential candidates and allows them to apply online.
Applicants can search real-time job openings based on specific criteria and view thorough job descriptions that detail what the position is about. This puts the power in the candidates’ hands to ensure the job they are applying for is truly a good fit for their goals.
Once a candidate has determined the job they are viewing is worth applying for, they can apply online. Several of our staffing company clients have created an in-depth application process through their Web sites, built with specific criteria for the industry they serve. This allows them to identify only those applicants with the right skills, experience, certifications, availability and more as a first step.
Applicants can upload all the necessary documentation including resumes and fill out a quick or lengthy questionnaire (based on the staffing company’s personal preference). This application process has eliminated several steps that were once required in person or by phone, fax or e-mail. And that’s great for staffing companies that are short on resources but big on applicants.
Through our clients’ online applications, reports are e-mailed to the recruiters with top choices for the position they are advertising, once the system has identified them. Next is where the human element comes into play.
Personal Interaction Identifies Top Candidates
While technology is a great first step in reducing the applicant pool from hundreds or potentially thousands down to a manageable number worth looking into, nothing replaces the personal interaction component from this point forward. But the two go hand in hand, because reducing the applicant pool is vital in having enough time to schedule with the top picks in that group.
The in-person interview is a crucial step in getting to know someone on a more personal level. Many of our staffing company clients have made it a No. 1 priority to conduct one or more in-depth interviews and meet face to face whenever possible.
Another best practice is to treat your candidates as if they were your clients as well. This ensures that you’re not only looking for a right fit for the client company, but that you’re taking into consideration the goals of the candidate. This way, both parties are on the path to success. When you have both parties’ best interest in mind, you’re sure to have a winning fit.
The interview process allows recruiters to gauge verbal and nonverbal communication and interpersonal skills. A phone interview can be a great prescreen, but an in-person conversation is always important before the placement process can move any further.
And it’s important to assess a professional’s personality and customer service skills even if your staffing company deals with non-corporate settings such as light industrial and construction, for example. If you’re hiring for an industry that say, doesn’t require professional attire, keep in mind that your employees are still the face of your staffing company.
Important Next Steps Seal the Deal
Once you’ve identified the person who you feel is the best fit for the position, now is a good time to put the finishing touches on the process. Some industries will require a drug test at this point.
Other industries may benefit from hands-on skills testing, safety training, I-9 verification and more. Any criteria that should be covered for the industry the candidate is being placed in needs to be addressed.
The key here is flexibility in your placement process. You want to offer value that shows the client your staffing company is privy to what the industry needs, and that you’re taking extra steps to ensure you’re identifying the best candidate for the job.
Many of our staffing company clients have set up their placement process specifically for certain client companies. Maybe one company needs their workers to come fully prepared by going through a facility-specific orientation. In that case, the staffing company would conduct the orientation for their clients so the candidate can hit the ground running from Day One.
And of course, thorough and meticulous reference checks go a long way. This includes personal and professional references. Requiring a minimum of three is a good idea. Also, prior employment verification is a must.
Always Follow Through with Follow Up
Making sure you’ve identified the right talent doesn’t stop with a placement. Best practices show that following up with the client and candidate on a regular basis at specific intervals ensures the placement was a win.
And if it turns out it isn’t, having sturdy placement guarantees shows your clients and candidates that you believe in your placement process and are willing to correct anything that doesn’t ensure 100% satisfaction.
I was recently reminded that Bill Gates has a Think Week. For 15 years, he has gone off and read about issues related to his company and the future of technology. Recently, I had a vacation and devoted a great deal of time to thinking about my development and how my leadership can help be a catalyst for growth at our company.
This exercise was exhilarating for two reasons. First is the entire process was goal-based, projecting into the future and discovering the possibilities of performing at the highest level. This is so important because every day we are putting out fires and just focused on “getting through the day”, we rarely have the time to think about the future which was motivating and fun.
Second, the exercise produced an outcome that can be used as a road map for where I want to go and where I would like to lead my team. Having a map, makes getting to where you are going a lot easier.
The exercise had two main components. First was revisiting my personal purpose which is to use my enthusiasm and commitment to encourage and inspire people to realize fulfillment and satisfaction for themselves and those they connect with. I had to evaluate my performance to ensure I was doing this. I was able to reflect upon what was working and what was not in order to develop an action plan. The second was finishing a book, 1776 by David McCullough. This book caused me to think (as asked by Publishers Weekly) “How did a group of ragtag farmers defeat the world’s greatest empire?” After reading the book, I realized how simple anything else would be in comparison.
As a result, I was able to develop 3 ah-ha keys to things I must consider as I am trying to fulfill my purpose. In sharing this with some colleagues, I was encouraged to blog:
1. I am guilty in negotiating, selling, or leading people, of “planting the seeds”. The problem is, sometimes seeds do not take root. In other words, I may hint around the tough questions or might offer some constructive feedback to an employee and hope he/she understands. In a market like this, nobody has the time to see if the seed takes root and grows. So, lesson number one is “With clear direction form a vision, be clear on my expectations, feelings, and outcomes.”
2. There was a part in 1776 when George Washington asked for help from General Lee, a leader known for being quite friendly with his soldiers. Rather than focusing on getting to Washington right away, Lee left his army with minimal guards and went to a tavern 3 miles away with a small group of soldiers to have some fun. While away from his troops, he was captured. I took from this that Washington did not give a clear and direct order and that Lee was not acting like a leader that his team needed him to be. My lesson – be a leader, not just a friend.
3. There were multiple examples in 1776 where the value of being decisive and closing the deal came into play. Early on, Washington delegated key decisions to inexperienced personnel and there were multiple examples of indecisiveness which proved costly. For the British, there were many examples where had they pressed forward after a victory, they may have been able to handicap the Americans into defeat but did not close the deal. The lesson – be decisive as action is usually better than inaction.
I commit to being a crystal clear communicator, being a leader people can count on, and working tirelessly by taking action. I hope this helps and inspires!
Creativity: the new buzzword in down times. Staffing companies are looking for new ways to be flexible with clients and job seekers are finding they also must be flexible to seize opportunity. This means being open to positions they may not have considered prior – including temporary positions.
Take for example a management-level professional who approached one of our staffing company clients for work. This candidate was laid off earlier this year while living and working in Las Vegas.
Willing to explore new options outside of her core skills and stage in career, she called the owner of one of our client’s staffing companies (who she met once 10 years ago) and explained her goals.
Our client’s company found a contract position for her that was not a managerial position; however, this candidate was open to all possibilities and was even willing to relocate for anything that seemed promising.
She accepted the contract position and worked hard to demonstrate her skills and dedication to success. When the contract ended, her value was apparent and her sales skills were front and center.
This presented a unique opportunity for her in another market; the staffing company that found her the contract felt she would be an asset to the staffing company itself, and she was offered a full-time position as a business development manager in San Diego.
Because of her willingness to reinvent herself professionally, a contract aka temp position opened the doors for something more. The moral of the story for job seekers:
· Use your network
· Get in touch and reconnect with old acquaintances
· Be open to the fact that you may need to take a step back to get ahead
· Do not be afraid of contract, independent contractor, temp-to-hire or part-time work
· Be open to new fields and locations to expand your horizons
· Capitalize on transferable skills to open up the doors to more possibilities
It’s important that staffing companies are communicating these ideas to their candidates. Job seekers in these times must humble themselves in order to create a future – even though it can be a tough pill to swallow.
But the way a staffing company presents these types of positions can make all the difference. Highlighting the potential outcome of any one assignment is the key to opening minds and doors.
There’s an online gathering happening all across the world and you’re invited. The problem is, you’re hesitant to join – and not because you don’t want to, but maybe because you don’t think it will last or perhaps you can’t pencil it in to your schedule. Either way, by not joining, you could be missing out on some really great networking opportunities just waiting for you to seize.
I’m talking, of course, about social media for staffing companies. These days, it’s all the rage to be a part of this vast network – and why not? With companies using social media to solve business problems, get leads, improve processes and more, this is one bandwagon you don’t want to miss.
What is Social Media?
Since the concept of social media is still developing, you can’t yet look it up in the dictionary for a clear-cut definition; but in a nutshell, social media is about building community online. Much like your sales people build relationships in the field, social media allows your reach to cross the globe – a luxury we sometimes take for granted or simply don’t realize.
There are countless social media tools out there and networking sites for nearly any interest, business or person you could imagine. The trick is to decide which group you’ll be connecting with so you can be sure you’re in the right crowd to communicate your brand with.
For the purpose of this blog post, we’ll talk about “The Hot Three” social media tools, a handful of the tools Eplica is currently executing with some of its staffing company clients. You may not know why these tools are so special or even if they’re worth befriending, so here’s the info:
No. 1: Twitter
Twitter is one of the trendiest; it’s an an online communication tool that creates a quick and powerful human connection between companies and people. Twitter allows users, and for the purposes of this post, businesses, to share insight, news, solutions and more through status updates (“tweets”) of no more than 140 characters to potentially thousands (or more) of followers.
Staffing companies can use Twitter to engage more deeply with clients and candidates, position themselves as thought leaders or ramp up their recruiting efforts. If done the right way, Twitter is a two-way conversation – an exchange of ideas between your company and your followers.
Twitter can be used for the following (and more):
· Customer Service Efforts
· Recruiting
· Discussing Industry News
· A Sounding Board for Feedback
· Finding New Business Relationships
· Building Your Brand
· Direct Sales
No. 2: Facebook
Facebook is the more popular of the outlets, with a reported network of more than 250 million “friends.” Having a profile on Facebook says loads about your company, the most important being, “I’m here.”
More and more, our client’s staffing businesses are discovering how Facebook can help them achieve their business goals and allow them to reach out to clients and candidates as “one of them.” This is important because it creates an atmosphere where clients and candidates can get to know your company on a more human level, which builds trust.
A Facebook business page allows you to connect with people and businesses that are interested in what your staffing company has to offer. Engage in discussion, promote something new – the possibilities are endless:
• Meet and Learn About Your Audience(s)
• Find Business Contacts
• Build Relationships with Clients and Candidates
• Develop Your Brand(s)
• Define Your Audience(s)
• Advertise Promotions
• Demonstrate Expertise
No. 3: The Blogosphere
The Blogosphere – full of information – some great, some really, really bad. The popularity of this resource relies on making sure readers aren’t bored or they’ll just tune out. Boredom happens when readers have to put up with self-serving chatter or lack of conversation.
If your staffing company chooses to blog, three important things to remember are 1) create something of value for your audience 2) blog often and 3) listen.
Some may argue that blogs aren’t social media at all, but just like social networks, blogging is about building community. So if someone comments on your blog, comment back to start a discussion. Take the time to find what other bloggers in your industry are saying online and stop by to say “hi,” offer feedback, build relationships, be social. There’s a reason it’s not called “antisocial media.”
Not only is a blog a great way to build relationships, share insight or highlight your staffing company on a more personal level, but it’s also a nice way to boost your search engine rankings online.
You see, when you host a blog as part of a larger search engine optimization strategy for your Web site, every time you publish a post, the search engine “bots” recognize it as fresh, new content. And that’s good. Once you get on the good side of the bots, you’re in a position to start mingling the top spots on a search engine results page like Google.
What if I Show Up and Nobody Follows?
It’s far better to have no ties to social media at all than to become social media road kill by allowing your profiles and brand to become stagnant online. To be successful at any gathering, you must be armed with confidence (strategy), personality (authenticity) and be willing to stay for more than 15 minutes (commitment).
If it simply does not make sense for your company to engage in social media, then don’t do it. Resources (or lack of) will be the single most important item to the success of your social media efforts; however, through time management and/or delegation, it’s actually quite doable.
Tips for Social Media Management
Set up social media committees within your company comprised of team members that can tackle small task within your social media network(s) on a regular basis.
For example, there’s no magic number on how many times you need to tweet or post something to your Facebook, but you need to make sure you’re front and center as much as possible and that could mean something small every day – in fact, it’s recommended.
To manage your social media, find people within your company who can help and are:
· Passionate about your business.
· Understand how to navigate the Web .
· Have a grasp on writing well (remember, spell check is your friend).
· Up-to-date on important issues your clients, candidates and industry faces.
· Enjoy customer service and want to connect with the people you serve.
If you’re tackling your social media efforts solo, set aside a time each day where you dedicate to managing it. Think of it as part of your relationship-building sales and marketing plan that simply cannot be ignored. You may be surprised at the long-term results.
Social Media for Staffing Companies
It’s time to start shedding that “uncool” stigma that the staffing industry as a whole has a hard time shaking. Staffing companies must look at how they can revamp their online presence and become part of something bigger – even if it’s just as simple as having a dynamic, functional Web site. In fact, online image is becoming so important, it can sometimes make or break a staffing company.
And if a staffing firm continues to avoid the online gathering, the competition will surely be there to take advantage of that opportunity.
Tired of reading the same headlines about the job market? They all sound the same – Job Losses Expected to Continue – Growth seen in 2011! Chances are you would not pay much attention because you have been hearing the same thing for months. There is no denying the job hunt is difficult today but I am here to tell you that there are areas of opportunities out there.
Working at San Diego’s largest staffing agency allows me to see, first hand, the opportunities that are available to job seekers. In the last quarter, business has increased at The Eastridge Group of Staffing Companies by about 10%. We have helped San Diegans understand that there are ways to compete and win in today’s job market.
Don’t just take my word on the employment market; ask Shaun Alger, CEO of MyOffice Facility Solutions, a local company helping firms with furniture installation, office moves, cabling and technology. Shaun reports, “In our San Diego office, our staff grew by 15% so far this year. We are always hiring great people, and always developing our current team.”
You can also ask anyone at Bridgepoint Education which is a growing higher education company headquartered in San Diego. With more than 60 career opportunities available including a Receptionist, Director of Corporate Purchasing, and Project Manager, Bridgepoint is seeing growth in one of the sectors projected to create jobs over the next decade – Educational Services.
California’s Employment Development Department forecasts growth in Professional, Scientific and Technical Services as well, which is expected to grow at an annual rate of 2.9%. The biggest gains in this sector will be Computer Systems Design. Another sector poised for success is Health Care which is expected to grow at 2.3% annually.
But what if you do not have experience in a sector experiencing growth? Bridgepoint Education has a solution. They would like to help experienced professionals become teachers, corporate trainers or online educators. Through their Master’s of Teaching and Learning with Technology program, experienced professionals can become online instructors and seek new opportunities and advancement since the demand for online educators has escalated.
Alger adds, “To compete for a spot on our team, people we interview must be able to communicate, have passion and commitment, critical thinking and project management skills, and must be teachable and willing to teach.” He adds, “We appreciate experience but it is not a deal breaker.”
While direct experience may not be a deal breaker, job seekers are looking for a way to get noticed. Matthew Carpenter, Sr. Human Resources Business Partner for Samsung Electronics America, American Distribution Center says, “While Samsung has continued to see growth in 2009, the growth is being managed through the addition of a temporary workforce which has allowed Samsung to maintain operations in correlation with economic fluctuations.” The Eastridge Group of Staffing Companies is unique with its 15 specialty staffing divisions to offer employees a way to get noticed at San Diego’s best companies across virtually all industries. While I am biased on the value of a temporary workforce, there are additional ways to compete and win for San Diego jobs.
Carpenter says, “Most jobs being filled within my organization are being filled outside the advertise, interview and hire scenario. When faced with an unmanageable candidate pool, recruiters use their networks to find the best candidates. The key to successfully attracting offers in the current economic environment is in networking including the online networking site LinkedIn, but industry organizations should be part of your plan.”
Experts agree that to win that job, you should pick up the phone and talk to people in your field. Carpenter explains, “Calling Human Resources and asking for a job is not networking.” The HR team at Bridgepoint says that you need to be persistent and know the company from the inside out by using social networks. They add that following up after a meeting does make a difference. Alger adds, “Referrals definitely get a person to the top of the pile and normally warrant a face to face.” He also says, “Follow up with a handwritten note versus an email and follow up more than once.”
The bottom line is that you need to do your homework and continuously demonstrate how you can add value to the organization. By putting a career management plan together, and following the strategies offered by San Diego employment insiders, you will not need to wait until 2011 to compete and win in today’s employment market.
This piece was published in the Jobs Extra supplement to The San Diego Union Tribune on Tuesday, August 11, 2009. As always, I welcome any questions or feedback.
A colleague recently sent some sales tips to me that was written by sales guru Jacques Werth. As I was reading the article, it became clear how simple sales can be if you have a system and tackle it with disciplined effort. The problem is most of us in business development, and staffing in particular, is that we have what many refer to as “my own system” or “our proprietary system”. The other problem I have seen is that while many of our industry colleagues put forth amazing effort, it may not be disciplined effort.
Here is a sampling of what Werth says the top producers are doing that 99% of the rest of the sales community is not doing:
1. They use the same system with every prospect. I enjoy the VITO (Very Important Top Officer) program by Tony Parinello. My first try with the system yielded a $4M annual contract. As you can imagine, I have used this system since that first try.
2. They only make appointments with prospects who are ready, willing and able to buy. This is probably the most simple but the most difficult to follow. Many staffing professionals think that any appointment is a good appointment. As Tony Parinello says, if you are selling to Seymour, they will waste your time always wanting to see more (more stats, more references, more lunches, more numbers) and you will not get the business.
3. They get conditional commitments to buy before they proceed. I see this a lot in direct hire. We send resumes to recruiters (who are not authorized to use an agency and who will not give you access to hiring managers) and you are spending your time on a non-existent requisition. I tell my clients that if you obtain agreement on the process, then you proceed to the next step. For example, I would suggest that you discuss resumes live rather than send them via email. I would say, I will send my top 2 candidates when we schedule a time to review them.
4. They determine what the prospects want to accomplish and whether they can satisfy their requirements. Why sell to a prospect who wants 90 day payment terms if you do not have the capability to fund the payroll for that long?
5. They are entirely open, honest and transparent about the negative aspects of their products and services. I recently consulted on a sale where the prospect was keeping only 1 out of every 5 temporary employees from a competing agency. The new staffing agency said, “I am going to be perfectly honest with you. As you go out to bid, you will find that I WILL NOT BE THE LOWEST COST PROVIDER. IN FACT, I MAY BE THE HIGHEST.” She concluded with the fact that if she could not double, at a minimum, their retention rate, she would not be worth the higher rate and would fire herself! I thought this was powerful.
In short, there is no need to recreate the wheel. If you work the hardest among your competition, have a system that is successful and repeatable, and you sell to the right audience with honesty and integrity, you will be a top producer. GOOD LUCK.
While there has been some decent news on Wall Street lately (look at the stock market performance in the last two months), people are still asking me when the news will improve on main street – where you and I work every day.
My answer has always been the same. I share that there are always opportunities and that it is up to each of us to find them. I was reminded of this when I received my Business Week in the mail over the weekend. The cover story is focused on the fact that there is an estimated 3 MILLION jobs open in the US. Bottom line – opportunities are there, you need to work harder and smarter than the competition to earn those opportunities.
I cam across a great article that highlights what I have been telling staffing professionals – do not bury your head in the sand and hope for results – employ disciplined thought and action and simply outwork your competition and you will survive the down market.
1. Over communicate with everyone so your customers do not think you are in trouble. You will also be able to give them confidence that you can service their account – today or tomorrow.
2. Continue to market candidates and your services so you are always top of mind. Most staffing professionals respond to this by saying they feel silly marketing candidates when nobody is hiring. I respond with the fact that a decent percentage of firms are looking to replace lower performing employees with top talent. Now, I have that Business Week article to back me up too.
3. You can add value by building a dream team for yourself and your clients. This can only happen through activity and staying in touch with applicants, clients and prospects. I participated in a sales call with a staffing firm where I suggested that each participant make an extra 9 calls a day. 9 calls a day X 5 days a week X 52 weeks X 20 people on the call is 46,800….imagine the opportunities created by this action plan.
4. My belief is that most people we are working with in this market are trained staffing professionals. Instead of focusing on training for new skills, I would focus on exploring tools that improve return on investment for their time as everyone is being asked to do more with less. I suggest to managers that they lead by example. They need to make the 9 extra calls a day and report on their efforts. Also, they need to spend the necessary time with staff to ensure that the strategy is clear and being implemented. Finally, they must take the time to be clear about expectations and hold their teams accountable – you need to inspect what you expect.
