From the desk of a high powered CEO in the Staffing Industry. I am still writing it and still waiting for that to come true. For now, I will imagine it and hope that someone, somewhere is listing! Now, on with the show.
I get a lot of resumes across my desk every day. Sometimes I wonder where all the common sense has gone in the world. Many of us have heard the term, "common sense is not common" and I believe it!
Why, if you are applying for a job, would you send a resume with an objective that does not match the job for which you are applying? I have seen job descriptions that request: "this is a heads down programming position. We are not looking for someone that wants to manage." Then I have seen the resumes that apply that have the objective, which is at the top of the resume, list, "A position where I can utilize my knowledge of programming and offer an opportunity for management growth." Might as well say, "please toss this resume. I really don’t want this job."
A resume is a tool. It's purpose is to get the interview. That is it. The resume is not to get you a job offer or to tell your life story. List the facts that lead to interest in you as a candidate for the position. If you peak the manager's interest in you as a candidate, they will invite you in for an interview. That is a resumes purpose!
Ok, back to my high powered desk and my keen imagination. Happy to answer questions anyone has about staffing. Just send me an email.
Andrew Adelman
President of CoreTechs Personnel
Monday, October 24, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
How to read a resume...quickly!
From the desk of a high powered CEO in the Staffing Industry. Maybe if I keep writing that it will come true, something along the lines of "Think and Grow Rich". Still waiting for that to happen too. Ok, on with the show.
I can see that glaze come over your eyes. It is hard to find the energy to read a good article or book, how on earth are you going to get through that stack of resumes on your desk? Talk about BORING! Here is the key; skip everything until you reach the most recent job. What is the person doing now? Do they list using the key skills you need? If they do, do they say how they used it? Did they use the skill as part of a team or individually? If not, than look at the job before most recent. Are the skills there that you are looking for? If not, move to next resume!
Resumes are meant to give you a brief synopsis of the person's history and if that history matches what you need. Do you want to talk to this person based on the fact that they have done a similar job to what you need? A resume is not an autobiography. Just use it to check what they have done matches your needs. Do not get caught in their listing every skill they ever have seen, used or smelled! Don’t waste time reading the "profile" or "summary".
Hopefully this saves you a bit of time and you can get back to reading the articles you like…and find the right fit along the way!
Now back to that high powered desk of mine.
I can see that glaze come over your eyes. It is hard to find the energy to read a good article or book, how on earth are you going to get through that stack of resumes on your desk? Talk about BORING! Here is the key; skip everything until you reach the most recent job. What is the person doing now? Do they list using the key skills you need? If they do, do they say how they used it? Did they use the skill as part of a team or individually? If not, than look at the job before most recent. Are the skills there that you are looking for? If not, move to next resume!
Resumes are meant to give you a brief synopsis of the person's history and if that history matches what you need. Do you want to talk to this person based on the fact that they have done a similar job to what you need? A resume is not an autobiography. Just use it to check what they have done matches your needs. Do not get caught in their listing every skill they ever have seen, used or smelled! Don’t waste time reading the "profile" or "summary".
Hopefully this saves you a bit of time and you can get back to reading the articles you like…and find the right fit along the way!
Now back to that high powered desk of mine.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
May's tidbit
Good talent is getting harder to find. Info about how to find good talent with a slightly entertaining perspective is hard to find too. I am hopeful you find this worth the minute it takes to read. I will send tidbits such as below out once a month. Please let me know if you have a direction or question you think would be of use and I will incorporate. Now...on with the show:
From the desk of a high powered CEO
in the staffing industry.
Hmm, well, how about from a fairly neat desk of a guy working in the staffing industry. That seems a bit more accurate. Andrew's thoughts:
Why, when we interview people do we ask them to lie?
Do you ever ask the question in an interview, "what is your greatest weakness?". I know I used to ask that a lot. What sort of answer do we expect? "I am a world class sleeper" or "I can slack off and surf the Internet better than most." You know the answer you are going to get. Something like, "I work too hard" or "I don’t like to quit a project until I know I have done the best job possible." So really, what does this question get us? I guess it can weed out the totally moronic from the average...so it does have that going for it.
A better question to ask? How about, "tell me about a time at your last position when things did not go well as a result of something you did and how you addressed the issue".
Ok, back to my high powered desk, I have some serious organizing to do so that I can claim a fairly neat desk in the next "Andrew's thoughts".
Andrew is the founder of CoreTechs Personnel, a national staffing firm.
From the desk of a high powered CEO
in the staffing industry.
Hmm, well, how about from a fairly neat desk of a guy working in the staffing industry. That seems a bit more accurate. Andrew's thoughts:
Why, when we interview people do we ask them to lie?
Do you ever ask the question in an interview, "what is your greatest weakness?". I know I used to ask that a lot. What sort of answer do we expect? "I am a world class sleeper" or "I can slack off and surf the Internet better than most." You know the answer you are going to get. Something like, "I work too hard" or "I don’t like to quit a project until I know I have done the best job possible." So really, what does this question get us? I guess it can weed out the totally moronic from the average...so it does have that going for it.
A better question to ask? How about, "tell me about a time at your last position when things did not go well as a result of something you did and how you addressed the issue".
Ok, back to my high powered desk, I have some serious organizing to do so that I can claim a fairly neat desk in the next "Andrew's thoughts".
Andrew is the founder of CoreTechs Personnel, a national staffing firm.
Monday, August 2, 2010
HR Seminar- Interesting Commonality
I was honored to speak last week at an HR seminar. The topic of the talk was how to get the most out of your staffing vendor. I think the talk was well received and I had a few interesting observations from that talk that I thought I would share.
First, I mentioned to the group that there are two main areas an HR or Hiring Manager should negotiate with a staffing firm. The first is the obvious, price. The second is on the guarantee. What happens if the person placed does not work out? I believe the price (for contingency search= staffing firm only gets paid if you hire someone) is not important. After all, you will only pay that price if the firm finds you someone you feel can contribute in excess of that cost.
The guarantee though is where the focus should be. It is important to have this conversation up front and come to an agreement. What happens if the company moves? What happens if the job significantly changes? What happens if the new employee's skills are not at the level as advertised? All issues that should be talked about up front.
When I asked the assembled group of HR Managers for a few horror stories? Most seemed to revolve around a candidate/employee not working out and the agency's response to that. This is a solvable problem as long as it is addressed up front!
First, I mentioned to the group that there are two main areas an HR or Hiring Manager should negotiate with a staffing firm. The first is the obvious, price. The second is on the guarantee. What happens if the person placed does not work out? I believe the price (for contingency search= staffing firm only gets paid if you hire someone) is not important. After all, you will only pay that price if the firm finds you someone you feel can contribute in excess of that cost.
The guarantee though is where the focus should be. It is important to have this conversation up front and come to an agreement. What happens if the company moves? What happens if the job significantly changes? What happens if the new employee's skills are not at the level as advertised? All issues that should be talked about up front.
When I asked the assembled group of HR Managers for a few horror stories? Most seemed to revolve around a candidate/employee not working out and the agency's response to that. This is a solvable problem as long as it is addressed up front!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
We sponsor a Cycling Team: Check out this info on it.
Good info about a team we sponsor. Check it out and let us know your thoughts!
http://www.mercurynews.com/peninsula/ci_14698262
http://www.mercurynews.com/peninsula/ci_14698262
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Interesting Article in the San Jose Merc
Thought this was interesting. It address something I have commented on in various blogs, so nice to see a neutral third party confirm what I have been talking about. Check it out. I would be interested in comments, so let me know your thoughts:
http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_14499797?source=rss
Andrew@coretechsinc.com
http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_14499797?source=rss
Andrew@coretechsinc.com
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Pros and Cons of hiring Temps
Thought this was a useful article if hiring temps makes sense for you:
"The use of temporary help has enjoyed an upward growth ever since entrepreneur William Russell opened the first temporary staffing agency in 1946. Like most present-day agencies, its positions are no longer limited to secretaries and file clerks. Temp workers currently possess a myriad of other titles including: accountants, financial officers, assembly-line workers, nurses, doctors, scientists, lawyers and information technology professionals.
Would your business benefit from temporary help?
To find out, check out these pros and cons of hiring a temp. You may just find that this hiring arrangement is something that is well-suited for your business right now or something that you’ll want to seriously consider in the future.
Pros
Enables your business to adjust more easily and quickly to workload fluctuationsTemporary help agencies can quickly provide your business with qualified staff. Some common reasons companies hire temps:
Employee absences: illness, vacation, maternity or disability leave, sudden departure
Unexpected or temporary demands: special projects, seasonal or peak periods, employee shortages
Maintains staffing flexibilityWith the popularity and staying power of flexible work arrangements, employers need to stay current with the needs of today’s work force. Temporary work is just one of the ways that businesses can offer flexibility and at the same time better meet their own needs.
Representative Denise Ridenour of renowned Kelly Services foresees that “the employment pool will increasingly include a mix of temporary and full-time employees. The result is a more efficient workplace, a more flexible job market, and greater opportunities for both employers and employees. Additionally, improving productivity enhances a company’s bottom line and employee job security.”
Can evaluate worker without commitmentBased on your evaluation or preferences, you can employ a temp for a designated short term or, if desired, offer a full-time position to a worker who suits your business. Some businesses employ temporary workers as an excellent and cost-efficient way to recruit and test the abilities of new workers before signing them on full-time. Other companies will repeatedly use the services of a temp worker who has proven to be a company asset. Hiring a temp can also be a good way to continue getting work done while you search for the perfect candidate for a particular job. If unsatisfied with a temp’s work performance, all you need do is contact the temp agency and they will take care of the rest.
Can save time and moneyThe cost of hiring temp workers is often cheaper than the cost of hiring permanent employees with benefits. In the short term, it is generally more cost-efficient to hire a temp. For jobs that are expected to last six months or longer, it may pay to hire a full-time employee.
When you employ an agency, it – not you – becomes the temp worker’s employer. The agency is responsible for and bears the financial burden of recruiting, screening, testing and hiring workers; payroll expenses and paperwork; payroll and withholding taxes; unemployment and workers’ compensation insurance; and any employee benefits they may wish to provide. Some agencies even provide training such as software application tutorials.
Temporary employees can provide specialized skills to all types of industries Temporary help agency workers are now employed in virtually every industry. Traditionally, companies sought temporary workers for lower-skilled positions. Today temporary workers increasingly include highly skilled individuals with a wide range of educational backgrounds and work experience. These individuals can tackle critical one-time projects that are limited in time and scope. In the field of Law alone, recent years have seen a dramatic growth and acceptance of hiring lawyers on a temporary basis.
Can lead to a long-term positive relationship with staffing agency When you find a temp agency that provides timely and quality service and referrals, and is experienced and accommodating, you may want to work with them exclusively. A good relationship with your temp staffing provider will go a long way toward meeting your company needs.
Cons
Training NeedsEvery time a temp starts a new work assignment – no matter how skilled or unskilled – a certain amount of training is required in order for them to perform their assigned tasks to suit the specific needs of that company. Of course, if the same temp is brought back again, this might not be required.
Morale IssuesMorale and employee relations problems can arise when you have temps working alongside permanent employees for months, doing the same work and putting in the same hours, but not receiving the same benefits afforded their permanent employee coworkers.
Safety IssuesCertain types of jobs are inherently dangerous and require careful safety training. Studies show that frequency and severity rates of on-the-job injuries are significantly higher with temporary workers. No matter what a temp’s experience is, care must be taken to see that dangerous tasks are performed safely. Never assume a temporary worker is fully prepared to work unsupervised until you have taken the time to see that they can safely perform their work tasks.
Legal ConcernsRecent court decisions have highlighted the fact that businesses must be careful how they contract for temporary staff. There must be no doubt about the workers’ status and about the lack of eligibility for the benefits of permanent employees. And treat temp workers with the same respect and care you would for your permanent staff.
The question of reliability
Some surveys of employers have found an assumption that temporary workers are generally less reliable than their permanent employee counterparts. Is this myth or reality?
Joe Broschak, Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, shared some of his findings about a particular study of temporary workers: “On average, these temporary workers displayed better performance relative to goals compared to their full-time counterparts.” For those temps later hired as full-time employees, Broschak reported that “they continued to become better workers after becoming permanent.”
Choosing a reputable staffing agency – and establishing a good employer/staffing agency relationship and communications – are key elements to finding reliable workers, say Ridenour and Broschak. Furthermore, Ridenour pointed to the rise of “free agents” to 22% of the U.S. workforce, comprised in part by temporary workers, and increasingly possessing impressive credentials: “As more and more employees choose to work as free agents, the actual professional and education qualifications of free agents help dispel the myth that temporary workers are less reliable.”
*
When choosing a temp agency for the first time, you will need to spend some time selecting one that meets your particular needs. Check out their websites to find out how long they’ve been in business, their “mission statement” and the types of workers and services they provide. Some agencies focus on a particular line of work; i.e., accounting/finance or healthcare.Ridenour suggests that businesses consider asking the following questions in order to choose the right staffing company: What type of staffing help do you need? How was your first interaction with the companies you contacted? Will the company do a presentation for you and your management team? How well run is the organization? How does the company recruit and retain its qualified and reliable workforce? How are potential staffing company employees screened and tested? Does the company fully understand your needs? And, Does the company carry workers’ compensation for its employees?"
"The use of temporary help has enjoyed an upward growth ever since entrepreneur William Russell opened the first temporary staffing agency in 1946. Like most present-day agencies, its positions are no longer limited to secretaries and file clerks. Temp workers currently possess a myriad of other titles including: accountants, financial officers, assembly-line workers, nurses, doctors, scientists, lawyers and information technology professionals.
Would your business benefit from temporary help?
To find out, check out these pros and cons of hiring a temp. You may just find that this hiring arrangement is something that is well-suited for your business right now or something that you’ll want to seriously consider in the future.
Pros
Enables your business to adjust more easily and quickly to workload fluctuationsTemporary help agencies can quickly provide your business with qualified staff. Some common reasons companies hire temps:
Employee absences: illness, vacation, maternity or disability leave, sudden departure
Unexpected or temporary demands: special projects, seasonal or peak periods, employee shortages
Maintains staffing flexibilityWith the popularity and staying power of flexible work arrangements, employers need to stay current with the needs of today’s work force. Temporary work is just one of the ways that businesses can offer flexibility and at the same time better meet their own needs.
Representative Denise Ridenour of renowned Kelly Services foresees that “the employment pool will increasingly include a mix of temporary and full-time employees. The result is a more efficient workplace, a more flexible job market, and greater opportunities for both employers and employees. Additionally, improving productivity enhances a company’s bottom line and employee job security.”
Can evaluate worker without commitmentBased on your evaluation or preferences, you can employ a temp for a designated short term or, if desired, offer a full-time position to a worker who suits your business. Some businesses employ temporary workers as an excellent and cost-efficient way to recruit and test the abilities of new workers before signing them on full-time. Other companies will repeatedly use the services of a temp worker who has proven to be a company asset. Hiring a temp can also be a good way to continue getting work done while you search for the perfect candidate for a particular job. If unsatisfied with a temp’s work performance, all you need do is contact the temp agency and they will take care of the rest.
Can save time and moneyThe cost of hiring temp workers is often cheaper than the cost of hiring permanent employees with benefits. In the short term, it is generally more cost-efficient to hire a temp. For jobs that are expected to last six months or longer, it may pay to hire a full-time employee.
When you employ an agency, it – not you – becomes the temp worker’s employer. The agency is responsible for and bears the financial burden of recruiting, screening, testing and hiring workers; payroll expenses and paperwork; payroll and withholding taxes; unemployment and workers’ compensation insurance; and any employee benefits they may wish to provide. Some agencies even provide training such as software application tutorials.
Temporary employees can provide specialized skills to all types of industries Temporary help agency workers are now employed in virtually every industry. Traditionally, companies sought temporary workers for lower-skilled positions. Today temporary workers increasingly include highly skilled individuals with a wide range of educational backgrounds and work experience. These individuals can tackle critical one-time projects that are limited in time and scope. In the field of Law alone, recent years have seen a dramatic growth and acceptance of hiring lawyers on a temporary basis.
Can lead to a long-term positive relationship with staffing agency When you find a temp agency that provides timely and quality service and referrals, and is experienced and accommodating, you may want to work with them exclusively. A good relationship with your temp staffing provider will go a long way toward meeting your company needs.
Cons
Training NeedsEvery time a temp starts a new work assignment – no matter how skilled or unskilled – a certain amount of training is required in order for them to perform their assigned tasks to suit the specific needs of that company. Of course, if the same temp is brought back again, this might not be required.
Morale IssuesMorale and employee relations problems can arise when you have temps working alongside permanent employees for months, doing the same work and putting in the same hours, but not receiving the same benefits afforded their permanent employee coworkers.
Safety IssuesCertain types of jobs are inherently dangerous and require careful safety training. Studies show that frequency and severity rates of on-the-job injuries are significantly higher with temporary workers. No matter what a temp’s experience is, care must be taken to see that dangerous tasks are performed safely. Never assume a temporary worker is fully prepared to work unsupervised until you have taken the time to see that they can safely perform their work tasks.
Legal ConcernsRecent court decisions have highlighted the fact that businesses must be careful how they contract for temporary staff. There must be no doubt about the workers’ status and about the lack of eligibility for the benefits of permanent employees. And treat temp workers with the same respect and care you would for your permanent staff.
The question of reliability
Some surveys of employers have found an assumption that temporary workers are generally less reliable than their permanent employee counterparts. Is this myth or reality?
Joe Broschak, Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, shared some of his findings about a particular study of temporary workers: “On average, these temporary workers displayed better performance relative to goals compared to their full-time counterparts.” For those temps later hired as full-time employees, Broschak reported that “they continued to become better workers after becoming permanent.”
Choosing a reputable staffing agency – and establishing a good employer/staffing agency relationship and communications – are key elements to finding reliable workers, say Ridenour and Broschak. Furthermore, Ridenour pointed to the rise of “free agents” to 22% of the U.S. workforce, comprised in part by temporary workers, and increasingly possessing impressive credentials: “As more and more employees choose to work as free agents, the actual professional and education qualifications of free agents help dispel the myth that temporary workers are less reliable.”
*
When choosing a temp agency for the first time, you will need to spend some time selecting one that meets your particular needs. Check out their websites to find out how long they’ve been in business, their “mission statement” and the types of workers and services they provide. Some agencies focus on a particular line of work; i.e., accounting/finance or healthcare.Ridenour suggests that businesses consider asking the following questions in order to choose the right staffing company: What type of staffing help do you need? How was your first interaction with the companies you contacted? Will the company do a presentation for you and your management team? How well run is the organization? How does the company recruit and retain its qualified and reliable workforce? How are potential staffing company employees screened and tested? Does the company fully understand your needs? And, Does the company carry workers’ compensation for its employees?"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)