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Not Finding Top Talent? We Might Know Why!

Raza Rauf on July 28, 2016

Not Finding Top Talent We Might Know Why

 

Finding top talent these days can be like finding a needle in a haystack. There are thousands of new college graduates each year flooding the job market, but how do you know which ones are at the top? It can be difficult to separate the best from the middle of the pack. Even though it is hard to find top talent, you might be hurting yourself without even knowing it. Take a look at the ways some companies hurt themselves when it comes to finding top talent.

Failure to Be Transparent

If your company is not being as transparent as possible with candidates, then you might be sending top talent running for the hills. Transparency is very important to top talent these days. They want to know where they stand in the job search and what it is the company has to offer. Along with transparency, candidates do not want to be strung along with no hopes of attaining the job. Let the candidate go early in the process if they are not your choice.

Candidates Want to Ask Questions

The interview process has changed over the years as candidates want to be able to ask questions of employers. No longer do candidates sit in a room and answer question after question from the interviewer. Today’s candidates want a two-way street when it comes to information. And, when they ask the questions, they want honest answers in return.

Add Technology

Today’s candidates love technology. A large portion of them are millennials who grew up with it. Include technology in your hiring process. Conduct a video interview with top talent in order to show them how your company uses technology. It also tells the candidate that their time is valuable, since they don’t have to spend hours out of their day traveling to and from your office.

Invest in Employees

Companies should have no trouble landing top talent if they show an investment in them. By investment, we mean the hiring process is not arduous or repetitive. The candidate does not have to sit through five rounds of interviews to only find out they didn’t get the job. Make the process as pain-free as possible to show the candidate how much their time means to you.

Having trouble finding top talent? You might be hurting yourself with the way things are done during the interview process. If you can fix some of the problems outlined in this post, the top talent should find your company easily in the future. Contact Advance Staffing Solutions to find top talent in Ohio and Michigan, or browse our Talent Showcase to find your perfect employee today!

 

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Why “Hiring People Smarter Than You” is a Good Leadership Practice

Raza Rauf on July 22, 2016

Why Hiring People Smarter Than You is a Good Leadership Practice

 

There are so many management professionals out there who refuse to hire people smarter than them because they fear it will lead to them losing their job. The simple fact of the matter, however, is that it is important to hire people smarter than you for various reasons. One of those reasons is that it is in the best interest of the company to hire the most talented people available for open jobs. Use these tips to learn why hiring people smarter than you is a good leadership practice.

Reduction in Micromanagement

When you hire people smarter than you, the amount of micromanagement you will have to do will decrease immensely. Spending time micromanaging employees is never good for a company’s bottom line. In fact, it can be a major waste of time, talent and resources when managers have to hold the hands of employees or continually walk them through projects. When you hire people smarter than you, those employees will not have to be led through the darkness to reach a solution.

Better Locus of Control

Hiring people smarter than you will also lead to better locus of control with your employees. Locus of control is when people are able to take personal responsibility for failures they experience in their life and work. When this happens, you will see employees blaming outside circumstances less when mistakes occur. These employees will also learn from their mistakes, preventing the same problems in the future.

Handle Problems Better

Do you have trouble handling certain problems at the office? If so, consider hiring people smarter than you. If a problem arises that has you angry and upset, there might be someone even angrier with the same problem in the office. If this is the case, they might know more about the issue and how to remedy the problem. Put this person in charge of the issue and see how the situation plays out. When you hire people smarter than you, problems become easier to solve.

When you hire people smarter than you, it should not be taken as a threat. Instead, it needs to be looked at as a step in the right direction for the entire organization. Change your hiring habits and thinking today. You will see a difference almost immediately!

Partner with Advance Staffing Solutions today to find candidates in Michigan and Ohio who are smart, vetted, and ready to begin work at your company today!

 

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Not Sure You Should Partner with a Staffing Firm? Read This!

Raza Rauf on June 30, 2016

not-sure-you-should-partner-with-a-staffing-firm

 

As a Michigan-area company that’s always mindful of personnel costs, it’s natural to want to weigh the options before choosing to work with a staffing firm. The responsible thing to do is to check out all of your options before you decide to go this route. In this way, you can make the best decision for your organization.

There are many benefits to working with a temporary staffing agency. These are unique perks that can only be found when you partner with the right staffing agency that’s familiar with your industry and your requirements. Here is a rundown of some of the reasons why you should partner with a staffing agency.

Access to a Larger Pool of Pre-Screened Candidates

When you work with a staffing agency, you will have automatic access to large pool of candidates who have already been screened carefully by the staffing agents. The staffing agency handles all the upfront details of recruitment, such as skills assessments, background checks, and verification of employment history. This means you have no worries about candidate shortages because there are already people ready to start working immediately on your special project, or to replace a departing employee.

Proactive and Strategic Workforce Planning

It can be easy to get into a pattern of hiring people to replace those leaving the company, in a vicious cycle that continues over and over. But this is not very strategic. When you work with a staffing agency, you will be able to develop a succession plan that will enable you to strategically hire the right people for positions that you are creating as your company grows. You’ll also be able to seek out support for special projects and seasonal peaks in your business. Temporary staffing is a much more flexible and adaptable model for any business.

Cost Efficiency 

Managing a busy workforce requires a large amount of capital, much of which is spent during recruitment processes. When you work with a temporary staffing agency in your area, you can be sure that all upfront cost are absorbed by the agency. This includes all the administrative expenses of interviewing candidates, running job ads, verifying employment history and references, drug abuse screens, criminal background checks, and more. These costs are spread out in the contract for several months, which means your company can maintain an affordable staffing budget.

If you are still on the fence about partnering with a staffing agency in MI, why not give us a call and learn more about this opportunity?

 

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Facing a Talent Shortage? Here’s How to Improve Your Recruiting Strategy

Raza Rauf on June 7, 2016

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One would think with all the latest technology that recruitment as a whole is more efficient. However, it is a candidate-driven market currently and therefore, the recruitment process has actually gotten longer. A recent Forbes report issued by Glassdoor.com estimated that the average length of an interview has actually doubled in the last five years, going from 12.6 days to 22.9 days. At the same time, top candidates are only on the market an average of about 10 days. This makes it a big challenge for most recruiters.

One of the reasons that recruitment has slowed down is because employers are now demanding more assessments and interviews before they even consider candidates for entry-level employment. New screening methods such as group interviews, personality tests, security screens, skills assessments, and advanced background and drug tests all tend to drag out the hiring timeline. Companies are more careful about the people they hire because it is a large investment.

However, it is possible to speed up the hiring process so that you can go after the best candidates before another competitor gets them. Consider the following tips to improve your recruiting strategy.

Candidates who are in high demand will probably be interviewing with several companies at once. You’ll want to make your compensation package and corporate culture very attractive in order to capture their attention.

Develop a reputation for being efficient in your hiring practices. When candidates know that if they deal with your company, they can expect to hear back quickly and your job recruitment process is responsive to their needs, they’re more apt to stay loyal to your company until a job offer is made.

Make the application process simple. Consider the use of mobile apps in your recruitment practices to quickly gather the information of your candidates and respond to them in kind. Think about candidates who may be remote to your company as well, and use video technology to handle the initial screening interview.

Let a staffing agency handle all the upfront details of a hiring process. Staffing agencies are very efficient when it comes to screening and evaluating candidates for employment opportunities. In fact, they probably already have candidates ready to go by the time you call the office.

By speeding up your recruitment processes, there’s a good chance that you will be able to acquire the talent that your company needs to be successful. Partner with Advance Staffing Solutions to improve your recruiting strategy today.

 

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How to Land an Entry-Level HR Career

Raza Rauf on May 4, 2016

EntryLevel-HR-Career

 

Ready to take on the world of people management? Human resources is perhaps one of the most rewarding and challenging career paths out there today. Every day, human resource practitioners are making big decisions that impact the organizations that they work for. Human resources professionals are tasked with making sure their organizations are compliant with employment laws and updates that affect the bottom line.

If you believe you have what it takes to walk the line between employees and the best interest of the business, then here are some tips for landing an entry-level HR job.

Get the right training.

It is absolutely vital to your career in HR to get the right training and education. Enroll in an accredited Human Resource Management program through a local university or college. Human resources is an ever-changing industry, therefore it is important that you get the correct information and instruction so that you can be highly knowledgeable about this field. Consider that as an HR professional you will be tasked with ongoing learning throughout your career.

Develop your leadership skills.

Human resources professionals are more than just payroll clerks and benefits administrators. They are skilled professionals who are leaders in terms of workplace policies and improvements. Take the time to learn how to be a solid leader before you look for an entry level job, because you will be tasked with proving your worth to other leaders in the real business world.

Consider HR certification.

It is always a good idea to pursue additional training and certification in human resources. The Society for Human Resource Management has guidelines for what every HR pro should be studying.

Try recruiting as an entry point.

Recruitment can be a great way to get involved with human resource efforts. This very vital role can help you to learn quickly how to be effective managing people, understanding employment rules and regulations, and getting the most from human capital in any organization.

Accept temp-to-perm HR opportunities.

Be open to working in temp-to-perm jobs in human resources. This can fast track you into a more permanent entry or mid-level role. Staffing agencies that have recruitment and HR jobs often look for people who have potential and then put them through additional training and even college to learn more.

Looking to land an entry-level HR career? Click here to browse our open job opportunities in Michigan and Ohio, or contact us today!

 

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Is “Blind Hiring” Good For Your Workforce?

Raza Rauf on April 15, 2016

is-blind-hiring-good-for-your-workforce

 

In the quest to improve diversity in hiring, companies are turning to “blind hiring” practices, which seeks to eliminate the unique characteristics of candidates before they are considered for employment. The goal of blind hiring is to bring people on board who have the skills to perform certain tasks, and not because of other protected factors such as gender, age, nationality, or region.

Why is blind hiring popular?

In the past, research has shown that managers tend to select candidates who have similar demographic backgrounds as their own. A Fast Company article highlights several university studies that showed that humans are nearly always biased towards their own kind, and this happens on a subconscious level most of the time. Even the mention of a similarity during an interview can elicit warm feelings towards a particular candidate, and the person is chosen even if they are not the best fit for the job.

In blind hiring, these factors are all stripped from candidates.

The following elements are removed or hidden during the initial application phase:

  • The candidate’s full name and educational background are hidden
  • The resume may be masked or certain elements of the work history
  • The candidate’s face may be hidden and voice-altering technology is used in phone interviews
  • Assessments and skills testing is reserved for hiring purposes
  • Lower-performing candidates are never presented to decision makers

All of this may seem a bit extreme, but companies that are growing rapidly or expanding operations need to be able to comply with Equal Employment Opportunity and other laws that require fair and diverse hiring.

When determining if blind hiring may be right for your company, ask yourself the following things:

  • Does your company have an EEOC hiring process in place to hire for diversity?
  • Over the last six months, has your company tracked the hiring of women and minorities?
  • Is your company active in closing the gender wage gap and improving hiring transparency?
  • Are you hiring the same kinds of people or do you hire people based on their unique skills and qualities?

Working with a temporary staffing agency can help your company to get a better grip on hiring for diversity. It takes the responsibility off the company and places it on the staffing agency for securing workers from diverse demographics and backgrounds. If you’re looking for highly qualified candidates, click here to contact Advance Staffing Solutions today!

 

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Are Your Workplace Policies Ready for new Legalized Marijuana Legislature?

Raza Rauf on April 8, 2016

are-your-workplace-policies-ready

 

2016 has seen the legalization of marijuana for medical use in 23 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, and recreational use in four states, prompting the update of human resources policies surrounding drug use. A Society for Human Resource Management survey from earlier this year indicates that 90 percent of organizations still do not have a substance abuse policy in place that addressed legal pot use. It’s as if the HR community has been slow to recognize these changes and how they impact the workplace.

Is your workplace prepared with an updated policy on legal marijuana, whether your state is affected or not? Here are some things your company needs to do now.

1. Update your substance abuse policy for the workplace.

As an employer, it’s your responsibility to maintain a safe workplace for all employees, and this includes cracking down on employees who either use drugs during work hours or bring drugs into the work environment. Make sure to clearly state what your company’s stance is on drugs at work, and that the only exceptions are for medical marijuana use only with an approved doctor’s note. In states where recreational marijuana use is legal, it is still advisable to have a policy on screening employees who have been in accidents or injured on the job.

2. Set up a relationship with a staffing agency or pre-employment drug-testing vendor.

The drug policy should also include recruitment factors, such as the company’s effort to hire drug-free employees. Therefore, a vendor needs to be in place, ready to handle all pre-employment drug screens for new hires. A staffing agency can easily and inexpensively handle this matter as they already have a relationship with drug-testing facilities.

3. Become knowledgeable about updates to marijuana legalization.

The laws around the legalization of marijuana are continually changing and they may continue to be confusing and complex for the immediate future. A trusted HR advisor or consulting agency can support your workplace by keeping your HR team abreast of current laws. Take the time to educate managers on this topic, and use staff meetings to educate employees about the drug-use policy. Remember that you do not have to allow drug use in your workplace, whether recreational use is legal or not.

Need help to build a strong workforce policy, or hiring employees who can comply with company policies? Let the staffing experts at Advance Staffing Solutions help!

 

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Hiring? Make Sure Your Online Presence is Setting You Up for Success

Raza Rauf on March 30, 2016

Hiring-Make Sure Your Online Presence is Setting You Up for Success

 

When candidates visit your corporate website, your social media accounts, and read about the company in the news, how well does this online presence blend with the kind of corporate culture you are trying to portray? Many times, companies put a lot of effort into their marketing only to find out it’s coming up short for recruitment purposes. Candidates can be highly critical when it comes to deciding IF they want to apply to work for a company that may not share their same values. This is why it’s critical to develop a strong online presence that speaks to a positive culture.

Here are some things any company can do to ensure they are portrayed in a candidate-friendly light.

Update your company website and your job listings

When job seekers are reviewing career opportunities, they can be judging the way the company website looks. If it’s been updated recently and has a positive brand, then they are more confident applying for work. If the website looks like it hasn’t been updated since the dawn of the Internet, or if job postings are outdated, these factors will not go unnoticed by job candidates.

Mixed messages and poor information on social networks

Does your company have a central person or team dealing with the social networks, or is it a free-for-all? Inconsistent messaging, odd posts, and even potential offensive content could be hurting your company’s chance of hiring the best people. Make sure your marketing team syncs with the hiring team at frequent intervals to avoid this kind of mixed messaging.

If there a Web-friendly way of applying?

Candidates today are turning to their mobile devices for finding and applying for work. If your company has not developed a mobile version of the company career portal or created a mobile job app, you are missing out on many great candidates. Use a mobile app that’s simple to use and streamlined for job applicants to use. Try a ready-made career app to make this a quick and easy step, and get your website set up as interactive with all mobile devices.

Promoting the company career opportunities

You cannot expect candidates to find your company without doing a little marketing to get the word out about job opps. Attend career fairs, participate in job fairs, partner with a staffing agency, and more to market your careers to job seekers. The company doesn’t have to have a huge budget or team to accomplish this, just keep it simple and focused.

Need help finding top-quality job candidates in Michigan and Ohio? Click here to contact Advance Staffing Solutions today, and let us take the hard work of finding, testing, and vetting quality candidates for you!

 

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Your Hiring Process Should Be All About Your Candidates

Raza Rauf on March 23, 2016

Your Hiring Process Should Be All About Your Candidates

 

In the last year, it’s become increasingly apparent that it’s a candidate-driven market. It’s only going to continue as unemployment rates drop and new companies move into the Detroit, MI area. With this in mind, when is the last time you looked at your company’s hiring process from the perspective of candidates? Do you think it’s positive, or does it create a negative experience?

Perhaps now would be a good time to start thinking about improving things so that it’s all about creating a warm and welcoming experience for candidates. Here are some suggestions for making this happen.

Reduce the time to apply

There is nothing more frustrating for candidates than spending hours filling out job applications, completing assessments, and submitting information online for a single job. Take hints from the top companies and revert to a single-page application form. Utilize LinkedIn recruiting to make this process even easier for candidates.

Respond promptly to candidates

When a candidate takes the time to apply for a job, they tend to like to be thanked for their time and effort. So too, candidates enjoy frequent and courteous updates to the status of their application, and after interviews. Set up an automated system for doing this that sounds personal, and then create a system for calling candidates within seven days to advise them on next steps.

Relax during job interviews

Instead of making job interviews so formal, why not create a nice relaxing environment for welcoming them and going through this process? Start with a meeting room right off the front entrance where candidates can be invited to sit and enjoy a cold water before the interview time. Then take candidates on a brief tour of the building. Once they are warmed up, conduct the interview in a comfortable area and make them feel at home.

Following up with candidates

A big part of the candidate experience is also understanding what will happen next and when they can expect to hear back on a decision. Provide a brief overview once you have completed the interview, with a time frame and next steps. Then check back in with candidates at regular intervals (like once a week) at the very least. If a candidate is not to be selected at this time, send a nice rejection letter along with a gesture of your appreciation (such as a gift card for a free lunch).

 

Need help with your hiring process? Let the experts at Advance Staffing Solutions take the hard work, time and stress off your hands! We have a pool of talented, vetted candidates who are ready to fill roles in your company today! Click here to check out our Talent Showcase today!

 

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Open Registration in MONROE!

Raza Rauf on March 15, 2016

Saturday March 19th

8:30am-10:30am

Open Registration

We have openings in…

  • Machine Operators

  • Packagers

  • Assembly

In the following areas…

  • Monroe

  • Carleton

  • Dundee

  • Blissfield

Hourly pay ranging from $9-$13 per hour depending on experience.

Must have worked within the last 12 months

High School Diploma/GED

Bring two forms of ID

 

How to Quantify the Real Value of Your Workforce

Raza Rauf on February 27, 2016

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In the world of human resources, it’s hard to put a number on certain aspects of the personnel management game. Typically, businesses can be slow to adopt HR metrics and it can be difficult to quantify certain strategies in HR. But as HR professionals, it is up to us to make a case for the decision that we make each day in the office. Here’s how to quantify your workforce.

Experts advise that it’s best to focus on three core areas of the workforce that impact the bottom lie the most – all related to hiring and retaining the best possible employees.

Where are you sourcing the best employees for your company?

Where you are finding your new hires is a major factor in quantifying your workforce. The source of your hires needs to produce a good track record of placing high-quality employees with the right skills into the right jobs. Part of the problem with doing recruitment on your own is that decisions can be made out of haste during employee replacements or rapid growth cycles. A temporary staffing agency partner can drastically improve the quality of your workforce, and reduce the time and cost of staffing the company.

What areas or departments have the highest turnover rates?

Turnover among employees can be a sign of trouble. In fact, is can be the only sign that things are not going well with the workforce. Quantifying your human resources means nailing down the problems that are causing employee turnover. Sometimes they can be related to poor management or outdated business practices. A strong workforce is one that is actively engaged and loyal to the company. This is a valuable asset to have, and worth the effort.

Who is tracking or managing the departing employees?

Just as your company needs an onboarding program for bringing new hires in, it also needs a strategy for dealing with off boarding of departing employees. This very critical time when an employee is leaving the company can be the only opportunity to capture certain information that the company needs to quantify its workforce goals. Exit interviews are a must. Find out who is handling employees who are leaving and if there is any correlation with certain departments or managers where there is high turnover. This could be an opportunity to retrain managers on ways to keep good people instead of losing them to the competition.

When your company can quantify the value of its workforce, it will be well on its way to being a better place for employees to thrive and the company to meet its earnings goals. Partner with Advance Staffing Solutions today, and let us place top-quality candidates in your workplace!

 

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