Numbers make good decisions

It can be pretty easy to argue with a person. It’s harder, however, to argue against data. Cold hard facts stand up well to scrutiny, particularly in the workplace. Data can provide a company with the knowledge of what works and what doesn’t. By bringing more data analysis into human resource and workforce planning, you’ll set a course for a more predictable, effective future.

Test with numbers

When there’s a decision to make, it’s easy to rely on your gut instinct, or perhaps your boss’s gut instinct. That’s the traditional method of deciding: take a peek at the limited information available, and then make your best guess. In the changing world of data-driven decisions, however, you can do better.

It’s becoming much easier to collect data—even on areas that can be hard to analyze like workforce productivity or whether a department is appropriately staffed. The information gathered can tell you in what areas your business may have room for improvement and you can then turn those numbers into a plan for the future. Data can point the way to success, and that success reinforces the usefulness of the data.

Tips for making analysis work for you:

• Start small — consider which data points would be most useful in making fact-based decisions to support your organization’s top three initiatives as they relate to human resources and staffing program management.
• Review current systems and operational processes to determine at what point this data presents itself in your normal workflow.
• Make it easy for your team to comply with your request for data by making the reporting process as easy and efficient as possible — automation through software systems etc can be particularly helpful in accomplishing this.
• Rely on outside experts to support you — leverage relationships with vendor partners and/or consultants to support you in gathering the data and providing the analysis to help you make the best decisions for your organization.

Intelligent data

Helpmates works both with our current staffing clients and other organizations to analyze workforce planning and effectiveness through a uniquely detailed and insightful method.  The specific recommendations and innovative solutions that our consultative team provide have earned Helpmates national awards both from client organizations and from an independent market analysis firm.  Contact Helpmates today to learn more about how you can leverage our expertise for the success of your organization’s future.

Internal Hiring: The Growth of the Staffing Industry

As the country continues its gradual economic recovery, the staffing industry has seen tremendous growth over the past year. Global advisor group Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) reports that in 2012:

• 3 out of 4 staffing companies experienced growth
• More than $2 trillion was spent on temporary and contingent workers worldwide
• At the “average” large company, 16 percent of the workforce is temporary—up from 11 percent in 2005
• For U.S. staffing companies, an average 2.95 million contract and temporary staff were employed per business per day during the third quarter of 2012—4.3 percent more than the third quarter of 2011.

For 2013, the GDP forecasts predicts a growth rate of 2.1 percent in 2013, and total revenue for the staffing industry in the U.S. is expected to reach $134.1 billion, breaking the industry’s previous record year: 2007, where revenues totaled $132.3 billion. Will this upward trend continue? Signs point to yes.

Current trends and outlook for 2013

In addition to record high revenues, the staffing industry is seeing an increased demand for skilled, professional, and degreed labor. The largest growing markets for temporary staffing are IT, healthcare, marketing, and creative—and labor demands often exceed staffing availability, with some regions experiencing a 10 to 1 ratio of open positions to candidates.

The growth rates for these skilled temporary positions are projected at rapid rates. SIA predicts a 6 percent growth for healthcare in 2013, and a 9 percent growth for IT, engineering, and industrial positions.

The next 5 years in the staffing industry

In a keynote speech at the 2013 Staffing Industry Analysts Executive Forum, president Barry Asin outlined several five-year predictions for the industry. They included:

• Total revenues will hit $160 billion by 2018
• Online staffing will reach $5 billion, up from $1 billion in 2012
• Healthcare and industrial staffing will see significant growth

Helpmates: Reflecting industry trends

Helpmates Staffing, a leader in the staffing industry of Southern California with more than 40 years of experience, has realized a growth rate throughout 2012 that keeps pace with our exciting industry. Temporary and contingent staffing is changing the face of the U.S. workforce, and we’re proud to work with the most qualified talent and the top employers in the region.

In fact, Helpmates is now hiring new team members to our full-time staff. Contact us today to learn more about how you can join one of the fastest-growing industries in the country, and take part in the nationwide shift toward increased workforce satisfaction and productivity.

Want to see increased productivity, decreased turnover, fewer sick days, and more innovative ideas from your employees? Make their working life better, and all of these great things will happen naturally in your workplace.

Research has shown a substantial difference in performance between happy employees and dissatisfied ones. One study reports that employees with a higher quality of work life:

• Take 66 percent less sick leave
• Spend 80 percent of their time on the job at work-related tasks (compared to 40 percent for unhappy employees)
• Have 180 percent more energy than the least satisfied employees in the workplace

As an employer, you can do several things to increase the quality of life for your employees—and they won’t cost you anything but a little time, effort, and thought.

Take the micro out of managing

Today’s workforce is filled with talented self-starters who perform better with freedom. No one can relax with a boss looking over their shoulder all day—and many employees, particularly millenials, are used to being given freedom and space to generate new ideas and innovation.

So ease back on the management leash, and watch your employees blossom into exceptional and productive problem-solvers.

Give out “gold stars” for reaching goals

Goal setting is a great way to encourage motivation and enthusiasm. With a daily or weekly target in sight, your employees will have something to work for—and their natural competitive instincts will drive them to reach those goals.

Of course, it’s a good idea to offer rewards to employees who meet their goals or targets. This doesn’t have to be cash—sometimes small rewards are the most appreciated. Incentivize great work by offering an extended lunch or a half-day off, and your employees will work even harder to attain those benchmarks.

Throw down the gauntlet

The happiest employees feel like they’re part of what’s happening with their company, and that their input is both welcomed and acted upon. To encourage this sense of belonging, challenge your employees to investigate and solve some of the problems within your organization, or to take on new tasks that may not fall within their regular job functions.

Involving employees with larger changes can strengthen loyalty and increase productivity, as they feel their actions will directly affect their own work environment.

Helpmates Staffing has worked with Southern California companies and its candidates for more than 40 years, providing highly qualified talent with leadership capabilities for companies like yours. Contact Helpmates today to learn more about what we can do for your management team and company culture.

Today’s job seekers are increasingly tech-savvy. With mobile devices like smartphones and tablets now an integral part of daily life, most of the available talent is searching for—and applying to—jobs on the go.

In the fall of 2012, nearly one-third of Google job searches were performed on mobile devices—up from just 17 percent in November of 2012. More importantly, the big job boards are seeing an increase in mobile traffic, with both Indeed.com and CareerBuilder.com reporting mobile searches that have more than doubled in the past year.

The attraction to mobile job hunting

Smartphones and tablets have made just about everything more convenient. When users can do their banking, shopping, and emailing from their phones, it’s a natural extension to start transferring other typical computer activities to mobile devices.

By going mobile, candidates can search for jobs anywhere, anytime. Job seekers can set up email alerts on mobile devices, see job postings in real time, and apply on the spot. In addition, those who are currently employed can browse jobs on their lunch breaks or commutes, using a non-corporate network.

How companies are failing to capitalize

Despite the rising popularity of mobile job hunts, a majority of companies are making it hard for mobile candidates to apply. Only 29 percent of businesses with more than 500 employees have mobile-optimized websites—which means the other 71 percent of business sites will display tiny, barely readable text on a mobile screen.

Even Fortune 500 companies aren’t optimizing on mobile. Around 2 percent of them have job applications that are designed for mobile users. Most Fortune 500 companies use a third-party system that forces job seekers to grind through as many as 15 pages just to apply. On CareerBuilder, 40 percent of those who don’t use the mobile software provided by the job board site abandon the lengthy application process.

Is your site responsive?

Having a mobile-friendly website that is optimized for job seekers is essential in today’s hiring environment. A long, cumbersome application process that doesn’t display well on smaller screens will frustrate those who are tech-savvy—often the very people you want to hire.

Look at your website from the mobile job seeker’s point of view, and make sure your application process could be easily completed on a lunch break. Creating a separate mobile site, or tailoring your existing website for mobile friendliness, could be the smartest recruiting decision you make this year.

Get a helping hand from Helpmates

A leader in recruiting and staffing solutions, Helpmates Staffing can help ensure that you’re ready to bring in the best mobile job seekers, and retain top talent for your company. With more than 40 years of experience, we understand the southern California market and its candidates. Contact us to learn more about our professional employee services.

Your resume represents the first impression you’ll make on a prospective employer. This piece of paper, or more commonly an electronic file, will singlehandedly determine whether you’ll move on to the next round—the all-important interview—or get voted off the candidate stack. And the key to grabbing an employer’s or recruiter’s attention is making sure your torch burns brighter than all the other “sell sheets” in the pile.

So how do you do that? Make sure your resume is crafted to answer the single most important question employers ask themselves about every job application that crosses their desks.

What’s the question?

Of course, recruiters and employers want to know whether you have the necessary education and skills for the position. The problem is, a majority of the resumes they review will meet those basic qualifications. The more important question—and the one your resume must answer—is this:

What makes you better than every other candidate applying for this particular job?

It’s not about simply making yourself employable. That term fits just about every job seeker on the market. You need to look like the logical choice, the perfect fit, for this position at this company—with every resume you send out.

What’s the answer?

The best strategy is to take a completely different view of resumes. Rather than simply creating a list of your experiences and accomplishments, you need to view your resume as a marketing tool.

When applying for a job, you are selling yourself to employers and recruiters—or rather, the idea of yourself as a standout employee that they simply must have on their team. This means leaving out the jargon and the vague descriptions with ten-dollar words. Keep it straightforward and get right to the point. Remember there’s a good chance you’ll be sourced online, so your resume should use direct, compelling language.

Make sure that your actual work experience, strengths, expertise, and work-related skills are clearly articulated. Highlight your accomplishments, achievements, and awards, and don’t forget to emphasize your soft skills—an area that’s becoming increasingly important in today’s business world.

Finally, reach out to an executive recruiter for help highlighting your attributes and polishing your words. Having an extra set of professional eyes lets you bring out positive aspects you may not have otherwise noticed—after all, we’re often the worst judges of our own strengths.

Helpmates: We’re here for you

Helpmates Staffing can help you craft the solid resume you need to impress employers and land your dream position.  After spending more than 40 years partnering with top employers throughout southern California, we offer insider access to unique opportunities that aren’t available elsewhere. Contact us to find out how we can turn your resume into a compelling marketing tool.

As a social media site, LinkedIn has been hailed as the best place for recruiters to find talent, and for candidates to find employment. While LinkedIn has supported company pages since the beginning, most businesses haven’t taken advantage of this resource, instead using the site only when they’re looking for new employees.

However, LinkedIn reached a milestone of 200 million members in 2012—which means more people than ever, including prospective employees and potential customers, will see your company page. Is your LinkedIn page ready for prime time?

The new company page layout on LinkedIn

One reason many businesses might have ignored the company page option on LinkedIn is because there wasn’t much to offer. However, the social media site has recently updated the layout for business pages, adding plenty of features designed to help you highlight your company.

Visual changes are among the most striking to LinkedIn company pages. The updated layout includes banner images on the home page and service pages, and a featured thumbnail is automatically generated for updates. You can also manually select an update to feature and display the thumbnail prominently on your pages.

The home page now allows you to feature products and services. Another change to home page layouts is the placement of recommendations, which are featured more prominently along the left side of the page. The ability to showcase public opinion helps you build trust for your business.

Changes have also been made to the way updates are handled. LinkedIn business members can now attach documents, including PDFs, to status updates, and everyone who follows your company will see your updates in their feeds. You can also filter who sees your updates based on factors like industry, geography, and seniority.

Taking advantage of the LinkedIn opportunity

With so many people using LinkedIn, and more joining all the time, you can’t afford to have a sparse company page. If prospective talent or customers visit your LinkedIn page and see an incomplete profile, blank pages, and an update history that was last active a year ago, they won’t be very impressed.

Filling out your LinkedIn company page with interesting, relevant information about your business can strengthen your image and market position. With regular page updates and some prominently featured recommendations, your company looks great to LinkedIn browsers—who are probably there searching for businesses like yours.

Make the most of your LinkedIn company page, and give your potential clients and candidates a reason to keep coming back!

Find the help you need

Helpmates Staffing has worked with the Southern California business market and its candidates for more than 40 years. We provide staffing solutions and consultation services for companies throughout the area. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business achieve a competitive edge.

What companies and recruiters look for in a job candidate

Being called for an interview is an exciting—and nerve-wracking—time in the job search process. While your resume and cover letter are essential for getting your foot in the door, the interview can make or break your shot at landing your dream job.

You can give yourself the best chance for a successful interview by knowing what recruiters and employers are looking for when they start talking with you face to face. It may be impossible to know the specific details of individual recruiters’ preferences, but you can make some general preparations to increase your odds.

Do your homework: Know the company who’s interviewing you

Who would you rather spend time in a slow elevator with—a casual acquaintance who knows your name and enough detail about you to hold a relevant conversation, or the guy who keeps calling you Suzy when your name is Shirley? Doing a little homework on the company goes a long way toward impressing the interviewer.

When you have some background knowledge about the hiring company, it shows that you’re serious about wanting the position. Do some research ahead of time, and use your findings to explain why you want to work in that particular job, for this particular company.

You can also take things a step further and look into the industry you’ve chosen. Be prepared to talk about current newsworthy events—either directly related to the company, such as their newest product release, or general industry trends.

Show your stuff: Come bearing samples of your work

You may have heard the phrase “show, don’t tell” associated with writing and composition, but it also applies to job interviews. You can tell an interviewer all about the work you’ve done in the past—but it’s far more effective to show it.

Put together a portfolio before the interview and be ready to showcase physical examples of your accomplishments. This can range from actual projects you’ve worked on, if they lend themselves to visual presentations, to printouts of results. Having visual, tangible samples demonstrates that you worked hard to prepare for the interview.

If you can’t offer a concrete presentation, be ready to list the top selling points—like additional education, certifications, or enhanced soft skills—that set you apart from other candidates.

Know your future: Have goals for the position and talk about them

If you were to land the job you’re interviewing for, where do you see yourself five years from now? Give this topic some serious thought prior to the interview, and while you’re talking to the recruiter, explain your goals and how you plan to accomplish them. This shows that you’re looking at the bigger picture and will be dedicated to a long-term future with the company.

One of the most important ways to show your interest is to ask questions at the end of the interview. This not only demonstrates your desire for the job, but also gives you insight into what you’ll actually be doing in the position.

Finally, pinpoint the next steps following the interview. Ask the recruiter what the hiring process entails, how and when you should follow up, and whether they need anything else from your end, such as references or forms for background checks.

Get a helping hand

Helpmates Staffing can help you target your job search to find your dream position, and prepare for interviews that wow recruiters and employers. For more than 40 years, we’ve worked with the best employers throughout southern California, and we have access to unique career opportunities you won’t find anywhere else. Contact us to find out how Helpmates can jumpstart your career.

This is the fifth consecutive year that Helpmates Companies has won the Best of Staffing award

Helpmates is proud to announce that it has once again been named to Inavero’s 2013 Best of Staffing lists of award winners. The annual lists honor those staffing agencies that deliver exceptional service to their clients and to the talent, which includes the permanent and temporary employees for whom they find jobs.

Inavero’s lists are especially noteworthy, as they are the only statistically valid and objective service quality benchmarks in the staffing industry—with more than 500,000 staffing agency clients and talent participating in its satisfaction surveys. It is the hope of Inavero founder and CEO, Eric Gregg, that “both companies and talent use the Best of Staffing lists as a benchmark to help select a staffing agency that can either secure the talent or employment opportunity they need.”

As one of the 2013 Best of Staffing winners, Helpmates has earned satisfaction scores of more than triple the industry average. Additionally, the service excellence award is obtained by less than one percent of all staffing agencies in North America.

Helpmates is honored to have received the Best of Staffing award for the fifth consecutive year. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank both our clients and our talent for their participation in the process, as we highly value their feedback and use it to support continual improvement at Helpmates.

About Helpmates

For more than 40 years, the Certified Staffing Professionals at the Helpmates Companies have been implementing strategic solutions for all our clients’ recruitment, employment, and human resource needs. We operate with a focus on long-term relationships, customer satisfaction, and client retention.

Industry news can give your career a boost

Keeping up with the news in your profession can be complicated and overwhelming, especially in a specialized industry. In fact, monitoring the latest trends and big names may seem like more work than it’s worth—but it could be the key to spotting and securing your next position. By staying on top of your game, and everyone else’s, you’ll prove yourself as the most in-the-know candidate.

Be prepared for interviews

Interviews are an opportunity for recruiters and hiring managers to get to know potential new hires, and to pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses to determine whether they’ll be assets to the company. Questions about current industry trends can clue in an interviewer to how dedicated you are to your field—whether you’re truly involved, or just skating by. By answering with knowledge and insight, you’ll portray yourself as a noteworthy candidate and put yourself ahead of the competition.

Capitalize on opportunities

By keeping up with trends and company activities, you’ll be among the first to learn about new opportunities in your field. A regular follower of industry news knows the signs of emerging trends, and is often one of the first to discover job openings and niche areas for expansion. It pays off throughout your career, as well—you’ll be better connected to customer needs and industry changes. Not only will you reflect this in an interview, but you’ll also bring the knowledge into your everyday work.

Stay socially connected

Most savvy job seekers have professional social profiles. Just having the social media presence isn’t enough. To be truly plugged in—and really know your stuff and impress employers—take it a step further and use your profiles to comment on industry news, share your work-related accomplishments, and network with others in your profession. Hiring managers will notice your involvement and, more importantly, will notice if it’s lacking.

How to get there

Keeping up with industry news isn’t helpful unless you can parse through all the information to glean the important pieces. Gather the big-name blogs and useful websites together in an RSS feed for clean, convenient access. Social networks provide an easy way to follow thought leaders and industry bigwigs, keeping you aware of industry trends as well as business practices and attitudes in general. Offline, attend networking events and build contacts with fellow professionals. What you learn face-to-face can be just as valuable as online info, and connections are still very vital to success.

The more you know

From quickly picking up on career opportunities to winning over interviewers to advancing your career, industry news can be your ticket to a thriving work life. Read, post, and network your way to the top of your field.

Helpmates has been ranked among the top 1% of staffing companies nationwide by our candidates and employees.  Contact Helpmates Certified Staffing Professionals today, to learn how they can help develop your job search strategy.

Bettering your business

For most people, work is the single biggest chunk of their day. It claims most of the daylight hours and often bleeds into the evening as well; even away from the office, it’s usually still on the brain. Taking simple steps to improve the workplace can have long-term benefits for both the longevity of a company and the health of its employees.

Flexibility

Not every job can offer the option to work remotely, but those that do are in high demand. Having the flexibility of location or hours—or both—creates a more fluid boundary between work and life; that freedom not only makes for happier employees, but also breeds a more content atmosphere at the office.

In many ways, allowing employees to work from home or another location can be unnerving. It may not be right for everyone, but even allowing something as small as one day per month spent working from home can demonstrate that you care about your worker’s lives beyond the time they spend in a cubicle or at their desk.

Social Technology

Given that so much of our lives are spent at work, it’s vital to make that time as meaningful and pleasant as possible. Social networks have a reputation as time-wasters, but an internal platform such as Yammer or Google Business allows employees to connect more easily to one another, as coworkers on a project.

By making it easier to communicate, you will improve the overall workflow of the company in the long term. Productivity can even improve since simple messages and questions can be communicated so quickly and easily. Further, with a more accessible social environment, the workplace gains a sense of camaraderie, which is vital to success when you’re spending so much time together.

Health

Traditionally, businesses didn’t involve themselves in their employees’ lives outside of the 9-to-5 workday. Today’s workplace has a broader scope—with staff members so invested in their jobs, modern companies are recognizing the value of returning that investment. Even seemingly tiny actions, such as filling vending machines with healthy snack options, shows that you care about more than your bottom line.

To go beyond the basics, consider offering a discounted gym membership, or providing flu shots. In contributing to your employees’ health, you will gain more fit and energized workers, and will likely see a decrease in the amount of sick days taken. From both a professional and personal standpoint, it’s a smart thing to do.

The human face of business

Making small improvements to the workplace has big returns. When you value your employees as people, they value you as an employer, and they appreciate the company for considering them as more than just cogs in a machine. Little steps will go a long way, so implement them early this year for a more productive and more content 2013.

Helpmates Staffing has worked with Southern California companies and its candidates for more than 40 years, providing highly qualified talent with leadership capabilities for companies like yours. Contact Helpmates today to learn more about what we can do for your management team and company culture.