Provisional Blog

You’ve gone through countless resumes, conducted numerous interviews, and now you have a candidate in mind you want to hire. But negotiating with them can get tricky – and if the process is not handled properly, your offer may be rejected. So what can you do to ensure negotiations go smoothly? Here are a few factors to consider:

Salary
Be competitive. Do a little digging and find out what other companies are paying people in similar positions.

In addition, if a candidate is not happy with the initial offer, even if it’s in line with their salary history, ask them why. Perhaps they received an annual bonus that bumped up their salary.

Benefits
Make sure the candidate looks at other benefits, not just the base salary, including health insurance, retirement plans, vacation time, and stock options.

Job Title
Some people could care less about their job title, while for others, it’s a symbol of their success and status.

Relocation
If you need a candidate to relocate, you may want to consider paying for the cost of the move as well as any temporary housing they may need until they get established. Otherwise, the candidate may balk at the idea of relocating – especially if they have a family.

Hours
Being upfront about the number of hours you expect the candidate to work is important, especially if they will need to be available in the evening and on weekends.

Communication
Make the offer in such a way as to focus on the opportunity, not just the compensation. If the candidate was interested in a particular kind of project or work atmosphere, emphasize how well the available position matches that.

If you need help negotiating with a candidate – or help with any other part of the recruiting and hiring process – please contact Provisional. As the premier specialized recruiting and staffing firm serving the Washington and Northern Idaho marketplaces, we know how to find and hire great candidates.

As a leading job placement agency in Seattle (and an employer ourselves), we see the same kinds of tired cover letters and resumes over and over again. But in order to land a job you love, you have to set yourself apart from the masses. Here’s how:

1. Stand out.
Rather than submitting the same form cover letter that everyone else is sending in, write something that is uniquely you. Be professional, but at the same time, be bold. Don’t try to blend in or you’ll get lost in the crowd.

2. Look to advertising.
Not sure how to make yourself stand out? Then flip through magazine ads and read your junk mail. What kinds of statements and information grab your attention? Use these power words and power phrases in your cover letter.

3. Use “you,” not “I”.
Unfortunately, many job seekers tend to focus too much on their experience and accomplishments, instead of taking it a step further and discussing how those attributes can help a potential employer. For instance, “My 10 years of experience as a bookkeeper will help to eliminate accounting headaches for you.”

4. Keep it simple.
In today’s day and age, everyone’s on information overload, including potential employers. So, to make life easier for them, keep your cover letter and resume simple. Don’t use words that they’re going to need to look up in a dictionary. Also, keeping it simple means keeping it short. So say what you want to say in the clearest, most concise manner possible.

5. Be passionate.
Oftentimes, cover letters can seem too distant, like the candidate doesn’t really care too much whether they get the job or not. So put some enthusiasm in your letter. You don’t want to go overboard and seem desperate, but at the same time, you want to make an impact.

If you’re trying to refine your resume and cover letter before sending it out, or if you’re already searching for a job opportunity in the Seattle area, Provisional can help. As job placement experts, we can match you with a rewarding opportunity in a field such as healthcare, accounting, legal, office, or technical.

Many companies today aren’t strategic when it comes to their most valuable asset – their people. Instead, they are reactive, waiting until the sky is falling before taking any action.

But to succeed in today’s business environment, developing a staffing strategy is key to operational efficiency and adaptability. When used effectively, it can make life easier for you – helping you to manage your workload, meet goals, and fill in gaps in your workforce.

Here’s how developing a staffing strategy can impact your company:

Boosts productivity.
Let temporary employees, not your core staff, handle administrative and low priority activities.

Helps you meet increases in demand.
Hiring for what could be a brief spike can be risky, but so is losing sales because you couldn’t fulfill orders. Consider using temporary employees to meet the rise in demand without committing to more permanent hires.

Helps you prepare for anticipated peaks.
From busy seasons to holidays, you know when demand rises. Hiring extra temporary help during those times only can help you improve flexibility and productivity – without increasing overhead.

Allows you to easily tap into skilled talent.
Bringing in someone with specific experience or specialized skills can save you time and money by shortening the learning curve for a new process.

Lets you fill gaps in your workforce.
Relieve the stress of employee absences by bringing in temporary support in cases of illness, maternity leave, or vacation.

Strategic staffing can actually bring stability to your workforce by easing the stress of rises in demand, while still allowing you to operate in a lean manner. In fact, a good staffing strategy can help you do more with less!

If you’re interested in developing a strategic staffing strategy for your company, contact Provisional. As a leading staffing agency serving Seattle and Spokane, we can deliver the support and expertise you need – when you need it – while helping you avoiding the expense and problems caused by overstaffing.

Having trouble finding qualified professionals? Need more flexibility in your workforce? Dealing with a high rate of turnover? Trying to manage too much overhead?

Most employers face these problems at one time or another. But by working with a reputable Seattle staffing firm, you can overcome these issues and build a stronger business. Here’s how:

Problem #1: Lack of qualified talent.
Solution: Develop a great network.

Most staffing firms, like Provisional, develop relationships with professionals who excel in their career fields. As a result, they can provide you with access to a large pool of well-qualified employees with a variety of skills from throughout Seattle and the Northwest.

Problem #2: High turnover.
Solution: Hire a staffing firm to search deeper.

Hiring someone who isn’t a fit can be stressful and expensive. But quality staffing firms spend the time necessary to source, screen, and evaluate a variety of candidates. You’ll wind up with an employee you can depend on, without having to spend the time and energy finding and interviewing people.

Problem #3: Not enough flexibility.
Solution: Tap into the power of flexible staffing.

Do you ever feel overstaffed or understaffed? If you do, you’re not alone. But if your business needs are fluctuating, then why is your workforce staying steady?

Flexible staffing can give you access to the temporary employees you need to take on a big new project or deal with an increase in demand. On the flip side, when demand dips, temporary employees can be easily released and you only have to meet payroll for your core group of permanent employees.

Problem #4: Too much overhead.
Solution: Use temporary employees.

By using temporary employees, you can convert fixed expenses to variable since you’re only pay for temporaries when you need them. You can also reduce or even completely eliminate the amount of overtime your permanent employees work. In addition, you can reduce the cost of benefits since temporary employees receive benefits from the temporary staffing agency – not from your company.

Interested in learning more about how a staffing company can help you overcome these – and other – common business problems? Contact Provisional today.

You get up at 5 am. Check your email. Get the kids ready for school. Exercise. Go to work. Put out fires. Skip lunch. Go to meetings. Get home late. Help with homework. And then do it all over again the next day.

Sound familiar? From Seattle to Spokane to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, it seems like we’re all busier than ever and, as a result, it’s becoming harder and harder to juggle personal and professional lives. But there is a better way. Here are some tips for achieving balance in your life:

Determine what really matters to you.

Figure out your priorities by asking yourself some questions:

• If you could focus on one thing in your life and one thing only, what would it be? (Think job, family, friends, faith, hobbies, community service, etc.)
• What would the second thing be?
• The third?

And so on until you have a list of your top five priorities.

Whenever you’re engaged in one of these priorities – whether it’s career, family or personal – focus totally on it. Don’t think about all the laundry that’s piling up at home while you’re trying to prepare for a meeting, or about next week’s performance review when you’re spending time with your kids.

Eliminate unnecessary activities.

Now that you have a concrete list of your priorities, you may realize that you’re spending too much time on unimportant activities – like watching TV or surfing the web. Drop or cut back on the activities that aren’t on your priorities list because they are keeping you away from what matters most.

Take some private time.

You probably wouldn’t skip work because you didn’t have time. Nor would you miss a parent-teacher conference because it got in the way of your schedule. Your private time should be just as protected. Making time for yourself can lead to greater satisfaction and productivity in both your personal life and your work life.

Accept help.

We all need to rely on others at one time or another. Don’t make yourself feel guilty for relying on your spouse, family, co-workers, or friends to help you succeed.

Plan time for fun.

Fun and relaxation are an important part of a well-balanced life. So make time for those hobbies that are important to you, whether it’s working out, going out with friends, or taking a guitar lesson.

Achieving a better work life balance isn’t rocket science. All it takes is some careful planning and focusing on what matters most.

What about you? Has there been anything you’ve done lately to achieve a more balanced life? Please share your thoughts below.

The team that you build will play a huge role in the success or failure of your organization. So how can you go about developing a team that will yield positive results? As one of the Northwest’s leading employment firms, Provisional can offer you the following tips and insight to get you started.

Evaluate your current team.

To improve success, first you have to measure the current effectiveness of your team. This will serve as a benchmark for the development of the team. There are two ways to do this:

• Ask members of your team what they think the team’s strengths and weaknesses are.

OR

• If you want to maintain confidentiality, then have team members anonymously complete a worksheet evaluating the team.

Imagine your vision for a successful team.

Use your imagination to envision the most successful and cohesive team. Think about factors such as the team’s priorities and desired results, as well as your own priorities and desired results. Then schedule a time to meet with your team members to allow them to brainstorm their vision of the most successful team.

Create a plan of action.

Your action plan breaks down your vision into a list of your goals and how you will go about achieving those goals. Keep in mind that the goals and actions on this list need to be specific, measurable, and attainable.

Make sure you’re communicating your plan clearly.

Not everyone receives information the same way. Just because one way works for you, doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for your entire team. Some people hear information better, while others are more visual and have to see it. So be sure to use a variety of methods when communicating with your team. Also, ask for feedback from your team members on how you communicate.

Follow up on your plan.

Remind your team members of the vision you see for your team and check in with them frequently about their progress achieving that vision. Also, if a certain part of your action plan isn’t working out, then be open to evaluating it and working with your team to understand why it’s not working and how you can make modifications.

Team building takes some time and energy. But by investing those resources, you can help take your team to the next level.

If you’re looking to add members to your team, Provisional can help. As a staffing firm serving the Northwest, we can help you find and retain high quality employees that will become productive members of your team. Contact us today to learn more.

Using temporary employees is a great way to improve productivity without increasing your overhead. However, as with any new hire, there are ways you can maximize their contributions and ensure that they hit the ground running. Here’s how:

Know what you want.
Before using temporary employees, have a clear set of expectations in mind. Create a list of the tasks to be performed, the skills required, and the results you expect. Also, if you’re working with a staffing agency, make sure they understand and communicate those expectations to the temporary employees.

Prepare your staff.
Clearly explain to your full-time staff why you are using temporary employees. The last thing you want is for your core staff to view the temporaries as a threat. Open communication is the best way to encourage cooperation.

Provide an orientation.
Make sure that temporary employees feel welcome on their first day. Prepare their workspace before they arrive and know what you want them to accomplish each day. Also, give them a tour of your facility. Be sure to introduce them to the people they’ll be working with and to the on-site supervisors who can answer any questions they might have.

Communicate frequently.
Check in with temporary employees regularly to ensure they understand what they’re supposed to be doing.

Create a positive work environment.
Invite temporary employees to regular team meetings, parties, and events that occur while they’re on the job so they feel included.

Give feedback.
Let your staffing agency know about a temporary employee’s job performance. If the employee is doing a great job, then you may want to request them again in the future. If the temporary employee is doing a poor job, then notify your staffing agency immediately to request a replacement.

If you’re interested in using temporary employees to boost productivity, please contact Provisional Staffing. As the premier recruiting and staffing agency serving the Washington and Northern Idaho marketplaces, we can find and deliver the quality temporary employees you need for positions in Accounting & Finance, Law, Healthcare, Administration, and IT.

Layoffs. Cost cutting. Hiring freezes. They all have the same negative impact on employee morale. However, slowdowns may actually provide an ideal opportunity to fix what’s broken and emerge stronger than ever from the recession. Here are five strategies that can help:

#1. Set the tone among your staff.
You don’t want rumors running rampant in the office. So be as honest as possible with employees about where the company stands. Explain both the challenges and opportunities that will be faced in the near future. Always try to be as reassuring and transparent as possible.

#2. Get your employees involved in problem solving.
Make sure your employees understand how their individual jobs connect to the bigger picture. Then ask them for feedback and help in reducing inefficiencies, cutting costs, and increasing profits.

Engaging your employees in this way will help them to feel more invested in the company. Plus, since they’re on the front lines everyday, they may be able to offer you a more accurate idea of what’s working and what’s not in their individual departments or positions.

#3. Hire top talent.
For some companies, hiring is out of the question right now. But for others, the recession is an ideal time to hire since there are more qualified employees on the job market than ever before. However, don’t make the mistake of thinking you can recruit A-level talent at a B-level salary. If you do, as soon as the economy picks up, that talent will be out the door, in search of greener pastures.

#4. Keep critical talent happy.
Sometimes it’s easy to fall into the mindset that employees are happy to just have a job during a recession. But the reality is that cuts, freezes, and layoffs may cause some of your critical talent to look for opportunities elsewhere. So it’s important to keep them happy – whether it’s through a promotion, bonus, or employee recognition program.

#5. Seek out new opportunities.
A recession may not sound like the best time to take on new initiatives, but if you’re going to emerge from the slowdown in a stronger position, you need to remain competitive.

So look for situations where your competition is unable to address customer needs and enlist your employees to go after those customers. Or ask staff members to spend some time now to research and develop new products or services. Even if you can’t afford to launch anything at the moment, doing the legwork now will reduce the time to market later. In addition, employees will feel energized and reassured by these plans for growth.

If you’re searching for additional strategies for managing employees in a downturn, please contact Provisional. As the Northwest’s leader in specialized recruiting and staffing services, we have plenty of tips and advice we can offer related to effective employee management techniques. We can also help you recruit high quality talent for your company.

Attending job fairs can sometimes seem unproductive. You come prepared with a stack of neatly printed resumes, readily answering every question potential employers ask you. And yet, you’re still sitting by the phone waiting for an offer, or at least an interview.

So how can you improve your job fair performance? Here are some tips:

Tip #1. Do your homework.
Get a list of the companies who will be attending and do some research beforehand. Hone in on the companies you would most like to interview with and make sure you go to their website and read about who they are and what they do. Don’t waste your time interviewing with companies you don’t want to work for.

Tip #2. Dress for success.
This should be a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised by the number of candidates who attend job fairs dressed inappropriately. So two words: Business suit. You can’t go wrong in a suit. Plus, it’s better to be overdressed, rather than underdressed.

Tip #3. Bring enough resumes.
Count on handing out at least two resumes for each company that interests you, plus bring some extras, just in case. Also, if there are different positions for which you qualify, make sure you have multiple versions of your resume. For example, if you’re in sales, bring resumes for positions as both a sales associate and a sales manager.

Tip #4. Create a plan of attack.
This step goes hand in hand with the research step. Once you have a list of companies you want to interview with, find out where each is located at the job fair. Decide who you want to interview with first, second, etc. You may want to interview with your top choices for employment in the morning, then stop back at the end of the day to thank them for their time.

Also, be sure to check to see if any new companies have registered that you’re interested in. You don’t want to miss out on any exciting opportunities.

Tip #5. Make a great impression.
You only have a few minutes to make a great impression. So be prepared with your “30- to 60-second commercial.” This way, when a potential employer asks you to “tell me about yourself,” you’ll know exactly what you want to say to position your skills in the best possible light.

Also avoid common interview pitfalls, such as chewing gum, not making eye contact, and fidgeting. Once the interview is complete, be sure to have some questions prepared to ask the interviewer.

Tip #6. Network with others.
Job fairs are all about networking. Obviously, you want to network with the decision makers and recruiters at companies you’d like to work for. But it’s also important to network with other candidates. They may have tips for job leads and could be a great referral source for you in the future.

Tip #7. Make sure you follow up.
Send a thank you note or email to the person you interviewed with the following day. In your note or email, restate your qualifications and reiterate your interest in the position. Also enclose or attach another copy of your resume.

As a leading employment agency in Spokane, WA, Provisional knows what employers are looking for during job fair interviews. If you’re searching for a job and need helping preparing for a job fair, please contact Provisional today.

In today’s economy, your company needs to be lean and mean in order to survive. So without busting your budget, how can you ensure you’re getting the most out of your employees? Simple. Through performance management.

As a leading employment firm in Seattle, Washington, we’ve developed seven tips to help you manage employee performance at your organization:

1. Build relationships.
Talk to your employees often. Make sure they know that your door is always open if they’re having any issues. Empathize with your employees experiencing difficulty and help them to take positive action. This will build trust and increase the flow of information.

2. Schedule regular performance reviews.
Whenever you hire a new employee, you should explain the details of the performance review process ahead of time. Don’t blindside them by springing a review on them without any advance notice. Simply schedule a meeting ahead of time and even share your proposed conversation agenda with them so they can prepare.

3. Make feedback a natural part of the job.
While performance reviews are important, the fact of the matter is that most employees hate them. To take the edge off, make giving feedback a regular and natural activity at your company.

4. Be honest with your employees.
Always be upfront and honest with your employees. No one wants to walk around wondering what the boss is really thinking. Honesty inspires loyalty and respect.

5. Reward great performance.
When you see an employee doing an exceptional job, tell them. Celebrate successes both large and small. Positive reinforcement can work wonders when it comes to motivating employees.

6. Tackle discipline issues ASAP.
On the flip side, it’s important to tackle any discipline issues immediately. If an employee is engaging in unacceptable behavior, it’s important to speak with them about it right away. You may even want to consider issuing a formal warning letter for their personnel file.

7. Inspire a positive work environment.
When it comes to attitude, employees take their lead from you. That’s why it’s important to promote a positive and energetic work environment. Support your employees and teach them to do the same for each other. The result will be a consistently happier and more successful workplace.

Good performance management helps you to evaluate, reward, and inspire your employees. If you’re interested in developing a performance management plan, please contact Provisional Staffing today.