So what are they? And how can you avoid them? Here’s a look 6:

Mistake #1. You immediately discount imperfect positions.

This is where if they job description doesn’t sound completely ideal, then you immediately disregard it. However, look at the big picture. For instance, if the company posting the job has a terrific reputation as a generous employer, then it could be a huge boon to your career to get your foot in the door there – even if the position is less than perfect. Just look at Carly Fiorinia, former CEO of Hewlitt-Packard. She started her business career as a secretary, even though she had an undergraduate degree from Stanford.

Mistake #2. You ignore Northwest temporary jobs.

The same goes for temporary jobs in the Northwest. If it’s with a great employer, and you’re not doing anything at the moment other then sending out resumes and sitting by your phone, then it can’t hurt to take on some temp work.

Mistake #3. You don’t check your references.

Only give out references after you’ve spoken with them and let them know a company representative will be contacting them. Also, while it’s ok to offer one reference from a colleague, also offer two or more from managers as well. Colleagues don’t hold as much weight with employers as managers do.

Mistake #4. You use your work email on your resume.

If you’re looking for a job, and you’re still employed, don’t use your work email. This sends the message that you have no problem using an employer’s systems or equipment for personal use. In other words, it says you’re dishonest.

Mistake #5. You don’t research yourself online.

A potential employer is most likely going to Google or Bing you. So do it first, and deal with any negative information before applying for Northwest jobs. Clean up where you can, set your social media profiles to private, and if there’s something negative about you that you didn’t post, ask the person who posted it to take it down. If they refuse, contact the company directly.

Mistake #6. You think it’s all about you.

Your job search is about you to a certain degree. After all, you want to find a rewarding and well-paying job you enjoy. However, it’s also about the employer and what you can do for them if they hire you. So when applying for Northwest jobs, focus on how you can help an employer streamline processes, save money, or enjoy some other kind of valuable benefit.

And if you’d like some more help finding a new job, give us a call. As one of the top employment firms in the Northwest, we work with leading organizations throughout the region and can give you access to a variety of opportunities. Search for Northwest jobs now.

The good news is that, as one of the top staffing services firms in Spokane, Washington, we know that creating an employee handbook isn’t rocket science. There are a few steps you can take to streamline the process, while also ensuring your employees have access to the information they need.

Here’s a look:

Step #1: Use clear language.

Some employers have a tendency to write out their employee manuals as complex legal documents, only decipherable by highly trained attorneys. The problem with this is that the handbook is for your employees – and unless your company is a law firm, this approach won’t get you anywhere. So be succinct and use everyday language.

Step #2: Include policy information first.

Most questions from employees typically revolve around policy issues – like health care benefits, holidays the office is closed, vacation and bereavement time, sick leave, and payroll procedures. So put that information first so it’s easy to access.

Step #3: Communicate your expectations.

Use your handbook to outline important work rules, such as rules of conduct, dress code, terms of probation or termination, and policies relating to electronic communications and confidential information. Although most employees don’t like to read about causes for termination, it’s much worse for you if you don’t inform them of your expectations, before an issue arises. In addition, employees come from a variety of work environments and it’s important to define your standards to ensure consistency in your particular work environment.

Step #4: Don’t forget the legal stuff.

Use your employee handbook as the place to put important legal information, such as how to file a complaint and the company’s policies on sexual harassment, discrimination, and workplace violence. You may want to work with your attorney or an HR expert in order to iron out the details.

Step #5: Don’t let fear of forgetting a detail stop you.

Keep in mind that your handbook is a work in progress; it will go through many changes in the future, but you have to start somewhere to get anywhere.

And if you need help creating your employee handbook, give us a call. As one of the top staffing services firms in Spokane, Washington, we can take some of the hassle out of your staffing and HR duties, so you can focus on running your company.

While many of these can be easy to weed out through effective hiring and screening techniques, sometimes a bad candidate makes it through the process and winds up on your payroll.

In certain cases, the situation can be rectified with proper training and performance management strategies; however, often times, a bad hiring decision results in lost productivity and lower morale, while also increasing your cost of doing business. That’s why it’s so important to spot a sub-par performer early on – so you can take steps to rectify the situation and keep your team moving forward.

To help you, here are some signs of trouble:

They have a bad attitude.

Starting a new job is a stressful experience. So if your new hire seems a little stressed during the first few days on the job, don’t take it to heart. But when they seem personally insulted when you ask them to take on a project or perform a certain task, then you’ve got problems.

You can start off by talking to them. Make him or her aware of their attitude with specific examples. Sometimes being made aware of their attitude is enough to induce better behavior in the future.

They don’t ask any questions.

This can mean a variety of things:

• They’re in over their heads and don’t even know what to ask.
• They don’t care that much.
• They’re not good communicators.
• They’re afraid of looking silly.
• They think they have all the answers.

Any way you slice it, it’s not good. To deal with this situation, strongly encourage your new hire to ask questions. Pair him or her up with a company veteran who you think is a good match for them personality-wise. Your new employee may simply feel more comfortable asking a co-worker for answers rather than the boss.

They’re disrespectful.

You need your team to operate as a well-oiled machine that delivers positive results. But when one of those components is nasty to another or treats a co-worker or subordinate with disrespect it can upset your operations. Not only can it result in reduced morale and infighting, but if the new employee is acting in a harassing or discriminatory way, it can result in a claim against your company. That’s why it’s so important to deal with this issue immediately.

Schedule a private conversation with the new employee and offer specific examples of the bad behavior, making it crystal clear that it won’t be tolerated.

In the future, if you’d like some assistance in hiring for your company, let us know. As one of the top staffing agencies in the Northwest, we know how to attract top candidates and what red flags to look out for that indicate a poor performer. Get started now.

1. Research possible locations.

If you know you really need to move in order to get a good job, don’t just randomly select a location. Put some thought into it. Just because a city has a lot of opportunity in one area or industry, doesn’t mean it has a lot of opportunity in your field. So do some research ahead of time and select cities where you think you can truly advance your career.

2. Reach out to your network.

Once you know the areas you’re interested in, then reach out to anyone you know who lives in those cities. Not only will they be able to offer you plenty of tips and advice on the economy there, as well as the top employers, but they can also keep their eyes open for any job leads.

3. Let employers know you will pay relocation costs.

Some employers do pay for relocation costs if you have skills that are highly specialized or in high demand. However, if you don’t, then prospective employers will only see dollar signs when they look at your resume. So be upfront about the fact that you will not only pay for the cost to relocate, but also pay for travel costs if you score an interview.

4. Get a local phone number.

If you have one particular city you know you want to move to, get a new cell phone for that area with a local number. Prospective employers will be more willing to call you as a result.

5. Include your target move date on your resume.

Employers are always wary of hiring people outside the area. They’re fearful you’ll change your mind at the last minute. To assuage those fears, include a target move date if you have one. That way, they will know you’re serious about moving.

6. Register with local employment agencies.

Employment agencies can be especially helpful if you’re conducting a job search from afar. They can offer you a lot of valuable insight into the local job market, as well as information about job opportunities that may not be advertised.

And if you’re hoping to move to Spokane, Washington, give us a call. Since 1994, Provisional has placed over 6,000 direct-hire professionals in jobs in Spokane, Washington – and we can help you too. Contact us today to learn more.

But the week doesn’t have to be a total wash. You can get work done if you take the right approach. Here’s how:

Set a good example.

If you want your employees to actually get stuff done, then you have to do the same. You’re the manager, after all, and your employees will follow your lead. So if you take extra long lunches and leave early everyday, expect your employees to want to do the same.

Be flexible.

That said, understand that employees minds are elsewhere this week and that they may have a lot of family obligations to attend to. So be more flexible. For instance, close the office at 3 pm, rather than 5 pm each day.

Set goals and offer rewards.

Set specific goals for your employees and offer a reward for achieving those goals. For instance, if they get X, Y and Z done, they can have a ½ day on Friday.

Get the “housework” done.

Use the week to have your employees get the less important, but still necessary, tasks done, like cleaning out file cabinets, purging email inboxes, and tidying up workspaces.

Don’t start important new projects.

The week when half the staff is gone is not the time to be starting new and important projects. Instead, wait until after the New Year, when your company is fully staffed.

As one of Spokane, Washington’s top staffing firms, we know you need to face the fact that the holidays probably won’t be your company’s most productive time. But if you expect that each year, and follow the steps above, you can still get work done without feeling like a complete Scrooge.

However, if you’re like most people, you fall into the former category, not the latter – and prepping for a performance review can be stressful.

But rather than dreading your review, look at it an opportunity to improve performance and strengthen your position within the company. Here’s how:

Keep an open mind.

Even if you’ve done a great job, you’re not perfect. Therefore, your boss will probably have some constructive feedback to offer you. If he or she does, take it with an open mind. Don’t get defensive and dismissive. Instead, view it as an opportunity to shore up your weaknesses and build on your successes in the future.

Prove your worth.

Before your performance review, put together a summary of accomplishments and goals you’ve met throughout the year. Give specific, concrete examples of how you’ve contributed in a positive way to your company. Toot your own horn a little bit. Your boss may not know about every piece of positive client feedback you’ve gotten, or an instance when you put out a fire with some quick thinking, so now’s the time to show how you’ve gone above and beyond.

Demonstrate growth.

If in your last performance review, your boss pointed out a weak spot, then be prepared to show how you’ve overcome it throughout the course of the year.

Be proactive.

If you know areas where you need to improve, then develop a plan for how to overcome those issues and meet expectations before you go into the meeting. Your boss will be impressed with your proactive nature and likely relieved that you’re already aware of your weaknesses.

Avoid nasty surprises.

As one of Coeur d’Alene’s top employment agencies, we know there’s nothing worse than going into a performance review thinking it will be a positive experience, and then walking away stunned due to all the negative feedback your boss gave you.

To avoid this kind of situation, seek input from your boss throughout the year. Check in with him or her periodically; offer a status report on your progress and ask for thoughts or feedback. Use that as a guide to address – and hopefully overcome – any shortcomings before your performance review.

Despite his “Bad Steve” side, it’s no wonder that many managers look to emulate Jobs given his wild success. If you’re one of them, though, you may want to think again. As one of the top staffing services firms in the Northwest, we know that those nastier traits could have a swift and significantly negative impact on your company in the form of:

• High Turnover – You might be able to hire good employees, but if you don’t treat them with respect, then they will jump ship as soon as possible.
• A Bad Reputation – If you treat enough employees poorly, your company will develop a reputation as a bad employer. As a result, top talent won’t want to come work for you. In fact, they won’t even want to interview with you.
• Red Ink – Being a bad boss can seriously hurt your bottom line, whether you’re a non-profit that depends on donations, a consumer product company that sells to the public, or a B2B service oriented company that depends on good employees to get the job done.

Of all the mission-critical tasks your company is faced with, the most important is hiring the right people; that is, being able to hire them. And if you treat employees badly, and develop a reputation as such, then you won’t be able to attract good candidates and hire good employees. Instead, the best people will go to work for your competitors.

At this point, you’re probably thinking that Steve Jobs and Apple had no problem hiring good people. Yet, Jobs was kind of a genius. He had an uncanny ability to sell people on his ideas, be on the forefront of innovation, and make all the right decisions at all the right times.

Do you have those same abilities? Probably not.

So don’t try to be like him. Be yourself. Be a good boss. Be a good listener. Empower and motivate your employees. Make them feel good about working for you. You’ll reap the rewards and positive results in the end.

And if you need help with the hiring process – and finding great people to add to your team – let us know. As one of the top staffing services firms in the Northwest, we know how to source, screen, test, and verify candidates – all so you can make a terrific hiring decision. Contact us today to get started.

1. There’s less competition.

Many people stop looking for jobs in Spokane, Washington during the holidays because they’re too busy or don’t want to deal with the stress of the job search during the holidays. As a result, there’s less competition.

2. There are plenty of networking opportunities.

If you’re like most, you’ll be attending your fair share of parties. These are great opportunities for networking. Obviously, your first order of business at a holiday party is to socialize and have fun – not grill your family members, friends or neighbors about job leads – but keeping your job search in mind could result in some valuable connections being made. So be sure to bring business cards with your contact information to all the parties you attend.

3. Hiring managers are working on next year’s budget.

The end of the year is a great time to get in front of hiring managers. They’re likely finishing up the hiring budget for next year and once the New Year arrives, may have funds available to make new hires. In addition, hiring managers sometimes have to fill openings early in the year or face losing the money altogether that’s set aside for the position.

4. Hiring managers need to exhaust this year’s budget.

On the other hand, some companies have money left over that they must spend before the end of the year. Hiring managers may also want to make a hiring decision before the end of the year so they can begin the New Year full staffed.

5. Take advantage of the end-of-year giving mood.

For much of the year, hiring managers are trying to stem the tide of resumes and job hunters that come their way. At the end of the year, though, that tide has typically thinned and some may be in a more giving mood – making it a perfect time for you to reach out to them.

If you’re a job seeker in search of jobs in Spokane, Washington, give us a call. We work with some of the leading employers in Spokane, and the Northwest, and can give you access to a variety of rewarding opportunities. Contact us today!

But as one of the top Northwest staffing agencies, we’re actually quite optimistic about the future.

We see the many challenges we’re facing as opportunities, rather than problems. We still have a variety of clients who come to us every day in search of help with recruiting and hiring. Likewise, we have a multitude of job candidates who walk through our doors each week, in search of help finding a rewarding job opportunity.

While things certainly have changed – more and more companies are looking for more strategic and flexible staffing options, for instance – the more they stay the same. In 2011, companies still need to find good employees, and job candidates still want to land good jobs.

And when they come to us to help with those challenges, we are always grateful.

As one of the top Northwest staffing agencies, we love what we do and we are passionate about it. Whether it’s filling a last-minute temporary administrative need, sourcing skilled professionals for a mission critical position, or locating job openings that fit our candidates’ backgrounds and lives, we are committed to getting the job done and exceeding expectations.

So to our clients and candidates, we just want to say “thank you.”

Thank you for turning to us when you need help hiring or finding work, thank you to being open to our suggestions and recommendations, and thank you for giving us the opportunity to do what we love.

Happy Thanksgiving!

If you spend all your time at work, and little time doing or thinking about anything else, then the answer could very well be “yes.”

And if that’s the case for you, you’re certainly not alone. As one of the leading staffing and employment firms in Spokane, Washington, we know that in today’s economy, more and more Americans are becoming workaholics. This is due to many different factors, one obviously being that they feel pressured to do more with less – including work more hours and take on more responsibility – at their companies.

However, some people would be workaholics regardless of the state of the economy. And while they may climb the corporate ladder faster, they could also burn out quicker and hurt their careers in the process.

So are you a workaholic, or just a hard worker? Here are some signs of workaholism.

• You think about work all the time.
• You only want to talk “shop,” even at social engagements.
• You take work with you on vacation and to bed.
• You don’t understand people who have priorities other than work.
• You can’t delegate tasks; you must remain in control.
• You live to work.

If these signs sound familiar, then it may be time for a change. Otherwise, if you continue your workaholic ways, then you could put yourself at increased risk for stress and health-related problems.

To help you achieve more balance in your life, you should:

Delegate more.

Workaholics have a hard time delegating because they have issues with control. However, realize that there are other people within your company that are competent and can take on certain tasks if you let them.

Carve out personal time.

You don’t have any issues scheduling work-related meetings and events. So treat your personal time the same way. Schedule it in and stick to setting aside a certain amount of time each week to doing something that is not work related.

Turn off your phone.

With today’s technology, it can be hard to completely disconnect from work. But it’s critically important to do so in order to attain a more balanced life. So commit to turning your cell phone off between certain times and instead, focus on your family or other activities you enjoy.

If part of your workaholism is due to a high-stress job, or an understaffed company, give us a call. As one of the leading staffing and employment firms in Spokane, Washington, we can give you access to the top jobs – and the top job candidates – in and around the city.