In fact, more and more small and mid-size businesses are streamlining their staffing & HR functions by outsourcing  hiring, firing, and/or benefits administration tasks to staffing firms, like Provisional.

Why?

Because they’re hoping to save money in the process. According to a recent poll by the Society of Human Resource Management, 26% of companies cited saving money as the main reason for outsourcing.

So besides cost savings, what are some other benefits outsourcing your staffing and HR responsibilities can offer you?

Get More Bang for Your Buck.

When you outsource staffing and HR, you get more value. Instead of paying one internal person to handle these tasks, you pay a firm that can offer you access to a whole team of staffing and HR experts.

Reduce Your Liability.

A Northwest staffing firm is going to be up to date on the latest legislation and regulations, along with what’s coming down the pike, so you don’t have to be. When it comes to hiring, they can make sure you’re in compliance with employment laws, healthcare laws, and other HR-related government regulations that can impact your business. This is a particularly valuable benefit considering the staggering number of laws businesses must comply with.

Increase Your Productivity.

It’s hard to handle your daily priorities when you have to spend a lot of time on recruiting and hiring. But when you work with a Northwest staffing firm, they can handle all the recruiting and hiring work, so you can get more done.

Ready to Say Good-Bye to Your Staffing Hat?

If you are, let Provisional know. As one of the leading Northwest staffing agencies, we can handle all your recruiting and staffing challenges, so you can focus on running your business. Contact Provisional today to learn more.

About the Research

The data is based on two surveys conducted by organizational psychologists at the London Business School and the University of North Carolina of 146 MBA students and 208 job seekers. In it, researchers asked participants to rate responses to statements such as:

• “It’s important for an employer to see me as I see myself, even if it means bringing people to recognize my limitations;”
• And “I like to be myself rather than trying to act like someone I’m not.”

The research found that those people who were more candid about their strengths and skills – along with their limitations – ended up in jobs they were better suited for.

So What Does This Mean for You in Your Job Search?

As one of the leading employment firms in the Northwest, Provisional knows that these findings may be counter-intuitive to what you have been told in the past: that you need to create a solely positive – and sometimes inaccurate – image in order to land a job. However, doing so can backfire if you get hired and can’t deliver on the skills and abilities you promised during an interview.

That said, you shouldn’t bring up every career failure, mistake, or setback you’ve ever endured. Or worse yet, badmouth a former boss, employer, or colleague. You can be both candid and professional without hurting your chances of getting hired. Just be honest and go with your gut. If the job requires a certain skill and you know you don’t have it, don’t pretend that you do.

Want Some More Tips & Advice for Your Job Search?

Let us know. As one of the leading employment firms in the Northwest, Provisional has been placing professionals with great companies for over 20 years.

Experience the Provisional difference today!

In fact, there have been several recent court cases regarding this very issue.

In one case, a female employee quit because a male colleague received a promotion she believed she was qualified for. The promotion was never advertised, so she wasn’t aware it existed. So she sued her former employer, alleging sexual discrimination.

The employer countered that there was no discrimination since she never applied for the job and therefore could not have been considered. But the court disagreed and said that she couldn’t have applied for the promotion because it wasn’t advertised and therefore she could in fact sue the employer over the missed opportunity (Culver v. CCL Label, No. 10-5353, 6th Cir., 2012). The female employee eventually lost the case, but not after her former employer spent a considerable sum of money defending itself against the initial legal action, along with a lengthy appeal process.

And to think, this could have all been avoided through one simple action – advertising the promotion.

As one of the leading Northwest staffing agencies, we can tell you that even though you’re not required by federal law to post opportunities for promotions, it’s really in your best interest to do so in order to avoid a potential legal claim. And remember, even if you’re innocent of any wrongdoing, the legal representation you’ll need to hire in order to prove it will get expensive…fast. But when you advertise a promotion – along with minimum job requirements – no one can sue you over a lost opportunity.

In addition, besides helping you avoid legal claims, posting all promotions just makes good business sense. Why? Because it demonstrates to your employees that you offer equal access to opportunity, enhancing employee morale and loyalty in the process.

The reason?

As one of Spokane, Washington’s top staffing firms, we know that over the past few years, many employees have been expected to work more hours, without getting paid more, in order to keep their companies afloat in a rough economy. And now some employees are striking back in the court of law, seeking payment for increased hours and/or more demanding responsibilities.

In fact, in 2011, the number of employees suing their employers under federal and state wage-and-hour laws increased by 32% since 2008.

And unfortunately, in the age of smart phones and tablets, it’s easier than ever for your employees to work overtime, without you really knowing it. What’s worse is that the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which governs wage and overtime, was written in 1938 – and seems vastly outdated for issues facing today’s working world.

So until new legislation is created or old legislation is cast out, what can you do to protect your company from a wage-and-hour lawsuit filed by an employee?

Here are some suggestions:

Make sure workers are classified properly.

The Department of Labor offers descriptions of job titles and duties to help ensure your workers are all properly classified as exempt or non-exempt employees. Other classifications include interns, trainees, volunteers, independent contractors, and temporary employees.

Create a policy regarding overtime and be sure to enforce it.

If part of your policy prohibits employees from working past certain hours, and you receive an email from one of them during those hours, then notify and reprimand the employee, and also document the violation. This documentation will be valuable if a lawsuit is ever filed.

Take note.

Don’t just blindly sign time sheets without looking through them. Make sure overtime hours are authorized. If they’re not, then notify the employee and again, be sure to document the violation.

The bottom line is that we live in a litigious society. So to ensure your company is well protected, it’s important to be pro-active, rather than simply hoping against hope that an employee lawsuit isn’t coming down the pike in the near future. And should you have any specific legal questions regarding overtime issues, be sure to consult with your attorney.

Job postings that ask for salary histories can seem a little invasive. It kind of feels like going on a first date with someone who asks to see your monthly bank statement before drinks are even served. As a result, you might be tempted to ignore the request altogether.

Unfortunately, though, doing so is a mistake. In fact, hiring managers have very specific reasons for asking about salary history – and when you submit an application without including yours (only if they request it), you’re basically telling them that you can’t follow directions.

So why do hiring managers want to know about past salaries?

Reason #1. You might be wary about offering your salary history because you don’t want to make the same amount as you did in your last Northwest job…you want to make more. This is normal. Hiring managers expect candidates to want a raise. They just need to make sure it’s reasonable and within the parameters of what they are prepared to offer a new hire.

Reason #2. In addition, hiring managers also want to see that your salary has been increasing gradually over the years. If it hasn’t been, or it’s dropped drastically without a good explanation (like you cut your hours back for a few years when you had small children at home), it’s a sign of a problem.

And what can you do to ensure you negotiate the best salary for your next job?

• Do your homework. It’s possible that in your last Northwest job, you made below fair market value. If you suspect that’s the case, then do some research to determine how much you should have been making. Then offer these numbers up as a benchmark during the salary negotiation process.
• Factor in benefits. When negotiating your salary, don’t forget to factor in benefits. For example, perhaps a prospective employer is offering you a bigger salary, but less total compensation than your last position. If that’s the case, then use that as leverage to negotiate an even bigger salary or more benefits.
• Don’t exaggerate. You might be tempted to inflate the salary history of your past Northwest jobs…but don’t do it. Potential employers can request W-2s from a former employer before finalizing a compensation package for you – and if you get caught in a lie, then you could lose out big time.

If you’d like additional assistance with your search for Northwest jobs, let us know. As one of the top employment agencies in the area, we’ve placed over 6,000 direct hire professionals with local companies since 1994. And we’d like to help place you too! Learn more now.

Great leaders do two things really well – they build relationships (with co-workers, subordinates, managers, clients, vendors, and industry connections) and they drive results (increase sales, cut costs, improve productivity, etc.).

With those two attributes in mind, here are 10 questions to ask candidates when you’re looking to hire for a leadership position:

1. Tell me about a time when you had to persuade a group of people to buy into your idea.
2. Describe a conflict you were involved in at work. How did you resolve the conflict?
3. When you have entered a new situation (new job, promotion, etc.) in the past, explain how you have gone about meeting and developing relationships with your new co-workers, supervisors, and subordinates.
4. What would your past employees/subordinates say about working for you?
5. Tell me about a time when your team faced a challenging outlook. How did you motivate them and rally their support?
6. What accomplishment are you most proud of? What was the process like in achieving it?
7. Tell me about a time when you failed as a leader. What happened and what did you learn?
8. Tell me about a time you faced an unexpected problem and how you solved it.
9. What do you think you can contribute to this position? And this company?
10. What are the most important values and traits you demonstrate as a leader?

Bonus Question:

• What is your definition of a leader?

If you’d like some additional help hiring leaders for your company, then let us know. As one of the top staffing agencies in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, we specialize in identifying, attracting, and recruiting top-tier professionals to create strategic management teams with the experience, vision, and character to improve business performance. Contact us today to learn more.

This is a big time saver for employers receiving hundreds or thousands of resumes for a single opening. However, as one of the top employment firms in Spokane, Washington, we know if you’re a job candidate, it can seem like you’re submitting your resume into a big black hole of uncertainty.

So what can do to make sure you make it past the tracking system, so a set of human eyes sees your resume?

The single best way is to make sure you’re applying for jobs in Spokane, Washington that you are actually qualified for. You’d be surprised at how many completely unqualified candidates apply to jobs online because “hey, you never know” and then become miffed when they never hear back.

If you are qualified, here are some additional tips to make sure you don’t get scanned out of the running by tracking software:

• Use keywords from the job description. For instance, if you’re applying for a retail management position, make sure your resume includes keywords like “retail” and “manage.”
• Use keywords from the company’s website. Are there certain words the company uses on their website to describe their mission, vision, and/or values? If so, try to include those in your resume. For instance, if their website states the company is committed to supporting the community through fundraising and volunteer work and you’ve done volunteer work in the past, then include that information in your resume.
• Keep the format of your resume simple and clear. That means no fancy fonts or cluttered type. Otherwise, you might confuse the tracking system.
• Don’t ever lie. Some scammers have gotten their resumes through tracking systems by including certain false credentials and keywords in white type. But most recruiters and hiring managers are aware of these tricks and you’ll only hurt your reputation if you get caught lying or doing something unethical.

And keep in mind that while the tips above can help you get past the first round of cuts, the very best way to ensure your resume gets in front of a human – and you land a job interview – is through a referral from an existing company employee or mutual colleague.

If you’d like some additional help finding out about jobs in Spokane, Washington, give us a call. As one of the city’s top employment firms, we can connect you with some of the leading employers and opportunities in the area.

But getting those top performers to come join your team isn’t as easy as posting an ad in the classifieds. You’ve got to take a targeted approach; one that focuses on helping you get the exact employee you want.

To help you, here are 9 ideas:

1. Get to know the kind of candidate you’re looking for (social media savvy Gen Y-er, extroverted sales producer, detail oriented administrative assistant, etc.), understand their needs, and appeal to those needs in your recruiting efforts.

2. Go outside the box when looking for talent. For instance, semi-retired workers, moms just returning to the workforce, veterans exiting the military, and career shifters are typically untapped pools of talent.

3. Put yourself in the shoes of your ideal candidate. Where would they hear about you? What message would appeal most to them?

4. Look for help from educational institutions. For instance, vocational and technical schools can give you access to new graduates with a variety of skills.

5. Put real employees in your recruiting ads. Everything you say about your company will be taken with a grain of salt by candidates. However, if you have a picture of an actual employee with comments about how great it is to work for your company, then you’re more likely to make a positive impression on candidates.

6. Focus on advantages. Don’t just list all the tasks and responsibilities the job entails; focus on the advantages of working for your company. Sell the opportunity.

7. Advertise in different places. Rather than advertising your job openings in the same places, consider different avenues. For instance, place recruitment messages in billings/invoices for customers.

8. Investigate offering a flexible work schedule. If you don’t currently offer benefits like flex time or telecommuting, you could be turning away an entire pool of potential talent who are more interested in working for companies that offer a flexible work schedule.

9. Work with one of the top staffing agencies in Spokane, Washington. Hiring just the right person for a position takes a lot of time, which you may not have at the moment. If that’s the case, then consider outsourcing the hiring process to a staffing agency. They can source, recruit, screen, interview, skill test and verify backgrounds on your behalf and then send you only the most qualified candidates from which to choose.

If you’re interested in learning more about how a staffing agency can help you, give us a call. Provisional Recruiting & Staffing Services has been a trusted source of quality personnel and staffing programs for over 15 years in the Inland Northwest. Learn more now.

Are you one of them? If you are, or you’re not sure, here are a few ideas to keep in mind:

Take full advantage of core benefits.

Are you fully funding your retirement plan? Are you taking advantage of company stock purchases? If you’re not, then you could be losing thousands of dollars and perhaps even delaying your retirement. To avoid this, be sure to maximize company matching benefits, for instance, and also increase your savings contribution to the maximum allowable contribution.

Another major core benefit to think about is your health insurance plan. You may be on auto-pilot when it comes to your plan, renewing it year after year, without reviewing it. However, your needs may have changed significantly since you joined the company and you could be losing money or leaving benefits on the table by choosing the same plan year after year. So make sure when it’s time for open enrollment, that you review and understand all of your options.

Don’t forget about free benefits.

Does your company offer free tuition, legal or financial services, adoption services, day care, or other programs or services typically offered as part of an employee assistance program? If they do, and you’re not taking advantage of those services, you could be spending thousands of extra dollars on services each year that you could get for free, or at a discounted rate, through your employer. To avoid doing so in the future, ask your HR department for a full list of company subsidized benefits and services. Sometimes employees don’t even realize all the benefits they have access to.

Understand all other benefits.

Whether or not to participate in voluntary benefits depends on your unique situation. For instance, you may have access to dental insurance through work. If you’re a single person in good health, then paying cash for dental care may actually cost you less. However, if you have three young children and a spouse to support, then purchasing dental care benefits could actually save you a ton of money in the long run. But, as one of the leading employment firms in the Northwest, we know it’s important to first understand all your benefits so you can make the wisest decision for you and your family.

Hiring mistakes.

A cheap hiring process will likely result in poor quality candidates. Therefore, your risk of making expensive hiring mistakes goes up dramatically.

Quality is overlooked.

When you’re hiring, especially for an important position, recruiting top-notch candidates is going to take some time and money. But when you’re trying to get the job done as inexpensively as possible, you won’t be able to reach them because you’ll be too focused on how much everything costs.

ROI isn’t considered.

Yes, it will cost you more upfront to hire a quality candidate. However, that candidate will most likely deliver a much higher return on investment in the form of better productivity and better results. Looking back, that expensive cost per hire will seem like a bargain.

Cost cutting turns top candidates off.

When you have second-rate recruitment materials, you’re sending the message – whether you realize it or not – that you’re trying to cut costs, which isn’t exactly going to entice top candidates to want to work for you.

Obviously, in a perfect world, you could spend all the time and money you need to find the best candidates. Unfortunately, in this world, that’s simply not the case. And cost needs to be considered when you’re hiring, otherwise you’d go broke in the process.

That said, to hire the best you do need to invest some resources. So if your boss is putting the pressure on you to cut costs, then demonstrate how current top performers are delivering high returns on investment. Hopefully, he or she will see that the investment will pay off in the end.

And if you’d like some help with your hiring process, let us know. As one of the leading staffing firms in Spokane, we’ve been matching specialized talent with great companies since 1994.

Learn more now about how we can help you find top talent.