Federal Government Contract Jobs Indianapolis

So much more than a Survey....The Importance of Feedback

Tuesday, December 27, 2011 by Karen Seketa

So, I was browsing Wikipedia and looked up the definition of feedback to see if it was consistent with the level of importance that we put on the survey feedback that we get here at That's Good HR. Here is the definition that I found:

"Feedback describes the situation when output from (or information about the result of) an event or phenomenon in the past will influence an occurrence or occurrences of the same (i.e. same defined) event / phenomenon (or the continuation / development of the original phenomenon) in the present or future."

We ask our candidates and our clients how we are doing as often as we possibly can. After interviewing in our office, every candidate receives a survey and at the conclusion of each assignment, we send a survey to ask both the client and the candidate about their experience with us and with each other. The feedback that we receive from these surveys is critical to how we conduct and manage our business. The feedback that we do not receive is most likely even more crucial, but because we do not receive it, we are missing some great input into process improvements or reinforcements.

Our surveys are very short and easy to respond to - they take about 3-5 minutes, tops. We read, analyze and appreciate every single word of input and feedback that we receive from these surveys. We also invite our clients and candidates to Share their Story right here on our blog as well. To hear from our customers about how we are doing is the highlight of our day - even if the feedback is negative, we are excited because only when we know what we might be doing wrong, can we correct it or make it right.

This feedback not only challenges us to be better at what we do, it gives us an opportunity to thank our temporary employees when they do a great job on an assignment. When we get excellent feedback from a customer, we send a special thank you to that employee. This feedback also helps us to learn more about the culture and environment at our customer locations. This information can only make us better at what we do. There simply is no downside for asking how you are doing for your customers at any point in the service delivery process that you can.

So, how do we encourage our Indianapolis staffing customers to provide feedback? Our current response rate on our surveys ranges between 55-75%, which simply stated, means we are missing out on a lot of great information. We are trying some new tricks and ideas here to increase that rate. I will let you know how they go, but we would love to hear some ideas from our Indianapolis staffing audience as well!

In the meantime, I encourage you to have your voice heard, provide feedback on your experiences whenever you can. With modern technology and the amount if information at your fingertips on the Internet we are all relying on each

other more and more to tell us what you think about....well, anything at all! For example, when I look up a new recipe on line, I pay attention to the comments and ratings from others who have tried it out already. This helps me to know that this recipe works better with olive oil instead of butter without going through the trial and error myself. Good stuff!

At That's Good HR, we get a large percentage of our candidates and clients through referrals so for us, telling other people what you think is of great value. So, keep talking, Indianapolis, people like me want to hear from you!

From Your Point of View

Tuesday, November 15, 2011 by Karen Seketa

Welcome to the first post in our new series titled "From Your Point of View". We are so excited about this project that showcases some of our most enthusiastic customers and candidates and provides insights into utilizing staffing services from their point of view. We thought we would give you a break from hearing our point of view and provide you with a new perspective.

Our first participant in this project is Steve K., Accounts Payable Manager at a well respected local medical facility. Steve has worked for this company for over 21 years and he has had experience working with contract staffing on and off for the past 18 years. Steve has become quite the expert on what to expect from his staffing partner and does not compromise when it comes to working with a vendor he can trust. This is why we thought he would be a perfect person to offer staffing advice with our readers.

Steve receives calls from staffing vendors all the time which can pose a problem because he has a very busy job to do and could not possibly take the time to field all of these calls. Talking to sales people is never fun for anyone, particularly for Steve, who was not a big fan of staffing companies. Then one day Steve received a call from Tiffany Moore at That's Good HR and things changed. Her approach was just different enough that Steve decided to meet with her. The meeting happened at a time when Steve was not in need of temporary staffing, but the impact of the meeting would stay with him and when the A/P function for his company consolidated, he knew exactly who he was going to call to help get the job done.

What is most important to Steve when working with a vendor? He sees the relationship as more of a partnership than a business transaction. He will only work with someone who is genuine and loyal and he has tested this over time to ensure that these qualities are consistent and real. What does Steve want from his staffing provider? It is easy - consistent delivery on what he needs and easy solutions to those problems that are bound to come up.

The differences that matter most to Steve? Follow up that is not just a phone call to see what else he can do for you. Rather, regular engagement with sincere concern about his satisfaction with the service provided. What turns Steve off? Calls that ask for more business, more referrals or to shove another resume down his throat. Pushy sales people with nothing new to say or to offer. Sounds like the same things that might drive other hiring managers crazy too, doesn't it?

We asked Steve for some sound advice for staffing companies from his perspective. Here is what he had to say.

"Conduct your business in a genuine, ethical manner. Don't pressure your clients to give you business. Don't make your customers deal with issues when it comes to the employees. The staffing company should take care of all of this for the client."

Steve is naturally a really nice guy. He does not like to hurt anyone's feelings or make them feel bad. When things don't go quite right with a temporary employee, it is important to Steve that the staffing service handles it for him. This is what has made him loyal to the vendors he uses, no matter what the need and I would venture to guess that Steve is not alone in his method of choosing who he works with.

We would like to thank Steve for his candid insights and for volunteering to be our very first participant in this blog series. Look for more customer and candidate interviews coming up each month and if you would like to contribute to our project, drop us a line, we would love to hear from you.

That's Good HR Weekly News Update - November 4, 2011

Thursday, November 3, 2011 by Harry Danz

This week, I bring you all kinds of secrets and insights around finding, hiring, maintaining and retaining employees. I am even bringing up the "E" word (Engagement) because although it may be one of the annoying buzzwords that needs to be eliminated (according to one article below), it remains an important aspect of talent management (as mentioned by another article below). I am also sharing some great insights around working with staffing services from the American Staffing Association. What would a news week be these days without something being "Occupied"? Lastly, I included some good old economic news, as you can never have enough of that.
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Thinking about engaging a Staffing Service? Here are Five Tips you should know: According to the American Staffing Association, there are over 17,000 companies in the United States offering staffing services. Services include a variety of temporary, contract, permanent placement, and HR consulting services. (recruiter.com)

What HR Professionals Need to Know if your Employees decide to "Occupy Wall Street": The “Occupy Wall Street” protests are gaining steam across the country. Could employees who participate risk losing their jobs? Recent events show that the answer to this question is “yes,” at least in certain circumstances. (shrm.org)

October 2011 Economic Briefing: In September, Marion County’s unemployment rate decreased by 0.3 percent from 9.3 percent in August to 9.0 percent. (Developindy.com)

Employee Engagement still a Concern in : Seventy-one percent of American workers are "not engaged" or "actively disengaged" in their work, meaning they are emotionally disconnected from their workplaces and are less likely to be productive. (Gallup.com)

Working with Employees that are just not nice: Insubordinate behavior, such as refusing to carry out a direct order, is grounds for termination. But before any action is taken, HR leaders should ensure that company policies explain what constitutes insubordination and make sure incidents are well-documented. (hreonline.com)

What The C-Suite Wants From HR: I don’t have a secret window into the world of executive leadership, but I do have a strong opinion on what the C-Suite wants and — more importantly — doesn’t want from Human Resources (weknownext.com)

7 Business Buzzwords That Need To Die: Once we’re bothered by something, we tend to notice it more. So it could be that the business buzzwords that make me cranky are no more significant than the guy who bumps my chair when he walks past--which, on second thought, isn’t a big deal, he’s been doing it for years. (fastcompany.com)

You May be Surprised About What is holding back your Wellness program: What is it? Nope, not your vending machine/cafeteria options. Not employee engagement (or lack thereof). It’s your desk. (benefitnews.com)

Conducting Winning Interviews: Although more emphasis tends to be placed on the interviewee rather than on the hiring manager, both roles are equally important. As the interviewer, the employer is looking to you to hire the right person for the job and sometimes sell the candidate on the position. (recruiter.com)

Job Seekers Require Employers to be more Forward-Thinking: A recent study conducted by CareerBuilder and Inavero indicates that over the past several years, job seekers have developed a highly complex, multi-faceted approach to the job search, in which they utilize today’s sophisticated technology to their advantage. (thehiringsite.com)

Healthcare costs will rise for some smokers, obese: In recent years, a growing number of companies have been encouraging workers to voluntarily improve their health to control escalating insurance costs. And while workers mostly like to see an employer offer smoking cessation classes and weight loss programs, too few are signing up or showing signs of improvement. (reuters.com)

You Might be Missing our on exceptional talent: In retrospect, the biggest blunders often seem inexplicable. Four different book publishers, for instance, passed on J.K. Rowling's first Harry Potter novel. A weird story about the adventures of a juvenile wizard and his friends just didn't seem worth a $5,000 advance. Oops. (fortune.cnn.com)

That's Good HR Weekly News Update - October 28, 2011

Thursday, October 27, 2011 by Harry Danz

Trick or Treat?

This question can apply to many of the hottest HR and employment issues I came across this week. Social Media, Social Security, Healthcare, Unions, Benefits, Hiring trends and Productivity killers. Tricky? You better believe it. Treats? Only if you mange them correctly. How to do it right? Back to being Tricky. Makes you want to just bury your head in a big bag of Halloween candy, doesn't it. Well, hopefully some of the news of the week will help you chase some of those HR ghosts away this weekend.

Happy Haunting!
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Make sure you Manage your Online Profile: Why do employers conduct background checks? Employers are concerned with negligent hiring practices. They confirm potentially false or inflated information, abide by federal and state laws and acknowledge the age in which we live – the ‘information age.’ (womenofhr.com)

Social Security Rigor Mortis - through the eyes of the Millenials: According to a poll of 642 18- to 29-year-olds conducted by the Strategic Research Institute at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wis., 50% don’t believe Social Security will exist by the time they become age-eligible for the program at 67. Another 28% think the program will be around, but will provide a much smaller benefit. Just 5% expect benefits to be the same as they are to current beneficiaries. (benefitnews.com)

Shifting Costs of Perks and Benefits: As the economy sputters and health-care costs rise, businesses large and small are eliminating benefits they consider nonessential and shifting more costs to employees for the benefits that are offered. (wsj.com)

Soon-to-be Retirees get some Good News: Social Security benefits to rise 3.6% next year: Social Security retirement benefits for about 55 million people will go up by 3.6% next year, the first cost-of-living increase since 2009, the U.S. Social Security Administration said last week. (benefitnews.com)

Indiana panel recommends right-to-work legislation: A committee of Indiana lawmakers is recommending their colleagues approve "right-to-work" legislation when they return in January for their 2012 session. (ibj.com)

DOL issues final rules on 401(k) investment advice: Defined contribution plans may offer advice from a third-party as long as that entity receives level fees regardless of their recommendations, or through a certified computer model. (benefitnews.com)

Hiring Activity for October Appears Weak: Continuing a recent pattern of weak job growth in the United States, hiring in October will be limited in the manufacturing sector and will fall in the service sector compared with a year ago, according to the Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM) Leading Indicators of National Employment (LINE) survey for October 2011. (shrm.org)

Hire With Purpose: Q&A With Small Business Expert Jay Goltz: “I’m not looking for great storytellers. I want to figure out what makes people tick and how they operate on the job.” (thehiringsite.com)

Skilled Worker Shortage or Training Shortage?: Even with unemployment hovering around 9%, companies are grousing that they can’t find skilled workers, and filling a job can take months of hunting. Employers are quick to lay blame. Schools aren’t giving kids the right kind of training. The government isn’t letting in enough high-skill immigrants. The list goes on and on. But I believe that the real culprits are the employers themselves. (tlnt.com)

Productivity Killers at Work: Americans may be spending more time at work, but they're also becoming much less productive. Workplace productivity dropped 0.3% in the second quarter, following a decline of 0.6% in the first three months of the year, according to the Labor Department. It was the first back-to-back decline in productivity since the second half of 2008. (The Street)

Rising Government Layoffs Overshadow Private-sector job growth: Crippled by plunging tax revenues, state and local governments have shed over a half million jobs since the recession began in December 2007. And, after adding jobs early in the downturn, the federal government is now cutting them as well.

Unemployment Discrimination: Monster.com Has It Right, People (Job Boards are PLATFORMS)...: Repeat after me: Job Boards are PLATFORMS, not arbitrators of quality, fairness or morality. What's a platform? A platform is where the masses can come and use technology in a variety of ways. Think Facebook, think Amazon. (hrcapitalist.com)

The Recession and the Staffing Industry

Tuesday, October 11, 2011 by Karen Seketa

I recently participated in a Webinar presented by the American Staffing Association (ASA) on the topic of "The Economy". I know, who isn't talking about the economy these days? As a matter of fact, who has not been talking about the economy since it began to tank in December of 2007? This presentation was unique, however, because it discussed the economy in terms of the staffing industry being a key economic indicator and provided examples of past recession and recovery cycles to support that theory.

We started with a grim look at the sheer impact of the recent recession in comparison to the previous recessions. Basically, they described it as " the worst recession since World War II; some say worst since Great Depression". Wow. We survived a cumulative decline of 5.1% in GDP. The previous worst decline was -3.7% in 1957. The charts and graphs to illustrate this story really put things into perspective to me. 8.7 million jobs disappeared and 44% of unemployed people have been without work for more than 6 months. I was happy to still have a job, my car, my house....many others did not fare so well.

So, are we out of it? Hard to tell. The American Staffing Association reports that "at the pace of job growth in the first half of 2011, nonfarm employment will return to its 2007 prerecession peak at the end of 2016". They also report that the Wall Street Journal estimates that - at the current pace of job growth and labor force expansion, the unemployment rate would still be near 9% in June 2012, 3 years into recovery and would remain above 5% until December 2024.

So, what is the current view of Staffing and the Economy? According to the ASA, the staffing and recruiting industry is "hyper cyclical" meaning its business cycle tends to be exaggerated during economic expansions and contractions. They also state that "Staffing employment is a conincident economic indicator and a leading employment indicator". What does all of this mean? Based on the extensive research and data collected by the ASA for their reporting, the trends show that changes in temporary help employment precede changes in nonfarm employment by one to two quarters and overall, is a solid indicator 3 to 6 months forward of where the economy is headed.

Now the good news. The Staffing industry is currently demonstrating and projecting steady growth through 2012. Not huge growth, but at least it is not a decline. As a leading indicator, this is much better news than looking at the graph with a line that continues to decline. Does this mean we are out of the grip of the recession? Not yet. There are many realizations that employees and employers need to stay focused on to ensure that as jobs grow, we are ready with the right skills and education required to fill these needs. Currently, job growth is concentrating in high-skill, high-wage jobs and low-skill, low-wage jobs. Those with college degrees are earning 95% more than high school graduates. Middle-skill white and blue collar jobs were hit the hardest. The sectors with the greatest potential for job creation appear to be consulting and business services, constructions, health care, leisure and hospitality, manufacturing and retail.

Staffing companies will play a key role in the future of economic growth by helping businesses identify and secure talent when needed in an efficient and economical way. Good information to have and important information to consider as companies develop their long term strategies on where and how to get the skills they need when they need them. Read more about this topic on the ASA website here.

A Heartfelt THANK YOU!!

Tuesday, September 13, 2011 by Karen Seketa

I hear our That's Good HR recruiters thanking our candidates on the phone multiple times everyday. Yet as we celebrate National Staffing Employee Week this week, it seems like a more robust Thank You is in order. Of course, my first instinct in writing this post was to do some research and look up suggestions on how to best express appreciation and some clever ways to say Thank You. Then I realized that none of them would be sincere because I would have borrowed them from someone else. So, I have abandoned that idea and instead, from the bottom of our hearts, our entire staff here at That's Good HR would like to simply say...

Without you, our temporary employees and candidates, we would not exist. Plain and simple. We could have all of the jobs in the world and the best sales people money can buy and it would not matter. We could have the best technology and the coolest marketing campaigns and it would not matter. Without you, the employees who come to us for work, take the responsibility to go to work and to do the very best job you can do, we would all be working someplace else....and how sad would that be? To our That's Good HR employees who go above and beyond and represent us so well, we THANK YOU! We salute you this week as the American Staffing Association recognizes National Staffing Employee Week and we are proud to have you on our team. If you have a story to tell during this week of celebration, we ask you to share with us on our blog. It is easy to do by clicking here. We would love to hear from you. Oh, and one more time, in case you did not hear us before....THANK YOU!

Why We Love What We Do...

Tuesday, September 6, 2011 by Karen Seketa

Next week is National Staffing Employee week, sponsored by the American Staffing Association. While a day does not go by when we don't recognize the importance of our temporary employees, this time of year provides an opportunity to stop and really reflect on what our employees mean to us. As we gear up for this celebration next week, I would like to share with you one of the things we love about our jobs here at That's Good HR. Our temporary employees are not afraid to share their stories with us. We love to hear from our employees...the good, the bad and the ugly. We really love it when one of our stars is successful in pursuit of their career goals and we can play a part in it. Here is a blog submitted by one of our recent temporary employees who came to us right out of college and he made us proud. I would like to introduce Mr. Camron Humphreys from Greencastle, Indiana. Here is what he had to say:

"I had just graduated from college. Like many recent grads I had no idea what I wanted to do and no real job opportunities. Enter That’s Good HR. I heard about That’s Good HR from a friend of mine who had had previous success finding a job. Not having any options I quickly saw the value in having help finding career opportunities. I applied and was introduced to Jessica who immediately started helping me find a job. It was summer time and I was still living in my college home with a multitude of distractions. I would usually spend a couple of hours a day looking for jobs then get distracted by roommates wanting to play basketball or myriad other diversions. Jessica, however, was constantly looking for a job for me, which was invaluable. I would receive numerous calls throughout the day as opportunities would pop up. It was really nice knowing that someone had my back and that they were genuinely interested in helping me start a career. Eventually Jessica found me a temporary job, and although it wasn’t in my field of study it gave me a solid source of income and some real world experience that proved to be invaluable as my job search continued. Having a temporary job also afforded me the comfort and opportunity to search for jobs that were more aligned with my field of study. I eventually found such a position and was on my way. My experience with That’s Good HR was crucial to finding the job that was perfect for me."

Thank you to Camron for taking the time to tell his story and thank you to all of our outstanding That's Good HR employees as we come off of Labor Day weekend and approach National Staffing Employee Week. Do you have a story to tell? We would love to hear from you! Just visit our Share Your Success page by clicking this link and send us your thoughts.

That's Good HR Weekly News Update - August 26, 2011

Thursday, August 25, 2011 by Harry Danz

If you have not seen at least 600 articles about Steve Jobs this week than I am sorry to disappoint, but you will not see one here. I assume you are up to date on the "Jobs" topic, but there was a lot of other important business and HR news out there this week that you might have missed. I hope you consider this news update your "apple a week" to keep the mind healthy and strong. Health care (always in the news), Social Media, Economic news (not so good), EEOC (interesting stuff), local business updates and of course some cool stuff about staffing and recruitment are all hot this week. Speaking of "jobs", things have been exceptionally BUSY here at That's Good HR this week so if you have any friends or family seeking employment, be sure to send them our way.

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Survey says... Big shift in health coverage could be coming: Nearly one in 10 midsized or big employers expects to stop offering health coverage to workers after insurance exchanges begin operating in 2014 as part of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. (business week)

Social Media policies and the Government...what are they watching?: The U.S. Chamber just released a new study that analyzes 129 SM-related NLRB cases. Check it out to see what exactly the government is targeting when it comes to employer social media (SM) policies.

EEOC loses bid to limit credit histories in hiring: Our recent story—“Employer beats EEOC in credit-history fight”—describes a major victory for employers. Now, perhaps, we can expect more courts to look skeptically on some of the EEOC’s tactics, giving employers more tools to build the workforces they need. (business mgmt daily)

Fragile economy fuels demand for temporary workers: Employers have stepped up their use of flexible staffing while downgrading their plans to increase their permanent workforce, as economic uncertainty continues.(Personnel today)

Enterprise Social Networking: What's The Worst Case Scenario? Experts weigh in on some of the biggest social security risks that threaten enterprises and how to thwart them. (information week)

Seven Indiana companies make latest Inc. 500 list: Indianapolis-based Slingshot SEO ranked 58th, tops among the seven Indiana firms on the list announced Tuesday morning by Inc. magazine. (IBJ)

Do not dismiss the importance of engagement in your success: Research is confirming the interconnectedness of engaged employees and profitable companies, although it may be impossible to determine which comes first -- the engagement or the productivity. Too many companies, however, put up roadblocks that hamper engagement. (HRE online)

Don't Worry, Be prepared to be Happy: I both love and believe in serendipity—which is defined as the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. (Open Forum)

Good Advice for your Hiring managers: A recent article on Recruiter.com discussed Brook’s Law and its implications for recruiting and hiring. Brook’s Law states that adding manpower to a late software project makes it later. The gist of Brook’s Law is that you can’t throw manpower at any project and expect to experience the same labor productivity. (recruiter.com)

Recruiting Recruiters

Tuesday, August 16, 2011 by Karen Seketa

It is always exciting to work on placements that you feel you have a personal connection to. As recruiters, placing another recruiter in a job is almost like placing a friend or a peer. While we have been following the news about the economy and have closely reviewed the latest staffing statistics circulated by Staffing Industry Analyst, the climate in our office has been optimistic. We have seen an upswing in staffing needs on both a temporary and direct hire basis and most recently we have had a marked increase in requests for talent acquisition and recruiter candidates. When the need for these folks starts going up, that can only mean good things. You only need a recruiter when you need to recruit, right?

That said, here at That's Good HR, we are pretty excited about the opportunity to recruit and place our own kind. These are positions that we understand above all because that is what we do everyday. While the recruitment categories might be different and the business model may vary from our own, at the end of the day, recruiters across all disciplines and industries have certain common threads. One of those traits is a high goal orientation so as a recruiter you know that the candidate you are placing is seeking an opportunity to grow and excel in their field.

If you are a recruiter, you know what I am referring to. If you know a recruiter, just ask them about it. Working with the human element day after day may seem to some uninteresting, but to recruiters, it is what we thrive upon. Meeting new people, working with them on one of the most important aspects of their lives - their career. Making the right match, staying in touch and networking along the way.

So...if you are one of these crazy recruiter folks, be sure to get to know us. If you are looking for your next more or you know someone who is, pick up the phone, send us an email, tweet us (@thatsgoodhr) or just show up. We would love to get to know you and perhaps be part of your next career move.

Understanding the Employee / Employer relationship in staffing

Thursday, June 30, 2011 by Tiffany Moore

If you currently staff any part of your organization with temporary employees, your staffing partner should be looking out for your best interests and providing guidance on how to properly manage that relationship. I consider my Indianapolis staffing relationships with my clients as a trusted partnership and therefore it is my responsibility to consistently communicate with you to reduce any risk for your organization. Here are some important tips to keep top of mind:

Let's begin with the candidate selection process.

That's Good HR reduces your risk by sending you candidates that closely match the compensation expectations for the position. For example, we would not present a candidate that has been making 40k previously to a position that is paying 20k. All compensation negotiations and discussions go through us so there is no confusion around who their employer is (co-employment risks)
We complete a criminal background check on every candidate that we place even if it is not required by your company. Again, this is our responsibility as the employer to ensure you are protected.
We make sure that our candidate is interested in the opportunity by giving them the client’s name before presenting their resume to the hiring manager (this may sound obvious, but the truth is, not all agencies tell the candidate the name of the company before they send their resume)

Next - the most important area of concern, once you have a contractor working for you.

The lines can get crossed once a temporary employee is on site and working for you. Here are some ways you can protect your organization from any confusion around this relationship:

My most important reminder: The contract employee is an employee of our company, not yours. This is important due to all of the legal responsibilities around the employee/employer relationship which reside with us. Our employee should have no reason to misunderstand that relationship. We are the experts in our field and we are here to help you.
All hiring and firing conversations must be handled by a That's Good HR professional, not someone on your staff.
If our temporary employee is not meeting your productivity standards, all performance concerns should come through us and discussions with the employee about these concerns are conducted by us.
All attendance concerns should be communicated to us immediately. If we failed to inform you that our employee is going to be absent or tardy, that likely means we did know about it. While we make it very clear in our process, at times a temporary employee may forget and bypass communications with us (their employer) and only inform you (the customer) about time off. When this happens, please redirect them to us.
Ultimately all employment related issues should come through us including harassment, injury, pay, benefits etc. This is why we are cautious even about discussing an employee’s pay with you as the customer. The less involved you are in employment related decisions and information, the clearer the lines are in the employment relationship.

My pledge to you, my customer is this: I will do anything possible to reduce your co-employment risks. This list is just a summary of what we do behind the scenes to look out for you and as it is with any vendor relationship, your understanding is critical.

Co-employment is the term often used to refer to the relationship between staffing firms and their clients and to the legal issues that arise from that relationship. Click here for more information on co-employment. Questions about this post? Drop me a line or give me a call!

That's Good HR Weekly News Update - June 10, 2011

Thursday, June 9, 2011 by Harry Danz

Recession? Recovery? Double Dip? Are you as confused as I am about the direction our economy is heading? Looking back over the past 8 weeks of Weekly News Updates, one begins to feel a bit conflicted about better times, worse times and how to ride the waves as they ebb and flow. To have a crystal ball right now...

As a 20 year staffing industry veteran, I am quite used to change, uncertainty and the need to adapt. Staying ahead of the curve is a full time job for us as I am sure it is for you. I hope this update is useful in that effort. Here are some of the the top headlines of the week for your review. Will it change again next week? Tune in and see, but likely so!

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Employers struggle to control wage-and-hour litigation: The complexity of federal and state laws, the relative ease of winning class action certification and workers laid off as a result of the weak economy have led to more litigation in recent years, observers say. (BusinessInsurance.com)

Jobs data stoke US recovery fears: The US added just 54,000 jobs in May, confirming fears that the recovery of the world’s largest economy has stalled. (FT.com)

HR Policy Highlight: Summer hours can be a perk with more bang for your buck than more traditional employee benefits. (Inc.com)

You Need to Get Your Senior Managers Engaged: Here’s the key finding that jumped out at me from this survey: to make talent management successful, it’s all about senior management and the CEO. If they are engaged in the process, it’s likely to work. If they’re not, it probably won’t. (tlnt.com)

6th Largest Graduate School of Education Relocating from Illinois to Indiana: American College of Education (ACE), an academic institution that provides online graduate degrees for working educators seeking advanced degrees, announced today that it will move its main campus from Chicago to Indianapolis, creating up to 40 new jobs by 2014. (DevelopIndy)

US job woe raises fears for economic growth: US employers hired far fewer workers than expected in May and the jobless rate rose to 9.1pc, raising concerns the economy might be stuck in a painful slow-growth mode. (The Telegraph)

High fuel prices dog Republic Airways: Shares of Republic Airways Holdings Inc. have been skimming treetops lately, falling within pennies of their 52-week low of $4.43 per share as the once contract-only airline struggles with rising fuel costs for Frontier Airlines, the scheduled carrier it acquired in 2009. (IBJ)

College Grads Facing Tough Choices : As the Class of 2011 graduates from college and joins the ranks of millions of other Americans desperate for work, there are several things to keep in mind for these latest members of the Austerity Generation. (Newgradlife.com)

EEOC Settles Staffing Case, Files Another: The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced it settled a national origin discrimination suit with a temporary staffing firm, a local franchise and one of its clients. Separately, the EEOC also announced it filed a suit in May against a staffing firm for refusing to hire an applicant because of a disability. (Staffing Industry)

A Crackdown on Employing Illegal Workers: Obama administration officials are sharpening their crackdown on the hiring of illegal immigrants by focusing increasingly tough criminal charges on employers while moving away from criminal arrests of the workers themselves.(NY Times)

That's Good HR Weekly News Update April 29, 2011

Thursday, April 28, 2011 by Harry Danz

Lots of time to stay inside and read during this stormy, rainy week. Good news from Careerbuilder on the quarterly job forecast, interesting developments with a few key HR legal issues, some advice on employee retention and much more in this week's new roundup. I am interested in any comments anyone might have on some of the items below this week.
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CAREERBUILDER AND USA TODAY’S Q2 2011 JOB FORECAST: The quarterly hiring outlook for the U.S. is the strongest in three years, according to the latest nationwide survey of employers and workers from CareerBuilder and USA TODAY. Nearly three-in-ten employers (28 percent) added full-time, permanent employees in the first quarter of 2011, the highest since the first quarter of 2008. The momentum is expected to continue with the same amount of employers planning to add full-time, permanent jobs in the second quarter.

1099 Repeal Bill Passes Senate: Following months of procedural and political back and forth, stand-alone legislation that would repeal the 1099 tax reporting requirement for businesses included in the Affordable Care Act (or the health care reform law) was signed by President Barack Obama on April 15. More here from the Indianapolis Chamber...

HR Jobs Picking up: Job postings for HR and recruiting positions were up 34 percent year-over-year in March and job-seeker clicks on those ads increased by 51 percent, according to Indeed.com, which aggregates employment ads from a variety of online job boards and company websites. Get more of the story here from Hireonline...

Staffing industry employment rose 7 percent year over year in April and was up 1 percent from the previous month, according to the American Staffing Association’s monthly staffing employment survey, released yesterday. The index stands at 92 for April, up one point from March, the ASA reported. Staffing employment is typically lowest during the first few months of each year and grows throughout the subsequent months. The index measures changes in the number of temporary and contract workers.

Want to Keep Your Employees? Give Them Growth Opportunities : In a global study from consulting firm BlessingWhite, employees revealed they stick with a job because they like the work they do. However, they often leave to advance their career. More from Business News Daily....

Tables turned: Employer wins settlement from EEOC: Good news for employers: A federal judge has slapped down the EEOC for pursuing a bias case the agency knew it couldn’t win.

Supreme Court Rules that Companies Can Ban Class Actions: From Recruiter.com. Think about all the people whom you helped find jobs. How many of them are for private companies? Probably the image that you like to conjure in your mind is an image in which workers are able to stand up for themselves. As of now, things have changed for workers.

Does A Higher Minimum Wage Kill Jobs?: Minimum wage supporters are hoping to prompt at least a few states to act. In Illinois, for example, some lawmakers have been pushing to raise the state minimum wage up to $10.65 in steps over four years. So far, they have not been successful. In fact, no state has voted to increase the minimum wage this year. More from NPR...

TGHR Weekly News Update - April 22, 2011

Thursday, April 21, 2011 by Harry Danz

That's Good HR came across several pertinant legal and industry news articles this week. Even I had to take a break from the executive recruiting desk to catch up on what is hot today. I was particularly interested in the article from the WSJ indicating that the second highest priority is finding the right talent for their organizations. Enjoy!
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New law bans firms from asking workers about their guns: (Important HR issue for your clients): Indiana employers won't be allowed to ask workers about guns and ammunition that they might have in their vehicles under a bill that Gov. Mitch Daniels has signed into law. Read more here...

SHRM Supports Plan to Keep Military Spouses Working: The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has thrown its support behind an initiative designed to create workplaces supportive of employees with connections to the military. Led by first lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden on April 12, 2011, the program was announced in the East Room at the White House. Read more here...

From Staffing Industry Analyst: Survey: Employee Confidence Rises: Workers are becoming more optimistic about the job market, according to a quarterly employee confidence survey conducted and released last month by Glassdoor.com. Forty percent of workers believe it is "likely" they could find a new job matched to their experience and compensation levels within six months if they lost their current job. This was the highest level in the past six quarters for the employment confidence survey. Thirty-eight percent of respondents expect to leave their job for a new one in less than three years, 28 percent expect to do so in less than two years and 14 percent expect to do so in less than one year. Younger workers (18-34 years old) and single employees are more likely to seek out a new job within three years (56 percent each). This survey was conducted online within the United States from March 9-11, 2011. It included 2,045 adult workers. Visit the SIA website here...

Fed Reports U.S. Economy Continues to Improve: The Federal Reserve's latest report on regional economies (known as the "beige book") indicates that business conditions in the U.S. showed general improvement in late February and March. The manufacturing sector continued to lead economic gains across the 12 Federal Reserve districts, and business service activity was varied across the nation. Most districts reported improvements in labor market conditions. Many business contacts indicated they continued to prefer hiring temporary employees to meet increased demand due to persisting uncertainty about long-term economic conditions. From American Staffing Association

Administrative Professionals Day: April 27, 2011: Since 1952, the International Association of Administrative Professionals has honored office workers by sponsoring Administrative Professionals Week. Today, it is one of the largest workplace observances outside of employee birthdays and major holidays. Read more here...

Most CEOs Prize Growth, But Other Priorities Vary (from the Wall Street Journal): Chief executives have to juggle multiple priorities, but according to a recent study, they tend to rank some higher than others. Top of the list? Business growth followed by talent management and cost optimization, according to the Conference Board Inc., a nonprofit research organization. Of the 10 priorities that CEOs were invited to rank, business growth far outpaced all other challenges in the No. 1 spot. Read more here...

Anti-gay remarks aren’t part of religious accommodation: You’re used to the concept of religious accommodations for employees. Could that extend to accepting a worker’s using religion as a rationale for assaulting a co-worker with anti-gay invective? Read more here....

Review Hiring Procedures Before Screening Candidates: Many economists project increased hiring in 2011. This welcome forecast presents employers with an opportunity to revisit their screening practices, particularly in light of the activity of the Equal Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) in regard to credit and background checks. Read more here....

State's unemployment rate drops to 8.5 percent: Indiana’s unemployment rate continued its downward slide, dropping to 8.5 percent in March, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development said Tuesday morning. Read more here...

Court clarifies employer rights for granting medical leave: The situation: A chronically absent employee takes yet another absence, even though he has no sick leave. Upon his return, you fire him. He says, “You can’t do that. I’m claiming federal family and medical leave.” Here’s what a federal court said about it. Read more here...

Department of Labor Issues Updated FLSA Regulations: Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a final rule updating regulations issued under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Portal-to-Portal Act. The rule takes effect 30 days after publication. A summary of the key provisions included in the updated regulations can be found here...

New Flash - Weekly News blog series begins today!

Thursday, April 14, 2011 by Harry Danz

Over t

he past few months, That's Good HR has engaged in an internal effort to collect and share relevant news relating to the staffing industry, the economy and key HR and career issues on a local and national level. This information is collected, summarized and shared with our staff members internally by of our very own TGHR blogger, Karen Seketa. As you engage with our staff here at That's Good HR we hope you find your interactions engaging and intellectually stimulating as we love to talk about what we have learned about Indianapolis careers, hiring trends and key HR topics.

It occurred to me while reviewing this important information that it may be of value to you, our customers as well. No one knows better than I how challenging it can be to carve that time out of your day or week to read or review every single relevant news article that comes your way in the event there is something of value to glean from it. As an industry expert and business owner, I know it is critical for me to be able to speak intelligently with my clients and candidates on these and other topics and having some help sorting through the masses for those kernels of great information is helpful. I hope you too find this information helpful.

I will be circulating a weekly news summary with just a few of the items from our internal update. Don't want to create another resource for you to read that is just too long! Below you will find a sample blog post as the first in this series. I would love to hear your feedback about the posts as we travel together through the information overload era. Enjoy and come back next week for more news!
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TGHR News for the week of April 15, 2011 - (Summaries of relevent news, links will take you to full articles.)

Help Wanted: References Fill Jobs And Pockets: Even though millions of Americans are looking for work, many employers say it's too hard to find good help. So, many companies and organizations are encouraging employees to be on the lookout for talent and are offering cash bonuses for referrals that lead to a hire.

Employers Say Skills Deficit Is a (Big) Problem: It's not breaking news that there is a skills deficit facing Hoosier workers and their employers, but the impact of that deficit is becoming even more problematic for some employers. A new statewide employer survey conducted by Ready Indiana, the Indiana Chamber's workforce development initiative, reinforces that fact and provides more interesting findings.

Young workers in Indiana still face tough job market: The number of Indiana teens and college students with jobs fell sharply during the recession, and their employment prospects might not improve this year as they battle low turnover and increased competition from older workers.

From Staffing Industry Analyst Daily news: "Thirty-three percent of human resources professional say they plan to hire in the second quarter of this year, up from 24 percent who said the same a year ago, according to a survey of human resources professionals by the Society for Human Resource Management. Thirty-six percent of survey respondents hired staff in the first quarter of 2011, according to the report. "Even though large-scale hiring isn't yet occurring, confidence in the job market is being buoyed by signs that the economy has entered a recovery mode after a lengthy recession," said Jennifer Schramm workplace trends and forecasting in SHRM's research department. "For some organizations, an improved outlook is resulting in increased expectations of productivity as they boost working hours of existing staff. Others are bringing on temporary staff or are hiring full-time regular employees.“ The survey also found that job losses continue to decline: Just 7 percent of organizations plan to lay off staff in the second quarter. Twelve percent of companies had layoffs in the first quarter of 2011, down from 20 percent a year ago. Managers and professionals were those most affected by layoffs."

Seven Secrets to Getting More Done: You can have the greatest attitude, a strong telephone presence, and the best recruiting and client development skills. But if you lack strong work habits, you are destined to failure. Read about the seven tips from this article - click link above for the rest of the article.

Navigating "Cultural Fit"

Tuesday, March 8, 2011 by Karen Seketa

I have recently been working on an internal project around hiring trends in Indianapolis that has me pondering one of the key factors that really differentiates That's Good HR from the "staffing world at large". Cultural Fit - that obscure business buzzword that has become a

requirement to filling most any Indianapolis job opening these days. How do we begin to understand, identify and capture this vague requirement and then successfully match a person to said "culture"? And why does it even matter so much?

On my quest for clarity, here is a bit of what I discovered:

One source that dates all the way back to 2007 still rings true with the following observation:

"In any size company, in almost any industry, in any location, culture plays a significant role in both attracting and keeping great talent. When hiring employees, hiring managers have a major responsibility to ensure that each person they “invite to the card game” and introduce into their group has been effectively screened for both their ability to perform their job and their cultural fit within the organization."

This post makes an analogy of cultural fit as it compares the concept to the weekly "poker game" where a set group of acquaintances gather regularly to play cards and where there is a mutual understanding of the rules and the expected behavior. When someone new joins the group, they too must understand the environment, the expectations, the rules AND they have to be willing and interested in joining under the terms of the "culture". Without agreement on both sides, the relationship is doomed.

This is where I think people get confused about cultural fit. It is not a one way street where the company picks the candidate who passes the "cultural fit" test. Many times, it is the candidate who picks the company based upon their personal cultural fit requirements. So, where do we go wrong most of the time? It is when you find the ideal candidate with the perfect skill set and experience and you alter your representation of the culture in order to fit the peg into the hole. The match is made, the employee comes to work and within a month, both parties wonder why it is not working out and many times, part on not such good terms. Money, time and energy wasted based on an avoidable mistake.

As a hiring company, you should never design the story around your culture based on what the perfect candidate wants to hear and job candidates should never sacrifice their own cultural requirements just to get the job unless they plan to live in harmony with the consequences. Compromise is a short term fix to the problem - the company gets a qualified person to fill a seat and the candidate gets a job. Long term, everyone loses and usually at a very high cost on both ends.

There is a great post on Fistful of Talent that does a colorful job of illustrating this point. This post takes a "tongue in cheek" look at the reality of what cultural fit means by taking a look at hiring for the DMV. While I am not in agreement of the full analogy, the story it tells is compelling. Here is what they have to say:

"Cultural Fit is hard to describe for most folks. A company can have a culture that most observers say is “good,” but that doesn’t mean that all qualified candidates will be a good fit. And if you’re looking for an organization that gets hiring for cultural fit perfectly? I would suggest looking at… nope, not Netflix, not Google, not Target… look at your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Surprised? Think about it for a second."

At That's Good HR, we have developed a knack for understanding the culture of the company, department or office where our candidates are going to potentially be working BEFORE we even take the first step in making the match. It is not rocket science, although we would like to believe that it is an acquired and very valuable skill. It is not magic, but there is some mystery and intuition that goes into developing both customer AND candidate relationships to the level of being able to really "get it" when it comes to understanding the culture. Working with placing candidates in federal government positions, this becomes critically important so we have spent years developing a true understanding of the culture and we are constantly reviewing our understanding to keep it current and relevant.

To further illustrate the impact of understanding cultural fit in the workplace, it is interesting to note that one of the most relevant articles I found in my research on this topic is global...this one comes from Australia and it is very applicable right here in the US. I encourage you to take a look at the business case it offers...good stuff.

At the end of the day (another key overused business buzz phrase) be true to yourself, as cliche as that might sound. If you choose not to, as the client or the candidate, be ready to maintain the facade for as long as you want the relationship to stay alive....sounds a little like dating, doesn't it?

A Big Fat Secret about Employee Appreciation

Thursday, March 3, 2011 by Karen Seketa

Here's a secret....and I won't even charge you for it. Free advice, right here from That's Good HR. It has to do with yet another "day" officially designated to recognizing people we should already be recognizing every day of the year. Our employees. Do you want to know the very best way to celebrate "Employee Appreciation Day" this Friday, March 4th? Here it is....

TALK TO THEM! Tell your employees that you appreciate them. Plain and simple. No flowers, cookies, movie tickets, plaques, poems or form letters needed. Just a conversation please, however brief. Just a few minutes to look them in the eye, learn something new about them and thank them.

Truth be told, I think it is ridiculous that we have dedicated a single day to employee appreciation. Seriously, if you are not appreciating your employees on a regular basis then A) you have the wrong employees or B) you need to review your priorities as supervisor. Or both. As an Indianapolis staffing company, it can be challenging to stay connected to our employees as the roster changes every day. The nature of temporary work is that there are many talented people who are your employee one day and are not the next. Add to that challenge the fact that they all physically work somewhere else. As you can imagine, we really struggle with communicating to our employees how much we appreciate them. That is not an excuse - we know it is our job to figure it out and manage our communications with our temporary employees so they know we care about them.

We survey every one of our candidates after they come to our office to apply and interview (yes, we actually MEET our candidates before we submit them for a job) and then we survey them again each time they complete an assignment for us. Do you want to know what is MOST important to almost all of those surveyed? You guessed it - communication. Keeping in touch, keeping them informed, keeping them connected. Now, I would be outright lying to you if I said we had this mastered. I am telling you the truth, however, when I say that this is the top priority that we discuss, brainstorm around and struggle to master every day. When we figure it out, that will be another secret for another day.

When you are a temporary employee, you suddenly become part of a bigger group of people who all want the same thing....gainful and meaningful employment. I read an interesting post on Fistful of Talent that talks about employee appreciation and I love what it has to say. It is called The World Is Bigger and We Are Smaller – The Paradox of Recognition and here is an excerpt:

"Use Employee Appreciation day to find a way to connect one-to-one with each person on your team. Make them huge in your eyes. Don’t make them small by comparing them to everyone – make them big by valuing what and who they are individually.

It is a paradox. We want recognition on a large scale but value recognition from just one.

Shrink someone’s world and make him or her valuable to you.

Ask yourself, how will I make someone large this week? Next week? All year?"

I concur. Now stop reading this blog post and go talk to someone and make them huge.

The best Staffing agency in Indianapolis

Tuesday, February 15, 2011 by Customer Experiences

Although reluctant to pursue a temporary job through a staffing agency, due to past experiences with other staffing agencies. That's Good HR exceeded my expectations!

Speaking with Jamie and Jessica on the phone, and meeting with Jessica in person for a one on one interview really impressed me. They treated me as a person, with professional respect, instead of a paycheck like other staffing agencies have in the past. The personal interview is to find out what you are looking for and what they might have available. Before I could leave the building, Jessica had a position that she wanted to submit my resume for! I never would have thought of this happening! All though this position went to another candidate 2 more came within days!

I can not speak highly enough of this company and would recommend them to anyone that is looking for employment or a great staffing firm!

Submitted by: Ben Rist-Brown

When Good Guys Finish Last

Friday, January 28, 2011 by Tiffany Moore

I know….I said that I was only going to do one blog post because I am not a writer. However, a couple of things have happened at the office recently that have made me wonder how sometimes it just feels like the “Good Guys” finish last. Growing up, my parents instilled a high value on telling the truth and always doing what’s right. As a matter of fact, I never got into trouble because my parents taught me that there are always consequences. This is why I always follow the rules and respect boundaries.

You may remember from my previous blog, integrity is very important to me and therefore it is important for me to work with hiring managers that share this same value. That said, it has been a frustrating month for our That’s Good HR temporary staffing group for a couple of reasons. We have had a couple examples of situations where we handled our accounting, administrative or HR search with honesty and integrity but have lost the business to a competitor that doesn’t have those same values. Short cutting the process of quality service delivery just to give the appearance of efficiency works for some, but I have a hard time stomaching it. It seems to have become increasingly prevalent as 2011 progresses, almost as if there is a sense of desperation to hit sales quotas at any cost. This has me wondering...are we part of a very small minority of staffing companies who will sacrifice being “cheap and fast” in order to do things “right” and act with integrity. I mean, I thought that Good Guys always finish first. Am I just naïve?

Then, just as I was sitting here lamenting the injustice of it all for our business, I heard the news about Officer David Moore. As many of you have heard by now, Officer Moore passed away as a result of his injuries incurred during a “routine” traffic stop in Indianapolis. From everything I have heard and read about Officer Moore, he seemed like the quintessential “good guy”. Overall, Police Officers are the good guys and this officer had to pay the ultimate price for being a good guy. For those that know me well, you know that I have several very special people close to me that are Police Officers in this city. Just as I was feeling down about losing out as the good guy, Officer Moore’s story puts it all into perspective.

I did do some research on this topic to see if I was alone in my quandary over this question and I did find some believers out there that Good Guys don’t finish last. My favorite quote came from a post by AndrewJDumont.com and here is what he had to say on the topic.

"Call me old fashioned, but I believe in the business of doing good. I believe that those who finish first are the ones who place integrity at the base of everything they do. Look at the way you conduct business or simply live your life, for that matter – are you positioning yourself to finish first in the long-run?”

So, while it hurts that not all staffing agencies follow all of the rules of integrity and ethical business practices, it’s the reality of the world we live in. However, that isn’t going to change my passion for this business or my passion to handle each situation as my parents have instilled in me, with honesty and integrity. The fear of the “Bad Guys” didn’t change how Officer Moore lived his life and it isn’t going to change how I live mine.

What Will Show Up On Your Background Check?

Wednesday, January 5, 2011 by Lisa Minter

With eight out of ten hiring officials in Central Indiana jobs conducting background checks, it is vital to know what may show up on yours.

Employers are running checks that range from a basic criminal check for those applying for entry level jobs, Indianapolis part time jobs and administrative jobs in Indianapolis to nationwide criminal and credit checks for those applying for finance and accounting jobs, Indianapolis executive jobs or six-figure jobs in Indianapolis and an even more intensive background check, including interviewing previous neighbors, previous drug use, etc. for those applying for Federal Government Contract jobs in Indianapolis.

Even more important than knowing what may show up on your background is that you disclose this to Executive Headhunters or any hiring official in Central Indiana jobs. You may have a conviction that meets an employer’s criteria but if you have not disclosed this, that is considered falsifying your application.

There is valuable information found at The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse

Before you begin your Indianapolis career search, take the following steps to reduce the chances that you and/or the potential employer will be "surprised" by information found in the background check process:

Order a copy of your credit report. If there is something you do not recognize or that you disagree with, dispute the information with the creditor and/or credit bureau before you have to explain it to the interviewer. Another individuals name may appear on your credit report. This happens when someone mistakenly writes down the wrong Social Security number on a credit application causing that name to appear on your file. Or you might be a victim of identity theft. (See PRC Fact Sheet 6 on your credit reporting rights, www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs6-crdt.htm, and Fact Sheet 17a on identity theft, www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs17a.htm.)

Check court records. If you have an arrest record or have been involved in court cases, go to the county where this took place and inspect the files. Make sure the information is correct and up to date.

Reporting agencies often report felony convictions when the consumer truly believes the crime was reduced to a misdemeanor, or that it was reported as a misdemeanor conviction when the consumer thought the charge was reduced to an infraction. Court records are not always updated correctly. For example, a signature that was needed to reduce the charges might not have been obtained or recorded by the court. Don't rely on what your attorney may have told you. If you think the conviction was expunged or dismissed, get a certified copy of your report from the court. For an explanation of expungement, visit www.epic.org/privacy/expungement.

Check DMV records. Request a copy of your driving record from the Department of Motor Vehicles, especially if you are applying for a job that involves driving.

Many employers ask on their application if you were ever convicted of a crime. Or they might word the question to ask whether you have ever been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor. Typically, the application says you do not have to divulge a case that was expunged or dismissed, or that was a minor traffic violation.

Don't be confused. A DUI (driving under the influence) or DWI (driving while intoxicated) conviction is not considered a minor traffic infraction. Applicants with a DUI or DWI who have not checked "yes" on a job application may be denied employment for falsifying the form -- even when the incident occurred only once or happened many years before. The employer perceives this as dishonesty, even though the applicant might only have been confused by the question.

Do your own background check. If you want to see what an employer's background check might uncover, hire a company that specializes in such reports to conduct one for you. That way, you can discover if the data bases of information vendors contain er
roneous or misleading information. (Consult the Yellow Pages under "Investigators.") Or, you can use one of the many online search services to find out what an employer would learn if conducting a background check in this way.

Read the fine print carefully. When you sign a job application, you will be asked to sign a consent form if a background check is conducted. Read this statement carefully and ask questions if the authorization statement is not clear. Unfortunately, job seekers are in an awkward position, since refusing to authorize a background check may jeopardize the chances of getting the job.

These steps can help eliminate a costly (and even embarrassing) mistake in your Indianapolis job search!

The "Naked "Truth about Employment Trends

Monday, December 27, 2010 by Karen Seketa

Patrick Lencioni's newest book, "Getting Naked", heralds a provocative approach to client service. He focuses on the concept of "entering the danger" in your consultative

relationships with your customers. Here is an excerpt from Patrick on this topic:

"Entering the danger is powerful because it makes a bold and unequivocal statement that you care more about helping your client than about protecting your business. Whenever I've entered the danger with clients, they almost always stop me afterward and say something to the effect of "thank you for making us deal with that issue; we've been avoiding it for way too long."

Now, entering the danger does have costs. First, it is always uncomfortable. As positive as it almost always turns out to be in the end, it can be downright scary in the moment. Second, in rare cases, a client won't appreciate the naked approach and might very well punish you, going so far as to end your relationship. But without the discomfort and possibility of backfire, there would be no danger."

As an Indianapolis staffing professional, one of my core responsibilities (and natural tendencies) is to keep current on any "danger" trends that we see in the marketplace as they relate to hiring trends and Indianpolis job opportunities. Currently,we are experiencing two rather sensitive "danger" trends as they relate to Indianapolis job openings. One on the client side, one on the candidate side. We know these issues could cause some emotional response from our constituents but from our perspective these are very real and very important to recognize so we are going to risk the danger to talk about them out loud.

For our clients - we have noticed a recent and quickly escalating trend of our best candidates securing fulltime employment faster and having more irons in the fire that are all moving quickly through the hiring process. Our fair warning is that for clients who are used to taking a long time moving through the interview and decision process, you will no longer have the luxury of those great candidates having the patience to wait for you. There are too many other interested and viable options that they can pursue and the fastest to the hiring finish line will win the loyalty of the candidate. This is a hard message to communicate to our customers who are used to having the time to mull over their hiring decisions with our candidates, but the reality is that it is part of our responsibility as a service provider to be very clear and consultative about employment trends, as we are typically the first to see them. We are doing a great disservice to our customers if we do not. Our message with new job orders these days is this: move quickly or lose your chance at the choice candidate we work hard to source and carefully select for you.

For our candidates - the trend is a scary one. The applicant flow we are seeing is showing more and more signs of having been out of the workforce for anywhere from 12-18 months, sometimes longer. The extensions in support from unemployment payments has resulted in many choosing the remain on unemployment instead of taking a lower paying position to remain in the workforce. This is a tough conundrum and one can understand the argument of keeping your stream of income coming in from unemployment funds vs changing your lifestyle to adapt to a lower income if you don't have to. The downside to this is that our customers are standing firm on their requirement for recent and relevant work experience in order to even consider a candidate for a position. This goes for both temporary and full time positions. The relevant may not be as critical as the recent, but given the significant of changes that have taken place in the workplace over the past year or two, anyone who has not been employed may find it difficult to adjust to today's office cultures, technology and expectations.

Our advice for our clients is to take a moment to assess your hiring processes and see how you can streamline them to ensure that you get the candidate that you want before they get away when your competitor moves faster. For our candidates - make sure that you are taking any action possible to update your resumes with recent and relevant experience - and if you have been out of the workforce for an extended period of time, see if you can apply other experiences such as part time work, self-employment experiences or volunteer work. Be sure to recognize that the workplace has changed over the past year and educate yourself on updated technology and workplace trends through research and following blogs such as The Hiring Site by Careerbuilder and Career Realism.

At That's Good HR, it is a fine balance to please our customers and our candidates while providing important information about local workplace and employment trends. We do our very best to be honest and forthcoming with what we are seeing and hearing out there in the Indianapolis job market so we can provide a service that goes above and beyond the simple of matching of a need to a candidate. I know that we always appreciate it when our customers and candidates are honest with us and it is our goal to provide the same service to them, even when it means we have to enter the danger.