Staffing Stories

"America's staffing companies employed an average of 2.66 million temporary and contract workers per day in 2008, according to the American Staffing Association's quarterly staffing employment and sales survey". 

I have been in this dynamic industry in Indianapolis for 20 years.  It makes me sound so old when I say that out loud.  The truth is, this crazy business of jobs has kept me young.  I know that may sound strange, but those who have been in this industry for a long time know that you cannot survive without having a pretty good sense of humor and the more you laugh the younger you feel.  We laugh a lot.  There is nothing more fun or more rewarding that being part of that process of making the perfect match.  Placing the right candidate in the job they really want with a client who really needs and appreciates what they have to offer is euphoric.  It does not matter what segment of the industry you are in: accounting, finance, administrative, government, HR or executive recruiting.  You just have to keep coming back for more. 

This is what I want to talk about in this blog.  The past, present and future of our industry, hiring trends and jobs of all kinds.  Where we have been, where we are going and how we are an integral part of the economy.  Not to mention, why so many of us remain tied to this industry for so long and why we are still smiling. 

I am a natural born cynic.  No, I take that back...I am sure I was not born that way, but my environment and experiences over time have shaped my outlook on life to be a little bit more on the "verify" side of Ronald Reagan's signature phrase "Trust but Verify".  Now, don't get me wrong, I am not one to actively seek out the bad in all situations.  Quite the opposite, actually.  I am typically very upbeat and easygoing.  My friends consider me fun to be around. (You might want to verify that one).  Over time, however, I have moved away from blind trust and "taking your word for it" when navigating through day to day situations. 



This is actually a very good trait to have and I am not just telling you that because of my own awareness of my level of cynicism.  It is important to weigh your options and ask specific (and sometimes many) questions before you simply accept things for what they appear to be.  This is something many of us do when making big decisions like buying a house or a car.  I challenge you to "pause" regularly to consider your options or to "verify" the facts with any transaction that has an impact on your life, your year, your day or even the moment if it is important enough. 

For example, when you meet someone for the first time, you don't know if they will have an impact (good or bad) on your life in some way.  Take a moment to learn about them, peel back the layers of the onion and genuinely be interested in something about them before you pass judgment.  A wise man (my dad) once told me that very rarely is something exactly what it appears to be.  Perhaps that was my first lesson in "trust but verify" but it has served me well.

Take your Indianapolis job search, for another example.  This impacts you significantly.  It is very necessary to have a job and the process of finding a job (particularly of late) can be overwhelming.  So what do we do?  We move as quickly as we can through the process of identifying and applying to Indianapolis job openings and away we go.  I challenge you that this is the perfect time to pause, even though the situation of not having a job or being in the wrong job makes it very hard to consider moving more slowly.  The "trust but verify" approach here will serve you well.  I promise.

Instead of the scatter approach to your job search, take the time to filter your options to those that you "trust" are the best match for you.  Rely on your personal and professional networks to educate you on current hiring trends in your field of interest and to offer you insights to the good, bad and ugly of the local marketplace and in your chosen career track.
Once you have your list, it is time to verify.  Do your research on the company, the industry and the specifics around the position.  The first two are easy to do with all of the research options at your virtual fingertips.  The position details will take some more work.  Engage in social media outlets that connect you to others who work in the industry, for that company or in a similar role.  If the opportunity to interview presents itself, use that initial engagement to verify that your understanding of the position match the expectations of the supervisor or the company.

Once you advance in the interview process, it is time to verify the cultural fit.  A  big shiny building with cutting edge technology might have nothing within the structure of the building to support what is important to you.  Going with your gut has it's place and time and but nothing can take the place of asking questions in different ways to get to the answer you are really looking for.  Just be prepared that the risk is that it might not be the answer you want.  Most of the time we don't dig deeper because we fear that our perception will be shattered for a reality that we no longer want or like.  Better now than later, I say.

Verifying can be uncomfortable, even in the most basic of situations.  I was shopping in a local jeans establishment the other day and when the clerk rang up my total it sounded a little high for me.  I mentioned that and the clerk brushed my concern aside.  I paid, left and still felt something was not quite right.  I looked in my bag and compared my purchases with the receipt and discovered that I had been charged for the same pair of jeans THREE times.  I went back to have it corrected and was surprised when there was no apology for the error, only the comment "I am so glad you caught that".  The only thing "Lucky" about that experience was that I trusted for a moment and then verified.

I encourage you to do the same. 

At That's Good HR, Inc. we are acutely aware of the need to trust your choice in Indianapolis recruiters.  The job search process is not the place to trust until you verify.  Once you do your verification, your chances that you will have the right guidance and support throughout your process increase exponentially.

I am of the opinion that there is no secret recipe to being a great leader or identifying great leaders. There are many who study or have studied what makes a great leader and I too have been a student of this quest for knowledge. My studies have not been scientific, rather, I have held leadership roles in Indianapolis staffing in one capacity or another for nearly 2 decades. My focus has been leadership in the world of central Indiana jobs and local hiring trends for as long as I can remember. I have had the opportunity to lead teams both large and small, in large corporate and small private organizations, with paid employees and with volunteers and in good times and bad. I feel fairly confident that my exposure to extremes has only contributed to my development in a positive way.

Gallup is a research organization that holds a little (a lot, actually) more clout than I do on studies of leadership traits. Conveniently, their studies also seem to agree with my point of view. In conducting research for the book, "Strengths Based Leadership", Gallup researchers studied more than one million work teams, conducted more than 20,000 in-depth interviews with leaders, and even interviewed more than 10,000 followers.  Their findings were vast, but just of few of them follow:

• Of all the leaders surveyed, Gallup has yet to discover even one who has world-class strength in all of the four domains of leadership strength -- executing, influencing, relationship building, and strategic thinking.
• Paradoxically, those who strive to be competent in all areas become the least effective leaders overall.

Further, their research found that the most effective leaders are not well rounded at all, but instead are acutely aware of their talents and use them to their best advantage. By focusing on those things that you know you do well and the areas where your strengths lie, you do not waste your time and efforts trying to be great at everything. Imagine the power of focusing on your strengths and developing true expertise in these areas.  It seems that most people fail when they feel they have to be the best in everything they do and instead end up being mediocre at everything. Followers have four basic needs - trust, compassion, stability and hope. It is hard for people to follow mediocrity with enthusiasm and loyalty.

If you are not aware of what your strengths are, you should do some research and find out. Then take it a step further and identify the strengths of your team to ensure that you are working with a balanced team covering the four key domains of leadership strength.

Based again on Gallup's Strengths Based Leadership, here are the four domains of leadership strength - all of these are important in building well rounded teams. A great leader will surround themselves with team members who are strong in the areas where they are self aware that they are lacking. 

Executing

Team members who have dominant strength in the Executing domain are those whom you turn to time and again to implement a solution. These are the people who will work tirelessly to get something done. People who are strong in the Executing domain have an ability to take an idea and transform it into reality within the organization they lead.

Influencing

People who are innately good at influencing are always selling the team's ideas inside and outside the organization. When you need someone to take charge, speak up, and make sure your group is heard, look to someone with the strength to influence.

Relationship Building

Relationship builders are the glue that holds a team together. Strengths associated with bringing people together -- whether it is by keeping distractions at bay or keeping the collective energy high -- transform a group of individuals into a team capable of carrying out complex projects and goals.

Strategic Thinking

Those who are able to keep people focused on what they could be are constantly pulling a team and its members into the future. They continually absorb and analyze information and help the team make better decisions.

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You will be amazed at the power that comes from a well balanced team of individuals who balance each other and perform within their greatest strengths. I have been fortunate to work with teams like this in my past and to this day I would work with that team anywhere, anytime, with confidence in our ability to succeed. In the competitive industry of indianapolis staffing it is crucial to have a sustainable competitive edge that comes only from a well balanced leadership team.

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!

Over two decades of Indianapolis Staffing industry experience have transformed me into a demanding customer when I am in need of some good customer service myself. I figure that Monday - Friday (and sometimes Sat and Sun too), I make sure I dish out the best possible customer service to my customers. All I am asking for is a little of the same from my own service providers. I have to admit, usually I am pleasantly surprised...but not always. Every once in awhile I need to TALK to someone about a problem I am having - but NO, instead I get caught up in customer service "please hold for the next available customer service rep while you listen to this crummy music" hell. This happened to me recently and after investing an embarrassing amount of time attempting to conquer the on hold circle of defeat, I decided to investigate the deep dark depths of their website to see if there was any hope of a live person I could reach to help me out.

This is where I stumbled across the "Live Chat" option. It was not prominently displayed on the site, but I found it and although pensive about pouring my heart out to a stranger on the Internet, I was desperate enough to use it.  I am happy to report that my experience was pleasantly satisfying and the process of typing out my "problem" turned out to be rather cathartic. The customer service rep on the other end of my "chat" was polite, helpful and took care of my problem in 3 questions or less. Now, the emotional reactions and facial expressions demonstrated by my helper on the other side of the keyboard might have been frustration or exasperation about my issue, but as far as I was concerned, they passed the test of great customer service.

I was not sure how I would feel about giving credit to a pseudo-personal method of communicating with your customers. I am, after all, a tried and true student of the school of personal communication being the very best way to take care of your customers. Face to face is even better, but we all know that is an impossible dream with a large customer base that is geographically spread out. Phone communication is the next best way to take care of your customers with that personal touch. These days, email is the preferred method of communication for many, but it leaves so much open for interpretation that is is not always the most effective method.  Now I find myself sitting here pondering how cool it might be to have the "live chat" option for a service such as ours? I have not thought it fully through yet and have many potential challenges to this approach in the staffing industry already formulating in my head.  That said, it might be the next  thing on the list of "expected" service delivery options so it would be wise to mull it over.

At That's Good HR, I have to admit that we make ourselves available to our customers at all times. We try very hard to be proactive in our approach to talent management, but when you are working with the human element things come up, so it is critical to be available and ready to help. Our "live chat" option right now is the own mobile device that each of us carries which offers a personal touch to the support we provide.  Not sure we are quite ready to give that up yet.  More to come...

In the post-Thanksgiving spirit, I thought I would share some thoughts on the very topic of giving thanks. This time of year makes us all a little more sensitive to taking the time to appreciate what we do have and less tolerance for those who use this opportunity to simply complain about what they don't have.  For example, don't you just love people who go through life "expecting" things to go their way regardless of how they treat those around them? "Thanks for nothing", they say. "Right back at you", I say. You get what you give. Plain and simple. It is not guaranteed but as a general rule, it all works out in the end.

In a bad situation? Do something to make it better rather than waiting for someone else to fix it for you. Help yourself and then help someone else while you are at it instead of spending your time wallowing in your unhappiness. Every single day should have in it, somewhere, your chance to do good in big and small ways. Smile at someone. Not hard, right? Maybe you will make their day a little brighter. Hold the elevator for someone. Easy. Let someone go first. Hard for some, but really so easy.

I am not talking monumental, sell all your stuff and give the money to charity kind of things. The simple stuff can lead to bigger stuff and one day it will come back to you in unexpected ways. This is not all simply for the touchy-feely outcome of it all. It actually does have practical applications in the workplace as well.

This lesson works especially well in the workplace and these are the building blocks for opportunities to have an individual impact at work that could later translate to great STARs (Situation, Task, Action, Results). Building your resume is one thing, but building great examples for behavioral interview questions is just as important. When you do something to make someone else's job better, you are contributing to the productivity of the company overall.

For example: Your coworker is struggling with a particular assignment working with a software that you have some proficiency with. Find some time to help them out, give them a mini tutorial. Don't do the work for them - rather teach them how to do it themselves. No skin off your back and you don't even need to take credit for it. They get the project completed and you have a good story to tell one day down the road when an interviewer ask you: "Tell me about a time when you used your knowledge to help someone else at work".  You also now have a friend at the office who may be willing to help you out one day when you need it.

Sounds trite, I know. So simple and obvious that it is ridiculous to waste a blog post on the subject. I disagree. It is never a waste to remind others of the fundamentals around being decent human beings. Sometimes we get busy and forget and the holiday season just seems like a good time to put it out there one more time.

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.

This blog post is for everyone. It does not matter if you are a job seeker, a stay at home parent, an HR professional, a Headhunter or someone who has a great job and life is good. Nothing is a sure thing these days so no matter what your situation, you should always be seeking ways to improve your knowledge, your skills, yourself. I recently came across this video created by IBM titled "THINK" and in watching it, I was overwhelmed with the sheer scope of what we are capable of and how much more we can do. Take a peek at it when you have a chance.

Look around you, ask questions, challenge processes, debate the status quo, have provocative discussions about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. If you cannot find someone around you to have these interactions in a non-threatening and safe way, find new people to hang out with and talk to. No one says it better than Joseph Heller in his book "Catch 22" with this line. "“[They] agreed that it was neither possible nor necessary to educate people who never questioned anything.”

It does not matter if the economy is in the dumps or you have too much to do and too little time or if you are just too tired to learn anything new. Stop learning and this will be your reality forever after.   Why am I so passionate about this? My strengths lie in teaching and providing. I thrive on engaging with others in way that makes me a better person or helps them to look at the world in a different (hopefully better) way.

Seth Godin does a great job illustrating this and other great points about "What Matters Most" in this slideshow. One of the things that this presentation talks about is the Ripple Effect of learning. On slide 23, one of the contributors, John Wood, says: "Education has a ripple effect. One drop can initiate a cascade of possibility, each concentric circle gaining in size and traveling further." If you have a few minutes I recommend that you read through this slide presentation - you will learn something of value.

In the Staffing industry, the way we do business is constantly changing. Every day, there are new laws, processes, interpretations, technology or products that require those in our business to be constantly learning. If we do not, we are behind almost immediately. As a candidate in the middle of your Indianapolis job search, you too have to keep learning to stay on top of who is hiring, why, how to apply, how to network, what skills to learn or improve and how to interview.

Get out there and find a way to constantly learn from the world around you. Even if it is just one small thing every day. Do this and you will find that while the world keeps moving and changing, you will not be left behind.

"Patience is a virtue"...how many times did I hear that phrase growing up? How many times a day does it reverberate in my subconscious as I grit my teeth when things don't move at the lightening speed to which I am accustomed? Every time I hear those words I think exactly the same thing - "What a load of crap. Patience is just another word for wasting time". Can you tell that this is a key development area for me? I have come a long way, but I have a lot of work to do so you can only imagine how big of a development challenge this is for me.

I try very hard to consciously focus when people are talking to me. This is particularly challenging when the conversation is one-sided and the words have no real impact on my life. This works for about 45 seconds (a new world record) and then I just cannot help myself. My eyes glaze over and I begin working through the million other more important things going on in my life in my head (while trying very hard to make it look like I care at all). This is not easy to do and some of you would be lying if you told me this never happens to you. I will admit that now and then I do miss some little kernel of important information, but more often than not, I get more done in my head than I would ever get from the conversation.

Getting things done - this is another area where I have to work very hard not alienate all of my friends and family. When I have things to do, I am on a mission to get them done and I just don't worry about the collateral damage as I focus on the goal that I intend to achieve by the end of the day, the hour or even that very minute. If you are helping me with the task at hand, your lackluster pace could be detrimental to your health (and mine) so just back off and let me do it myself.

So now I get to the point of my title. Pumpkin Carving.

This weekend we headed to our farm with several pumpkins for a quality "fall getaway". I was in charge of cutting tops off, scooping out pumpkin guts, sorting seeds and general project management. Right up my alley...so I thought. However, when the pumpkins are being carved by my young, reckless boys, the whole concept of project management quickly takes on a whole new life. At one point, I turned around to find Nate performing acupuncture on his pumpkin. Drew must have drawn the face on his pumpkin twenty times before he was satisfied. The carving process was excruciating as I was there only to observe and coach and I wanted nothing more than to snatch that knife out of my kid's hand and just do it myself - quickly, neatly and efficiently. My husband was so engrossed in carving the perfect "bat" on his pumpkin that he was completely oblivious to the sheer personal and metal strength that went into maintaining my self control.

I believe I really made some good progress during our carving activity over the weekend. I did not scream or cry or stomp my feet. I did not push my kids out of the way, seize the carving tools and complete the perfect pumpkins by myself. I am feeling pretty good about it all and I decided that this was one of the best personal development exercises I have participated in this year. Besides, there is something cathartic about scooping out big handfuls of pumpkin guts with your bare hands.

So, if you have children (or can borrow some), get your hands on some pumpkins and find a zen getaway spot where you too can exercise your patience and self control. Do it now, before Halloween comes and you've missed your chance because then you might have to let your kid carve the Turkey and we all know how that could turn out.

This week's blog post is about blogging. Compendium asked me to talk about why we blog here at That's Good HR so I submitted the following response that was published on the Compendium blog today.

"For That's Good HR, we blog to stay connected to our customers and employees in a real and genuine way. Our blogs are written by our internal staff so they provide another level of personal interaction with our audience. Blogging can be a cathartic experience, providing an outlet to talk to others about what you are personally passionate about. It is the perfect platform to share your key knowledge and experience with others and the two way communication that can happen on a blog creates a community of exchange.

Our blog challenges us to remain current and informed about the staffing industry and the HR profession. As the experts in our industry, we feel it is important to share with our customers and candidates what we hear and see in the local job market, while staying on the cutting edge of employment issues locally and nationally. We love to talk to our customers and we love to hear from them. Blogging is another tool that helps connect with and educate our customers and our candidates."

I also come across this article from Forbes on 9 Reasons you Should Blog. Interesting that reason #1 is "It's your new resume". Never considered that one...but it makes you think a lot about your virtual imprint as you engage in social avenues to talk to others.

Enjoy both of these as you think about your own blogging activity (or lack thereof). In the end, I blog because I enjoy it and that is the very best reason. Why do you blog? Why don't you? Would love to hear your point of view!

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.

Last week, my 8 year old son came home from school and informed me that he intended to run for the "student action committee" for the 3rd grade. Three children would be "elected" based on a poster they would make and a speech they would deliver to an audience of peers. I congratulated him on his ambition and wished him the best of luck. What I did not do, however, was manage his campaign, create his poster and write his speech.

I did listen to his speech and coached him on delivery. No matter how much I wanted to, I did not change a word of his speech because it would no longer be his and if he was going to win, I wanted it to be on his merits, not mine. This turned out to put him at a great disadvantage and he did not win, but I was very proud of him taking this challenge on all by himself. He was upset because he said that the other speeches had so many big words and ideas in them that he did not even understand them. I understood...perfectly. I felt guilty for about 1 second and then I told him that someday he would thank me for encouraging him to taking responsibility for the outcomes in his life. He did not buy it....yet.

How early is too early to teach a child to take responsibility for what life will throw their way? I have no idea what the answer is, but I know that no matter when you choose to teach this important lesson, it is not easy to let go. We seem to live in a society where kids get ahead based on the efforts and influence of their parents for so long that sometimes I feel I am part of a minority of parents who do not make it my job to make sure my kids get everything they want.

I know that in the staffing industry, our expectation is that the individuals we work with are ultimately responsible for the success of their job search. While we represent them as a conduit between their skills and the needs of our clients, the candidates are the ones who hold all of the cards as to whether or not they will get or keep a job. Putting together a great resume and cover letter may require some help from another resource, friend or parent but at the end of the day there would be no resume if the candidate did not personally accomplish all of the elements that make up a good resume.

No job interview can be successful without the candidate effectively communicating their capabilities all on their own. That means, no "parent" in the room to tell the hiring official how great their kid is. Behavioral interviewing eliminates the usefulness of scripts or coached answers that someone else can write for you. If you did not experience the situation, action and result the interviewer is asking you about, you cannot answer the question properly. If you did not come up with the action or solution yourself, you cannot answer the question properly either. No longer does riding on the coattails of others work in the present interview environment and even if it did, you would not last long in a job that was secured on pretense rather than true capabilities.

Which takes me back to my first question....How early is too early to teach a child that to take responsibility for what life will throw their way? I would love to hear your ideas.

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.

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.

You are the Best! Don't you love it when someone says that to you? It just makes your day, doesn't it? I am not sure we really appreciate how far those four words really go when they are shared with honesty and enthusiasm. I heard it twice this morning already and having just returned from vacation with a very long "to do" list, it is fuel to keep me moving forward with the energy I need to have a productive day. Can you tell one of my "strengths" is significance?

Many times you do not have to ask someone to share with you that they think you are the best (or the worst in some cases). Sometimes the experience is so compelling that you just have to say it. This is helpful feedback to reinforce positive behaviors or to curb negative behaviors. However, there is a lot of valuable feedback out there that we never receive if we do not ask for it. In January, I posted a blog about the Importance of Feedback and in that post I talked about the fact that:

"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 big questions is, however, what do we do with that feedback? How do we turn into useful information that we then apply to our business practices? We recently compiled all of the quality control survey feedback for the first 6 months of the year and we are about to embark on a deep dive on all of the ratings, comments and the overall Net Promoter Score of the services we provide. We received so much great input from our customers that it is crucial that we listen and we learn. 

One set of data focuses on the interview experience for all candidates who visit our office for the first time. We want to know how we are doing, but more importantly we want to know what is important to the candidates. Here are some of the themes we heard:

• Communication: Quick responses, good advice on what the company is looking for, and honesty. If the individual is not a match, let them know so that both the company and the individual is not wasting each others time.

• Placement: The most important thing to me is going in and getting a job from a well known staffing agency that strives in staffing the best person for the job. An agency that really understands what their client is looking for and goes out and get that person.

• Understanding: It is important for me to feel the agency understands my career goals, and is willing to partner with me to work toward making those goals happen.

• Professionalism: Staff being friendly and professional.

• Honesty: from both sides. If there is no position available, I would rather hear that than be strung along with the possibility of one coming available in the "near" future.

• Individuality: That they listen and understand and value me, not just the positions they are trying to fill. Many discount the applicants as just commodities and don't take a real interest. Amber did take interest and keeps in touch with me off and on. The best recruiting experience I've had.

• Relationship: The most important aspect when working with a staffing agency is the relationship formed between the employee and the staffing agent. The agent and the employee communicate frequently during the employment period, so a good relationship must be formed for the two to work effectively.

• Information: Thorough information about the position, employer, and details regarding pay, length of assignment.

• Comfort: It is important that I feel comfortable with the company, as well as, having trust that That's Good HR will help place me with a company that is best for me.

Next step? Incorporate these into our business strategy. Now that we know what candidates are looking for, it is up to us to make sure that we use this knowledge wisely. None of this is rocket science and these are not deep dark secrets. Anyone who takes the time to ask and listen can get the same information. It is not just the information that is valuable after all, it is what you do with it. What will we do with it? Our very best to hear those four words..."You are the Best!"

I would like to welcome Lori Cherry, our very own That's Good HR staff member, to our blog. Lori manages all of our front office operations. She is the smiling face that you see when you walk into our office and the happy voice you hear on the phone when you call. She takes care of a whole host of very important tasks in between as well. To learn more about Lori, read my blog post singing her praises. Lori never hesitates to take on additional work when needed, regardless of how far outside of her job description it might be. Always willing to pitch in, Lori never misses an opportunity to learn new skills and gain experience. I asked Lori to write a blog post about this concept that may be foreign to some and familiar to others. So....here you go! Lori's take on the subject follows.
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How does your job title or job description define your work ethic? Too many workers use their job description as a checklist of duties to complete and that is where they feel their responsibility ends. Considering the economy we find ourselves in, it is vital that employees have the ability to wear more than one hat – vital to the employer and to the employee.

Why is it vital to your employer? Obviously, these are tough times. Many companies cannot afford to have several workers who only take on the minimum. Employers are looking for employees who are willing to go the extra mile and who desire to grow within the company. They want to see that you demonstrate your loyalty through rolling up your sleeves and getting the work done regardless of what your job description might be.

Why is it vital to you as an employee? With every extra responsibility you take on, you enhance your experiences and your resume, which will greatly help you when you move on to your next position. Not only that, but you also add to your own bank of knowledge. It is like having access to free on the job training, why in the world would you say no?

Working in a small company, I’ve had the opportunity to try my hand at several different things. I’ve processed payroll, handled the company’s accounts receivables and pre-screened candidates over the phone – none of which are listed on my job description. I happened upon these extra responsibilities either by asking for extra work or taking on someone else’s work while they were out of the office. These may not have been things that I loved doing, but overall, just having that exposure has made me a more well-rounded employee. Now when the payroll manager is out for a couple days, I can help answer questions people may have regarding their pay check. Or when the accounting clerk is out for the week, I can do some of her duties so that she isn’t behind when she gets back.

Here are some quick and easy tips:

DO:

• Take your job seriously: No matter how small or insignificant you may think your job is, it is still your job and it is important. Take some ownership over it and give it your best, every day.
• Use some initiative: During any down time you may have, look for other things you can do. Don’t wait to be asked to do every single thing throughout your day.
• Realize that a job title is just a job title: It does not define you as a person or as an employee. It merely states the basics of your role in the company, not all that you’re capable of.

DON'T:

• Assume your employer doesn’t have opportunities for growth: It may not be clear right away, but in most companies, there is room for advancement and growth. If you find that there’s another department you’re interested in learning more about, ask your supervisor if you can get involved.
• Settle for mediocrity: If you’re unhappy in your role for whatever reason, talk to someone about it. That’s what supervisors and mentors are for. Good ones will take you seriously and find a way to let you try new things.
• Take on too much: Remember that you do have responsibilities that are yours alone. Be sure you don’t get overwhelmed with other things and let your role take a backseat.

Most of all, don't get caught spending your extra time playing Farmville on Facebook or watching the latest YouTube viral video of some dancing dog. Take the initiative to keep your career moving forward.

If you are anything like me, you avoid doing things outside of your core competency out of fear of looking stupid. If you read my post "confessions of a high C" you can see that I don't like to break the rules and I have a very hard time venturing outside of my comfort zone. How boring, right?

Recently, I have stepped outside of my comfort zone to try new things and have therefore foreced myself to learn about things that I know nothing about. I won't bore you with the details, but it has been really tough for me wander into unknown waters, even shallow waters. At the same time, there is a true exhilaration in the unknown and learning something new brings a sense of vitality that doing the same old thing over and over just does not provide. I believe I will always struggle with new learning but as the world changes so much every day, it is unavoidable or you risk becoming obsolete.

As I was talking to a friend about this yesterday, it was interesting to come to work today and have a blog post titled Confronting Stupid from Seth Godin staring me in my face as I reviewed my email. As is Seth's style, this is a very short post that happens to mirror exactly this issue that I face. Seth talks about how there is a new kind of work out there these days that requires you to have "the guts to be wrong, a confrontation with the risk of being stupid".

If you are sitting at home today, doing the same old thing you always do because it is easy and comfortable, whether it be in your Indianapolis job search or really anything at all, maybe it is time to stop playing it safe and to start being stupid. Sounds like being stupid might be the smartest thing you can do today.

Why is it that when we receive awesome customer service that we are so blown away? Have we become so used to mediocre treatment these days that when we are treated well we are surprised? If that is the case, it is a sad state of affairs. When you invest in a service to be provided at a fair price, in return you should always receive service that makes you smile. If you do not, you should find another service provider immediately.

This realization came to me the other day when I visited the Apple store. I recently ordered a new ipad. I received said product at 6pm one day last week. At 9pm, curiosity got the best of my 8 year old and he attempted to sneak it away to look at it. Three steps in it slipped from his hands and literally bounced on all four corners across the floor. Yep, all four corners crushed in and cracked. This thing was only 3 hours old and now it was ruined. I will not bore you with the details of what immediately followed, as I am sure you can imagine. (note the fact that I am Italian/Irish and let your imagination fill in the rest).

First thing the next morning I made my appointment to visit the genius bar at the local Apple store. My story was met with compassion and immediately followed by "it looks like we will not be able to repair the damage, you will have to replace the whole thing and unfortunately it is not covered by the warranty". I braced myself, waiting for the price punchline. "However" he pauses... "given the fact that you literally JUST got it and did not even get to use it, we will take care of it". WHAT??? Not expecting that. Awesome service, I was shocked, and don't think I did not tell everyone including Apple how much I appreciated what Wayne at the genius bar did for me. My 8 year old went on to live another day.

This is the type of service you should be getting from your vendors. This is the type of service you should expect. This is the type of service that That's Good HR strives to provide every day. If we sent you someone to perform a job and that job did not get done to your satisfaction, we take care of it. If you are looking for a job and you have the skills and qualifications that our clients are seeking, we will take care of you. If you are having a bad day at work and you are a client or an employee, we will listen. You should not be surprised to receive this level of service and if you are not getting it from your current staffing provider, call us....now.