When you set out to make a list of the skills and qualities you want in your next employee, it can feel helpful to get specific. But once your list starts getting too long, you’ve gone beyond helpful and wandered into dangerous territory. The longer your hiring wish list is, the more unrealistic it is, and the more difficult it can be to find a candidate to fit it. Most importantly, it will drag out your hiring process, adding significant time and costs. Here are several ways to develop more reasonable expectations for your next hire:

Make a list of what you need.

Remember the lesson in grade school about the difference between needs and wants? This is a great time to revisit that. If you’re hiring for an information technology position, for example, you need someone who can read and write code. You probably don’t need someone who can assist your sales team and attend sales meetings. Take a good look at your wish list and cross off the things that are just wants, because they’re making your hiring harder.

Rewrite your job listing.

Now that you’ve taken a good look at what the real requirements of your open position are, use this knowledge to rewrite your job posting. Asking for too much will scare good candidates away. If they see they need three years of experience and they only have one, they will close your website and move on to the next company. Resist the temptation to pad your job listing with jargon like “detail-oriented” and “team player,” and instead stick to the facts. During the interview process you will be able to identify candidates with these competencies, so it isn’t necessary to include it as a part of the job description.

Consider hiring someone less experienced.

You may feel you need someone with five to ten years of work experience, but unless you’re hiring for a senior position, you can usually train someone less experienced. Rather than holding out for a perfectly qualified candidate, you can hire a competent person and put them to work right away, training them as they go. Hiring someone less experienced will also save you money, as you can adjust their salary to their skill level.

Do you need more help with your hiring process? At Contemporary Staffing Solutions, we have staffing specialists that can work with your company to find you a great new employee from our pool of qualified candidates. Get in touch with us today!

You’ve carefully crafted a job posting, put it up online, and now no one is applying. What did you do wrong? Here are some ways you can troubleshoot your job post and attract more candidates:

Your job posting is too vague.

Too often, when advertising a job, an employer would rather make a list of skills they’re looking for than describe the duties that the job entails. You have to communicate your needs effectively, or a qualified candidate is likely to skip over your posting. Describe everyday tasks like, “troubleshoot written code” and avoid meaningless requests like “self-starter who’s great at multitasking.”

You’re making it too hard to apply.

If you have an online job application that requires candidates to fill in their job details over and over, in many different fields, you’re likely to drive away a certain number of candidates. Simplify the process by allowing candidates to upload their resumes, and save web forms for more straightforward things like age verification and checking work authorization.

You’re not promoting your company.

Many job postings have little to say about the company, which is a missed opportunity. Make sure that after you describe the job requirements you use a few lines to describe your company’s mission statement, and mention why it’s a great place to work. This may pique someone’s interest, and encourage them to apply.

You’re not looking in the right place.

Everyone knows there are more than a few job boards online, but did you know that certain kinds of workers tend to flock to certain job boards? Technical jobs are often popular on Craigslist, and management positions do well on LinkedIn. Make sure you do your research and post your job opening where it will be seen by the most people.

You’re not utilizing a staffing partner.

Between the nuances of writing a job posting, to the abundance of job boards online, finding qualified candidates is a challenge. To help reduce your hiring costs and time, consider partnering with a leading staffing firm. These recruiting specialists have years of experience in sourcing candidates so they understand how to attract top candidates and where to find them.

If you’re struggling to find someone to hire, contact a staffing specialist at Contemporary Staffing today. We can help you tap into our pool of qualified applicants, and take the frustration of hiring off your plate.

Is there something wrong at your company that you just can’t put your finger on? Is your office not running smoothly despite your best efforts? If your staff is struggling to meet company goals, or if there are a higher than average amount of mistakes in your workplace, it’s possible that your workers’ skills aren’t matched well with their responsibilities. Here’s how to fix that:

Review your job descriptions.

When you hired your staff, you probably paid very close attention to their resumes and interview answers to make sure that they aligned with the skills and talents you were looking for. But as time goes by, job descriptions can change. If someone leaves the company, someone else may need to step in and adopt their responsibilities, or entirely new tasks may show up without a clear leader to take them on. So what to do? Sit down and make a list of the jobs in your office. Next, list the responsibilities that are required for the job, along with the responsibilities that may have been added along the way.

Review your workers.

Now, employee by employee, take a look at their skills. You can refer to their resume, or make a list yourself. Are there any skills that would be beneficial to your company that aren’t being put to good use? Thinking of your office as a whole, is there anyone who is struggling? Is anyone bored? Does one person have an unfair amount of tasks to complete in a workday while someone else is sitting at their desk twiddling their thumbs? Try shifting around responsibilities by delegating them to different people and see if that helps your workflow.

Keep reviewing.

Once things fall into place, don’t get complacent. Keep an eye on how your office runs, and be prepared to shift tasks as necessary. Also, keep in mind that as your staff gains or loses members, workflow will change. Be proactive and avoid potential problems by making sure you orient your new staff members thoroughly and assign the tasks of outgoing employees to other people in the office if you aren’t able to hire an immediate replacement.

If you take these steps and have the same issues, keep in mind that understaffing could be the root of your office problems. If you’re looking to hire, contact a recruiting specialist at Contemporary Staffing Solutions for expert help!

Knowing your candidates and how they are searching for employment can be extremely useful for to your hiring process. A recently released study which evaluated the job search behavior of workers yielded somewhat surprising results. Here are some of the findings:

• Many workers – almost 75% – are continually looking for new jobs, or are open to opportunities that they would consider a move up. This number includes those who are already employees.
• The Internet has made job searching much easier and less of a chore, to the point that almost 70% of workers say that they search for new opportunities regularly.
• Younger “Millennial” workers are more likely to keep searching for new jobs, and stay in their positions for an average of three years. Workers from the baby boomer generation stayed in positions for an average of 11 years.
• Job searching has become more like shopping. Candidates research a company before applying by looking at their website and checking out their social media, and try to get a sense of the company culture and current projects.

So, how can you leverage these findings and hire better people?

Have a media strategy.

It’s almost a certainty that potential employees are looking at your company website before they apply for a job. Think of how you want to brand your company culture, and think of the best way to get that message out there. Keep in mind that your presence on social media may be reviewed as well as more traditional media such as the local news.

Consider your hiring process.

Once a candidate submits an application for a position at your firm, they are engaging with your company. Even if you have retained a recruiting expert who is screening all candidates for you, your organization still plays a crucial part. Take a look at your hiring process and make sure that all potential employees are treated with respect and kindness, because if you aren’t, that is going to get around to other job seekers.

Advertise internal positions.

One of the best ways to retain current employees who may be tempted by better job offers at other companies is to advertise internal positions. Don’t just put up openings on the company intranet. Consider using a current employee to reach out to people who may be a good fit for the jobs.

For more tips about hiring, or to explore new job opportunities, no matter your employment status, contact a specialist at Contemporary Staffing Solutions.

So you have a great work environment, a competitive salary and benefits package. What else can you do to improve your hiring strategy? You probably put a lot of energy into making sure your employees are comfortable, but it’s all to easy to forget about job applicants who are trying to become employees. Here are some simple tips that can help you extend a friendly hand to candidates, which will help you end up with better employees.

Be clear in your job description. This is the easiest one on the list! By asking for specific skills and education, a candidate can save time by not applying for a job that they’re not qualified for. The more specific a job description is, the better a job candidate can evaluate whether or not it’s a fit for them.

Make your application easy to complete. Nothing is more tedious than having to enter your job history into a form, one piece of information at a time. Consider using an online form that can pull the information from a job seeker’s uploaded resume.

Return phone calls. Your time is valuable, so it wouldn’t make much sense to call everyone who submits an application. But once a candidate is further along in the hiring process, it’s common courtesy to return their phone calls. Candidates know how valuable your time is, which is why a simple act of common courtesy can mean so much.

Engage your candidates. If a job applicant approaches you or someone at your company in person, make sure they’re treated well. Eye contact and a smile go a long way. If you’re communicating with them on the phone, try to chat with them about something beyond scheduling. Treat them like a person, not a resume.

Be a good host. When someone comes in for an interview, it’s common practice to offer them a bottle of water or a cup of coffee. But what about when they leave? If it’s a local candidate, consider giving them a company mug or t-shirt. If a candidate traveled from out of town, consider providing a restaurant suggestion or directions to their hotel or the airport.

Work with hiring experts. Partnering with a recruiting firm will not only save you time, but it can save you money as well. Recruiters have large networks of qualified candidates who have already been screened and interviewed. They will be able to quickly pare down down your candidate pool and then provide you with  short-list of candidates for you to interview.

What else can you do to improve your hiring strategy in 2013? Get in touch with a specialist at Contemporary Staffing to develop a plan for the coming year.

With the prevalence of mobile devices, employers are now faced with a unique challenge. As employees bring in their mobile devices, tablets and smart phones, and want to use them in the course of doing their job. This presents several problems that must be addressed.

Security Issues

The first concern is security, particularly if you have a secured network. Once an employee gains access to that network, the information is saved on their device. If they should lose that device, there is the potential that your network security could be compromised. In addition, if the employee is using their device to handle confidential company or customer information, there is an even greater risk that the data could be compromised.

Many companies have set up strict no device policies as a result of issues that arise with customer and company information being shared improperly.

More Help Desk Issues

Your help desk or IT department is already likely stretched thin. Add into the mix a host of devices that your employees need help configuring or using and they will have even more work to do. While some employees are tech savvy enough to handle some issues, problems with network connections and Exchange servers will most likely require extra help from your IT department.

Solving the Problem

Depending on your budget constraints, you may want to consider providing employees with wireless devices, such as tablets, that will help them do their jobs, but keep the devices as company property and not allow them out of the building. This allows you to take advantage of the best of both worlds — your employees can be more productive, while you can rest assured that your data is secure and your network will maintain the proper security level.

In addition, you may even want to consider developing your own secure applications for use on mobile devices. This will help appease your employees thirst for better technology and improve your daily operations. While developing an app can be an expensive process, it will help you stay on top of your competitors and the changing times.

As technology continues to evolve and applications improve, companies will be shifting their technology budgets to include more mobile devices. By learning about the security issues now and coming up with a strategy that address all sides of the issue, you’ll be prepared. You can learn a lot from the early adopters who went through embarrassing security lapses and learned the hard way that its better to accommodate employees, but to do it on their own terms.

Do you have a question about implementing a device policy in your company or managing the use of devices? Let the experts at ContemporaryStaffing help you today!

Contemporary Staffing celebrates Throwback Thursdays!

Each week, we will feature a first job of one of our employees, clients, or contractors, posing 3 questions often asked in job interviews. They will share what they learned from their first job, and how they feel as though it’s applicable to their job today, and something that they’ve learned since their first job, that they wish they knew then.

What was your first job?

Alberta T., a CSS Employee, shares her first job:

Waitress at a coffee shop.

“I was only 13 or 14, so as a teenager, i was thrilled that my mom let me use my pay to go shopping for clothes that were the fad at the time. (unlike the little girl clothes she bought for me) I will always remember me and my sister running to the shops to buy things with every very minimal pay check we received. We thought having our own money was great.”

What did you learn?

Alberta learned “attendance was most important.”

She also learned to “treat people the way you expect to be treated.”

“Patience.”

What do you know now that you wish you knew then?

“I wanted to work immediately when I graduated high school, to continue to have my own money. I wish I could have chosen to further my education after high school instead. I have since gotten my Associates degree, because just a high school education today doesn’t get you the good paying jobs.”

CSS Wants to know: What did you learn from your first job?!

Let us know below, or email your response to marketing@contemporarystaffing.com for a chance to be featured next Throwback Thursday!

Working with a staffing company is designed to make your life work easier, but in the initial stages, it can be a little chaotic. By taking a little time to get prepared and get ready to integrate will make the transition process much easier and ensure that everything goes smoothly.

The first step is ensuring that the communication between yourself and the firm are at the highest level possible. If you start from the first that everyone understands their duties and that you have an open line of contact with their main supervisor, this will cut down on any confusion that may occur during the initial stages as well as throughout the project.

Next, you’ll need to clearly define the roles you want the staffing firm to play within your organization. If everyone knows from the get-go what is expected, this will keep everyone on task and performing at the levels you expect. One of the main reasons that staffing firms run into issues is due to a lack of clear information and expectations and taking the time to delineate the expected tasks will solve this problem.

It is also important to discuss the issue with your current staff so that they understand fully that the incoming staffing firm is not replacing them. In some cases, staffing firm employees are treated poorly by the regular staff due to tension. By explaining to your staff that this is a temporary measure, made to ensure that your company meets a specific deadline or need, you can assuage their potential fears and ensure that everyone is treated properly.

Staging on on-boarding day is also an important step in managing your project with a staffing firm. This gives everyone time to familiarize themselves with your unique systems and can also be used to help set up expectations and get to know everyone better. Simply by taking one day to focus on this, rather than throwing everyone into the midst of a project will make the transition smoother and set up a clear line of communication for everyone involved.

Working with a staffing firm is a great solution, particularly if you are on a short deadline and need to accomplish a project quickly. Simply taking a few steps in the beginning of the process will help you meet those goals and keep everyone happy.

Need advice on working with a staffing firm? Contemporary Staffing is here to help!

If you want your employees to respect your authority, look up to you and be motivated to do their jobs, it is vital to stand out as a true leader in your organization. By adapting certain mindsets, you can position yourself for success at your company and ensure that you have the backing and loyalty of your employees.

By practicing these mindsets and embracing their concepts, you will find that you’re not just acting like a leader, but that you are becoming a true leader. This in turn helps keep you motivated and achieving your own personal goals.

Mindset 1 – Honesty. By practicing total honesty and candor, you will quickly earn the respect of others. This may mean taking an unpopular stand and it certainly means that you won’t be a yes-man or yes-woman. But, people will always know where they stand with you and what you really think. This removes uncertainty when you’re dealing with others. They know you are someone who can be trusted. Just note that there are miles of difference between brutal honesty and tactful honesty. You may be called upon to practice this in a difficult situation and being tactful is always important.

Mindset 2 – Support Others. By supporting and encouraging others, you accomplish the same for yourself. Don’t be afraid to take someone under your wing. Be generous with others, both with your time and your expertise. If someone needs help, offer it to them. This doesn’t mean that you need to take on too much or allow others to coast on your achievements, but it does mean being there for those who need you.

Mindset 3 – Hold Yourself and Others Accountable. Being able to take the blame when you’re at fault, and holding yourself accountable are the key traits of a leader who is respected. It’s not always the easiest road to take, but it is the best road. Accountability comes in many different forms. For example, it is important to hold yourself accountable to meet your own goals within your organization, as well as the goals that are set for you. Once you begin this mindset, you’ll find it’s contagious and other employees will be encouraged to do the same.

Mindset 4 – Practice Empathy. A true leader understands that not everyone has the same abilities and that simple tasks may difficult for some. It is also a vital trait to have if you are in a service industry. Being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes will help broaden your own understanding and endear you to others. Empathy is not an ingrained emotion, it is something we learn as we age. If you find it difficult to empathize now, keep practicing and eventually, it will become easier for you.

Want more tips on how to become a successful leader? Ask the pros at Contemporary Staffing!

Contemporary Staffing celebrates Throwback Thursdays!

Each week, we will feature a first job of one of our employees, clients, or contractors. They will share what they learned from their first job, and how they feel as though it’s applicable to their job today.

Kim W., Regional Relationship Manager at Contemporary Staffing Solutions, shares her first job:

Funeral Assistant

“[Working at a Funeral Home as a Funeral Assistant] was a great experience that helped me with being able to keep my composure – you couldn’t show any emotions around the families … Today that trait assists me tremendously when working with candidates and clients because it takes a lot to get me upset!”

“I also learned I like working with people who talk a lot as opposed to not talking at all!”

Contemporary Staffing wants to know: What was your first job?! What did you learn? Reply below or email marketing@contemporarystaffing.com!

Looking for a new job? Search our job board at jobs.contemporarystaffing.com for openings in your area!