This building products manufacturer is seeking a Facilities Maintenance Technician to work with the Maintenance Manager in the sound end of Puget Sound.

This position repairs and maintains machinery and mechanical equipment such as motors, pneumatic tools, conveyor systems, production machine and equipment.

Some of the duties will be:

• Repairs and reconditions hydraulic/pneumatic systems
• Maintain, repairs and modifies extruders, pullers, calibration tables, saws and refrigeration equipment
• Repairs and maintain plant water systems
• Repairs and maintains material systems
• Fabricates and weld parts for repairs, retrofits and modifications
• Installs plumbing, air and electrical utilities necessary for machine operation
• Repairs or replaces defective parts
• Lubricates and cleans parts
• Installs special functional and structural parts in devices
• Set up and operates lathe, drill press, grinder and other metal working tools to make repairs
• Initiates purchase order for parts and machines
• Repairs electrical equipment

The company is looking for:

• 5+ years experience
• Formal training or OJT with electrical theory and mechanical applications is required
• Electrical school and mechanical experience is preferred

If you meet these qualifications, please contact the fife office at 253) 922-6770 or fife@smarttalent.net.

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An educational organization is seeking a Senior Accountant.  This position will provide an advanced accounting assistance and direction for all areas of the business office and university, as needed.  This person will also actively participate in month-end closing, financial statement preparation and the annual audit.

The Essential Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Verify accuracy of data for AR, AP and payroll.
• Perform complex accounting reconciliations as assigned and within prescribed deadlines.
• Prepare statements and reports as needed for AR, AP, Payroll and General Ledger.
• Review and approve invoices and expense reports, following up with the applicable departments to clarify discrepancies and ensure coding accuracy.

Minimum Qualifications are as follows:

1. Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and the majority of the coursework being completed with a US institution and a minimum of 2-3 years of related GL experience required.
2. Solid knowledge of US GAAP and financial reporting required; experience consolidating foreign operations is highly desirable.
3. 2-year supervisory or lead experience required.
4. Experience with ERP accounting software required; experience or working knowledge of PeopleSoft accounting software highly desirable.
5. Experience working in a higher education setting preferred.
6. Experience with preparation of excise, personal property tax returns and 1099s preferred.
7. Payroll tax reconciliation experience preferred.
8. Experience working with multiple corporate bank accounts, international and domestic wires and foreign currencies preferred.

If you are interested and meet these qualifications, please send your formation to becky@smartttalent.net or call Becky at 425) 827-5111.

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With most managers, it will not be the end of the world or your job if you disagree with the boss.  Most managers, who are confident in their ability, welcome a differing point of view, ideas and often encourage people to speak their mind.  Disagreements often end in new and better ideas, solutions to a problem and a solid relationship with your manager and your customers.

It does help if the organization fosters different opinions. In these types of organizations, they want to take advantage of their employee’s talents, experience and skills to enhance not only the organization, but the business relationship with their customers.

Believe it or not, managers are human, too.  It may be hard to believe at times, but you need to determine what their leadership style is to be able to understand how much disagreement will be tolerated and how much will be appreciated.

How you approach a disagreement with your boss will determine whether you are seen as an asset or a problem.  A situation that is approached with respect versus aggressiveness will always win out in the end.   If you are able to bring facts versus conjecture, you’ll be more likely to be successful in your argument.  You’ll need to do some work and research ahead of time to support your opinion.  Your boss is not often going to reverse themselves without facts and pertinent data that supports your plan.

There will come a time during your conversation when you’ll know it is time to give up your point of view and you can go no further.  At that time, it is best if you tell your boss that while you might disagree, you’ll implement whatever they have decided and do the best to make it a success.

Here are a few tips that employees have done to make a successful disagreement with their boss.

1. They had a great relationship first, thus when there was a disagreement, they started from a good place from the beginning.
2. The boss already had some faith in the employee because they had a track-record of delivering results, which makes the boss look good.
3. The employee was committed to the company and not just their personal agenda.  The history of suggestions tended to be for the betterment of everyone versus just their particular job or department.
4. The employee had a history of speaking out for the good of the company.  They didn’t disagree about everything, but only on the occasions they felt strongly about.
5. The employee doesn’t play games.  They are straight and to the point.
6. Name calling and sarcasm has no place when you are trying to speak-out in disagreement.  Making the boss look like an idiot is not a good idea for your long-term prospects of growth, learning and success.
7. No matter how often they might disagree with the boss, they seek this person out as a mentor so they can learn and spend time talking about issues and approaches to other business situations.
8. Their relationships with others and ethics in business were solid.  Would you get behind someone who you couldn’t trust or unsure of reprisals if things don’t go their way?
9. The employee was able to communicate clearly, concisely and rationally to make their case understood.  The employee was able to present the data and facts of the plan versus speaking in terms of “I think” or “I feel.”  They were able to demonstrate they did their homework on the subject.
10. Not a good idea to go around the boss to plead your case to their boss.  See the point above again about not making your manager look like an idiot.  They should never be blind-sided by your actions or learning about your point of view for the first time from their boss.

Most bosses want this type of relationship with their employees.  If you have prepared yourself using some of these tips and the day comes when you need to disagree with the boss, you’ll be ready and will build a strong effective relationship with your boss.

Do you have any tips to add?  Let me hear about them in the comment section.

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The relationship with your “boss” will be the cornerstone to your success and your career, not to mention the relationship you will have with your co-workers.  And when it comes to your boss, you are in-charge of that relationship.

Face it, no one else will care as much as you do about the relationship you have with your boss.  No one can help you reach your career goals or give you needed information as much as your boss.  At the same time, your boss needs your help to accomplish his or her goals as well.  You both share a real interdependence with each other.

Bosses come with a variety of levels of skills and effectiveness.  Some are just plain bad; unaware of your needs or uncaring for you as a person and your dreams and aspirations.  There are some that will view you as a one-way street for them; you give and they take.  Managing them can be quite the challenge, but worth your time if you expect to be successful, learn and move forward.

So, how do you develop an effective relationship with your boss?  Here are some tips that can help you, your boss and the organization.

1. Relationships are based on trust.  Do what you say you are going to do.  Keep your boss informed about projects and timelines.  You never want your boss surprised with problems that you knew about and could have been communicated.
2. Put the needs of your boss first.  There is more to your life at work than your success.  Learn how you can help.  What are the boss’s priorities?  What would success look like with the department and/or the company?  What can you do to help?
3. Tell your boss when an error has been made.  A cover-up didn’t work for Nixon and it won’t work for you either.
4. Try to get to know your boss as a person.  He or she shares the same human experience as you do.
5. Focus on the best parts of your boss.  Each boss has good and bad attributes.  If you focus on the bad parts all the time, it will cloud your happiness at work as well hinder as any success you might have with the organization.  Make your boss feel valued.  After all, you want that from him as well, right?
6. Your boss will most likely never change.  Who they are has helped them in the past.  It is what they have become and their past actions and success from their previous bosses reinforced what they do and will do.  Your boss might change, but instead of waiting that out, try to understand your boss’s work style.  The more you understand their preferences and style of work, the better you will be able to work with your boss.
7. Listen and learn from your boss.  There will be days where you doubt that there is anything you can learn from this person, but the company found many things about their work, business style, etc., and promoted the person to their current position.  Promotions are usually earned and a consequence of delivering results and successful contributions to the company.  Listen more than you speak to develop a successful relationship.  But sometimes, disagreements do occur.  Don’t hold a grudge.  Don’t make threats about leaving.  Disagreement is fine; discord is not.  You are unlikely to always get your way and after all, your boss will always have more authority than you do.
8. Learning to read the mood of your boss can be helpful to be able to communicate effectively.  There are good times and bad times to introduce new ideas.  If the boss is preoccupied with the budget your idea for long-term improvement of something may not be timely and given full consideration.  Also, if the boss reacts to your ideas the same way each time, find out if there is something fundamentally the boss likes or dislikes about your proposals. When presenting ideas, try to keep the bigger picture in mind.  There may be good reasons why an idea might not work into the organizations overall goals.
9. Your boss can be a very busy person.  Keep that in mind.  Schedule a weekly or at least a monthly meeting for a discussion.
10. Let the boss play the role of coach and mentor.  Ask the boss for feedback.  The boss can’t read your mind.  Make sure the boss knows of your contributions.

Do you have any tips?  Let me hear them in the comments section.

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A custom contract engineering company is searching for a Mechanical Designer for a 3 month project.

Requirements:

• Minimum of 5 years of experience
• Minimum of 5 years of design experience
• Modeling skills in mechanical design, sheet metal and structured BOMS
• Ability to identify, quantify and resolve problems
• Experience with software applications
• Ability to establish technical standards, methods and priorities.
• Ability to communicate plans projects and capabilities to Senior Management.

Please submit résumé and minimum salary requirements.

Smart Talent offers benefits from the day that you start working and if you meet these qualifications, enjoy a fast paced environment and take pride in keeping things very organized, please contact us today – kirkland@smarttalent.net.

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This person will provide proactive services, support, and workshops for the development and use of digital media and instructional technologies. Accountable for creating a customer service environment that assesses client needs, answers questions, orients patrons to various technology solutions. Provides technical support for technologies, projects, and events. Plans, organizes, and manages complex technology projects and coordinates tasks among User Services and other I&TS teams. Reports to the Director for User Services/Instructional Technology.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide leadership for the Instructional Technology Team, services, and support.
• Assess university needs for instructional technologies, design and develop appropriate services, recommend priorities and timelines, and assess progress at achieving goals.
• Work closely with clients to conceptualize, design, and produce instructional objects.
• Provide user support for learning management system and other learning systems.
• Coordinate client relationship and project management for instructional technology projects and large events; communicate among stakeholders; meet deadlines and client needs.
• Provide creative and visual design support for instructional technology services.
• Coordinate, develop, and deliver technology learning opportunities on various topics.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of the instructional process and ability to understand, analyze and diagnose faculty, staff, and student technology needs and to support these needs with solutions.
• Knowledge and skills in learning management systems and other instructional technologies.
• Knowledge and skills in graphic design and production with software such as Adobe CS Suite.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills in verbal, written and email contexts.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, manage and oversee complex projects with diverse technological and equipment needs; ability to prioritize multiple projects concurrently to meet deadlines.
• Understanding of instructional technologies and their application for teaching and learning.
• Strong customer service orientation with ability to analyze needs and solve problems quickly.
• Strong project management skills with ability to work independently and collaboratively.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to lift and move equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to accurately discern colors and the pitch, tone, and volume of sound.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Two years experience as an instructional technologist with experience teaching and supporting users in integrating instructional technologies into their projects.
• Two years experience providing learning management system administration and support.
• Finalist candidates must provide a Digital Portfolio of relevant projects and satisfactorily complete the pre-employment background check.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree; preference for degree in Instructional Design or Instructional Technology.
• Visual design coursework with experience in digital media applications and projects.
• Experience in providing instructional technology support at a university level.
• Experience in supporting collaboration tools, videoconferencing, and lecture capture tools.
• Experience working with audio, video, web, and streaming technologies; installing, supporting, and troubleshooting desktop and studio hardware and software.
• Knowledge of HTML, HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript.

This is an Exempt position paying $45,000-$52,000 per year, DOE + excellent benefits.

If you meet these qualifications, enjoy a fast paced environment please contact us today – fife@smarttalent.net.

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A large education organization is looking for a Senior Systems Administrator to join their team.  The primary responsibilities are implementation, backup and maintenance of company-wide servers.  This position collaborates with other members of the IT group to provide an information technology environment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Other duties may be assigned

1. Develop schedules for, perform, and monitor daily server backup and weekly off-site tape rotation.
2. Design, implement and perform system administration of organization-wide Windows servers.  This includes testing new releases of OS, creating maintenance procedures, and installing and maintaining system and application software and keeping patches up-to-date.
3. Assist network engineers in:

• Managing the operation, activities and services of the organizations computing network.
• Monitoring and supporting critical network services (e.g. DNS, DHCP, and email).
• Maintaining and monitoring the connectivity to networks, including the internet.
• Maintaining accounts for organization
• Maintaining and coordinating the security of the computer network.
• Performing service calls for network related problems at organization.
• Writing applications using various scripts, macros, and programming languages.
• Providing documentation and training of network services.
• Researching and recommending equipment and software solutions for stated needs.

1. Serve as a primary contact for identifying and solving computer related hardware and software problems.
2. Serve as a Help Desk consultant.
3. Perform general administrative duties as needed.

Minimum Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• 5-7 years of experience in systems analysis and/or equivalent combination of related education and experience.
• 2 years of exchange administration experience.
• Ability to operate personal computers and demonstrate proficiency with internet resources and networked environments.
• Ability to learn new technologies and assimilate new information quickly.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Windows system administration and programming using Perl or equivalent scripting language.
• Experience in user services preferred.  Experience with DNS and DHCP and relevant experience beyond the minimum required preferred.
• Experience working in information technology in education environment preferred.
• Must demonstrate a high level of customer service, discretion and confidentiality, and organizational and problem-solving ability.
• Vision for and dedication to the role of a computer network in a disparate environment.
• A proven ability to make technical issues understandable and an ability to match technical opportunities to college goals.
• Ability to perform job duties with minimal supervision, effectively prioritizes work, and adjusts to changing workloads and deadlines.
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, or technical procedures.  Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.  Ability to present information and respond to questions from diverse groups of people
• Proficiency with MS Office products.

 Working Conditions:

The working conditions described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Work is generally performed indoors in a typical office setting.
• Must be able to work on-call, evenings and/or weekends as needed.  Connectivity and ability to work on the organization’s core systems from remote locations may be required.
• Travel, including overnight travel, may be required.

The salary range DOE for this position is: $59,509 (min) – $74,388 (mid) – $89,264 (max)

Smart Talent offers benefits from the day that you start working, if you feel that this could be a position for you please send your resume in.

If you meet these qualifications, enjoy a fast paced environment and take pride in keeping things very organized, please contact us today – michelle@smarttalent.net.

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A locally owned and established Commercial Cabinet Shop is looking for a new team member for their Custom Department.  If you LOVE overtime and overtime PAY, this may be the job for you.

PAY: $ DOE
SHIFT: Full time Day Shift
DURATION: Temp to Hire
HIRING DATE: Immediately

This is an excellent opportunity with a BUSY, growing company. This a full time position with the ability to have a good amount of OT.  Days would start at 6am and go till the day is completed.

Essential Functions/Major Responsibilities:

• MINIMUM 3 years working with wood and laminate commercial casework
• 50-60 hours a week depending on workload
• Must be able to pass drug screen, background check
• Must be a non smoker/non tobacco user and will be given a Cotinine test to confirm
• Must be flexible with length of shifts
• Must be ready, willing and able to work OT including Saturdays
• Must have Commercial Cabinet Experience — there will not be any install work (although previous install exp. a plus). Residential experience is OK but it won’t be considered when analyzing your custom based experience.

Various Projects include cabinets, reception desks, teller lines, nurse stations, fixtures and paneling for medical, dental and other high-end offices. This is a high tech shop with CNC machines.

Smart Talent offers benefits from the day that you start working, if you feel that this could be a position for you please send your resume in.

If you meet these qualifications, enjoy a fast paced environment and take pride in keeping things very organized, please contact us today – becky@smarttalent.net.

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Tips for Identifying and Evaluating Temporary Agencies

Part 3

There are many factors that can make or break your level of success with a staffing service.  There are many factors that can make or break your level of success with a fortune 500 company.  Why is it that people see them as different when they are actually the same?

In this third and final part, we will discuss how to select the right staffing service, what homework you need to perform to avoid a bad experience and how to make the most of your time while looking for the right opportunity.

Top staffing services can get you in the door with organizations you may not otherwise know or have access, but don’t expect to go fishing while letting your networking contacts do all the work for you.  So, how do you make the right decision?  Here are some things to think about.

Research Various Staffing Services

Not all staffing services are the same.  Each service will have a unique set of clients. Some offer and don’t offer benefits.  Some hire specific skills and are specialty firms, such as IT, healthcare, engineering, accounting, labor and office while some are general in nature and place in a wide variety of skills.  Some will only allow you to work with only one recruiter and with some you will be able to work with all of the recruiters in the office.  Some hire for only temp, temp-to-hire or direct hire and some will offer each option.  So, make a list of what is most important to you so you can choose the staffing service that matches your needs.

In addition, you can search various on-line job sites and view the various types of positions the staffing service is advertising. You should go to their website and review their job board.  While not a complete listing, it will give you an idea as to the positions they place and whether those types of positions might offer you new opportunities.  Be selective, but also feel free to register with more than one service.

Ask Questions

A few questions up front will give you an idea of the opportunities they may have waiting for you.

• How do you decide who to employ?  Yes, it is a pain to take a lot of tests, but a good service needs to match your skill with the client expectation and needs to be confident they can place you within their client base.
• How long will it take to get placed?  Of course, the answer to this question will depend on why you are going to a staffing firm.  It is ok to be selective and wait for just the right kind of opportunity, but just know it will most likely take longer to be placed.
• What percent of people get hired?  If you are applying for a particular job, ask about the client, how often they hire from that service, why the position is open, have others worked the assignment and why did they leave, etc.

Don’t Take the Staffing Service Interview Casually

A staffing service hires people only with talent that meets their client’s skill requirements.  That means you will be asked about your résumé, job experience and experience just as you would anywhere else.  Most likely, your skills will be tested.  So, do your research, be on time, look your best and don’t be vague with your answers during the interview.

Tips for the Staffing Service Interview

• Be clear about what your goals are and what you hope to gain through temp work. At that point it will be easier to identify the organization that might benefit you the most.
• Be flexible and keep a positive attitude.  The more flexible you are with your work requirements, the more assignments and interviews you will receive, if you are qualified for their client requirements.
• Find out about the agency’s specializations, client companies or industries, typical work assignments, benefits and training that may be available to you.
• Make sure you know the best way to communicate with your recruiter or with the recruiters in the office.
• Some recruiters only work on specific clients and some recruiters are aware of all the clients in their office so find out what you need to do to keep working and how to develop a working relationship.
• Give complete, crisp and truthful answers.  They can always tell when you are not forthcoming.
• Find out about their policies; asking for time-off, calling in sick, getting hired by their client, your responsibility in turning in a timecard and most importantly – getting paid and the various options that may be available.  For example: direct deposit, pay card, paycheck, weekly, bi-weekly, etc.  Beware, if they find out you have violated any of their policies or procedures, your time with that service and the assignment may come to an abrupt end, just like any other company.
• Follow-up; thank them for their time just like you would with any other company.  Believe it or not, it will set you apart.

Don’t Sit Back and Wait

We get a number of people who register with our service and then never follow-up or call back.  You do need to check-in regularly and let them know you are still looking.  A good staffing recruiter can be working with a lot of different candidates and it is difficult for the recruiter to remember everybody.  Those that distinguish themselves and call in regularly get the greater amount of their attention.  But don’t be a pest or stalk the recruiter(s).    Find out the best time and way to stay in touch.  Continue looking for work on your own as well as with other staffing services.  This is just one step in the process of networking and finding a job that fits your lifestyle.

Be Flexible with Assignments

The service may stop calling you if they offer you several positions and you keep turning them down.  Give a few temporary positions a go even if you were hoping for temp-to-hire work, and don’t be afraid to work for companies you’ve never considered. One of the advantages of working as a temporary is sampling several experiences without making a commitment; if you’re unhappy with one position, remember it won’t last forever.

A temp job is not a good choice for someone who is trying to climb the corporate ladder. Those who don’t like change would also find temp jobs undesirable. If you like to explore a variety of work settings, discover innovative industries, meet new people, gain and improve your skills, and investigate the possibility of immediate, short-term or long-term positions then you may really enjoy this lifestyle; millions do.  Working as a temp isn’t for everybody, but it can help you gain visibility in a crowded and uncertain job market.

Learn more about writing a Résumé and what Key Words to use on your résumé.

Learn more about getting the job of your dreams

Learn more about open jobs with SmartTalent

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Myths and Understanding – How They Will Work Against You If You Buy Into Them

Part 2

There are many factors that can make or break your level of success with a staffing service.  There are many factors that can make or break your level of success with a fortune 500 company.  Why is it that people see them differently when they are actually the same?

In the second part of this three part series, let’s take a look at a few myths or things that create misunderstanding.  I am not trying to make excuses for staffing services (although, there are no excuses for some of them), but knowledge creates understanding.  Sometimes, knowing the reasons a service may do certain things, makes it easier to understand and what actions you can take to make your experience a successful one.

Staffing services hire everyone who walks in the door – No, they don’t.  Does anybody?  So why do people go into an interview with a staffing service with that impression and then complain that they never hear from the staffing service.  A first impression always counts.

They don’t have real jobs or they’re not a real company. – Then who are these people working for and what are they doing?  Getting great jobs and starting great opportunities, that’s what they are doing.  Temp workers made up over one-third of the job gains last month.  There were over 2.5 million temp workers in the first quarter of 2012.

They never really hire people or They just interview to fill up their database – If they don’t put people to work, they won’t be in business long.  However, sadly, there are staffing services that require their recruiters to interview a certain number of people each week regardless of whether they have an open position; such a waste of everybody’s time in our opinion.

Often, a service will get a call asking for a person to start the next day; sometimes at 4:30 or 5:00pm, which is a staffing recruiter’s worst nightmare coming to reality, that end of the day call.  The client wants the person to start the next day.  The service doesn’t have time to start the recruiting process.  If they don’t have someone, the client often calls another service and they lose that opportunity.

Understand that a staffing service only makes money when you are working.  It is in their best interest to place you on assignment and not just any assignment.  That will work against them with the client.  The client wants what they want, when they want it.  If the service takes too long to supply the client with résumés or to set-up interviews, the client goes elsewhere.  But, just because you don’t get that job, doesn’t mean you won’t get other opportunities with future orders.  It might be disappointing, but remember: The first impression counts.  And it counts all of the time.

They’ve never called me since I registered – The better question is, have you called them since you registered?   There can be literally hundreds of people who are currently contacting the recruiter, have contacted and following up or are already in their database looking for a job.  You want a job.  Show that you want it, professionally.  Calling and scolding your recruiter will not move you to the top of their list.

I don’t work with a staffing service because the process is too long – Yes, this is an exhausting process and depending on the jobs you are offered might seem like a waste of time.  With many staffing services, you can complete much of your registration process, application and testing, from home.  The paperwork is arranged so that once you’re done, you are done.  You don’t have to keep coming back to complete pieces of legal documentation that might pertain to where the service is sending you.  It is not just one company they are recruiting for; there are potentially hundreds depending on the size of the service; all with different hiring criteria.  Staffing services really wouldn’t do it they didn’t have to, but somewhere there is an attorney saying, “You’d better get this up front to cover all your bases on this topic.”  Just take it in stride as part of the “price” you pay for a free service.

The jobs available through staffing companies are low paying jobs – That is simply not so.  If your skills are entry level, you will most often be offered entry level work.  If the work is entry level, then that is what you will be offered.  If the position requires more skill, the pay will reflect that skill needed.  Don’t apply for an entry level job and expect to be paid as a highly skilled employee.  The pay is based on the skill of the job, not on your skills.  If that assignment is not for you, then decline the assignment.  If it is at a company on your target list to work for, you might want to accept it and show them what you can do.  Companies develop budgets to hire a set number of full-time employees on an annual basis, and include in that budget an amount of money that can be used to hire temporary staff throughout the year to handle the ebb and flow of business. When the time comes for the company to open up the temporary position as full-time, you are perfectly positioned to interview for the full-time job.

Staffing services only staff entry level and administrative type of jobs – Staffing services range from specialty firms that place professional, managerial and technical candidates, to agencies that are more general in nature.

Case in point:  We had placed an employee as an entry level Machine Operator on a temp-to-hire basis for a privately-owned manufacturing company.  He was converted as a full-time employee and by the end of the year, promoted to a Shift Supervisor who now hires, trains and develops people for his shift.

Assignments only last a couple of weeks at a time at the most – Assignments can last from one day, a couple of weeks, several months or can turn from a 1-day assignment to temp-to-hire.  It’s one of the easiest ways to find out what you like about different companies in a very short period of time. After three or four long-term assignments, you’ll have a much better idea of what you’re looking for in terms of company culture, the type of boss that you work best with, and the type of work you enjoy doing.

Staffing firms don’t offer benefits – This is not necessarily true.  Depending upon the staffing service they offer a variety of benefits just like a “real” company: direct deposit, 401K, medical, dental, holiday, etc.

 As part of your job search strategy, working with a staffing firm can be a great way to supplement your search, but not a substitute.  Next time, we will explore how to select the right staffing service for you and create a great experience while landing a great job with the right company.

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