With Halloween right around the corner, there are numerous items on everyone’s minds. Costumes, Candy and of course the main issue “How could it already be October 31^st?”.  Aside from the pumpkin carving, corn mazes and “trick or treating” that will be going on this weekend, there are other frightful things lurking if you are a job seeker…

How do you identify the Job “Tricks” from the Job “Treats”?  As Recruiters, we hear on a daily basis the horrors of job seekers that apply to some on-line job postings and then become wrapped up in internet scams.  With job seekers frightened by the job market and so many postings out there, it is very important to separate the facts from the fiction, prior to submitting your resume anywhere!

Here are a few “goblins” to avoid when submitting your resume online:

1.)    If it sounds too good to be true then it probably is too good to be true!  Stay true to your “gut” when reading job descriptions. Be weary of situations that present the “perfect” scenario, chances are they are more “tricks than treats”.

2.)    NEVER provide your Social Security Number, Credit Card Information or Bank Routing Numbers online, while submitting through general on-line websites. When initially applying for a position on sites, it is highly improbable that confidential information is required.

3.)    If company and contact information is provided in the job posting, do your homework and make sure that it is a legitimate company and the contact information provided is true and accurate.  Scam positions will list phony email addresses, non-working telephone numbers or false company information.

In closing, prior to hitting “submit”, please be mindful of the above tricks lurking in that scary online world! 

From everyone at C.R. Fletcher Associates, wishing you a SPOOKTACULAR Halloween full of Treats…

It goes without saying that fair compensation for your employees is a necessity for motivation.  But assuming your workers have an adequate — even excellent — pay scale, and you want to make sure your employees are giving 100 percent effort, is the answer more money?

Surprisingly, no.  While bonuses are nice, they may not always be the most effective way to get the extra effort you want.  What is often more effective is making the work as fulfilling as possible and the work environment as friendly as possible.  How do you do that?

One way is to minimize office politics as much as possible to prevent the work atmosphere from becoming too onerous.  You want to make sure your employees have clear expectations for their job performance.  You want to keep rules and regulations to a minimum.  You want to make sure that when meetings are held that they are short and that they are efficient – there is a need for them, and a clear agenda that is followed.  You want to minimize competition among employees and get everyone to realize that they are working on the same team.  You want to make sure your workers are getting the information they need to do their jobs effectively.  And when someone has made an error, you need to focus on giving feedback that is constructive, that will help him or her improve performance, rather than just criticizing.  Treat your employees fairly.

But you also need to make sure employees are each pulling their own weight.  If they’re not, you may get some grumbling among your higher performing employees who feel they are being taken advantage of.  This also relates to another tip – make sure your employees are able to put all of their abilities to use.

Employees also need to feel their opinions are valued.  They should be given a voice as to how they do their work.  This also ties in with another good workplace management technique – encouraging employees to take responsibility for what happens at the company and to exercise leadership where appropriate.

Another basic management technique that all companies should have in place is the establishment of clear, achievable goals and methods of measurement that show improvement in performance.

You also need to provide encouragement to your staff, and don’t be too stingy with a hearty pat on the back when it’s deserved.

Keep in mind as well that you are not just working to motivate one employee at a time, but working to change the tone and atmosphere of the entire organization to clear away things that dampen employee motivation and allow those practices that take advantage of employees innate ability to motivate themselves.

Let C.R. Fletcher Associates, Inc. help you achieve great results with great people. We can source, interview and place many talented Syracuse-area employees for temporary, temp-to-hire and direct placement assignments at your company. Contact us today.

Job burnout is a prevalent issue, particularly in times of economic turmoil when employers are forced to cut corners and cut back on their workforce and other resources. Remaining employees often are left to work even harder, generally for the same rate of pay they had before added responsibilities entered the picture.

Job burnout occurs when employees have worked long and hard consistently and simply feel indifferent or unmotivated about their job, their position, their goals or just about anything else related to their career. However, there are some tips you can adhere to in order to ensure that you don’t fall victim to this type of burnout and discontent.

• Switch up your routine. Try not to fall into the habit of doing the same thing every day. If you have a certain routine at work that you must complete in order to reach a daily goal, mix it up. Carry out tasks at various times of the day. Sign up for new projects to add variety to your job responsibilities.
• Focus on the creative aspects of your job. To avoid burnout, tap into the creative aspects of your job. This will allow you an outlet to avoid some of the more mundane aspects of your daily work. Are there special projects you can take on or a new way in which you can accomplish certain goals? This can be anything from organizing office PowerPoint presentations to being responsible for in-office events.
• Alert your boss if you are feeling overwhelmed. If you see yourself headed for burnout because of added responsibilities, speak up. Talk to your boss and see if there is any way your responsibilities can either be lightened or goals relaxed to give you more time to accomplish them.
• Get organized and prioritize tasks. Perhaps there is no way to lighten your workload and your goals must remain the same. To prevent added stress and burnout, get organized. Make folders for each task and place all corresponding paperwork in its proper folder. Make a calendar of deadlines corresponding to your various goals and tasks so that you have a clear idea of what is due and when. The more organized you are, the better you can anticipate your workload and plan your week accordingly.

When “the thrill is gone” from you current position, come to C.R. Fletcher Associates, Inc. We can meet with you to discuss your career goals and help you take the first steps to finding a new position. We have many great positions with some of Onondaga County’s finest employers. We look forward to hearing from you.

If your company needs more personnel, but is not sure for how long, or if you want to try out a new employee, temp-to-hire staffing may be the way to go.

With temp-to-hire an independent firm will advertise the job, evaluate resumes, interview the applicants, and test them in the relevant skills.  When the staffing service has found a candidate it feels is right for the job, the staffing company will send the resumes to you and then schedule interviews.

Your company does not have to spend all the time and effort screening the candidates because that is done by the outside firm.

As part of the temp-to-hire process, your company will enter into an agreement with the outside firm that outlines the terms of the relationship.  The staffing service usually will charge an hourly rate during the temporary period, along with a flat fee charged to place the applicant as a regular employee.  The cost of the flat fee will depend on the applicant’s first-year salary, if they are hired.  The fee can vary, depending on the job applicant and the length of the temporary employment period.

During the time when the employee is working as a temporary placement, the temp-to-hire firm will process the employee’s timesheets and send your company invoices for the hours worked.  Your company will pay the flat fee when you are ready to make the temporary position a permanent one.  After paying the flat fee, the relationship with the temp-to-hire firm is essentially over.

It is important to note that when working with temp-to-hire firms, your company is under no obligation to hire the candidates that the firm sends to you.

There are a number of advantages to using staffing company’s temp-to-hire service.   It enables your company to focus on the work it does, instead of spending the time to advertise and screen candidates, conduct interviews and do follow-up. Your staffing company’s temp-to-hire service also usually covers the cost of doing all of the candidate screening.  In addition to recruiting and screening, the firm will do criminal background checks, work history reference checks, and take care of workers’ compensation insurance, federal and state taxes, and benefits.

When you want to “try” an employee before making the important commitment of bringing someone on to your Syracuse-area company’s payroll, let C.R. Fletcher Associates, Inc. find you qualified and reliable candidates for temp-to-hire assignments. We will perform all sourcing and background checks — all you need do is perform interviews with top candidates and then try your favorite for a few months until you decide to hire him or her — or not, if you feel the candidate isn’t a good match. Contact us today.

If you use temporary employees on a regular basis, you’re undoubtedly finding how critical they are to your company’s long- and short-term success. You even may be using temporary employees in positions that are critical to company’s future. And, while you know how important it is to keep your “regular” employees motivated and engaged, you’ve no doubt discovered how important it is to keep your temporary workers just as motivated and engaged.

Here are some tips to help you do so:

Just as you should do with anyone who crosses your path, treat your temporary employees with respect. After all your temporary workers are helping your business grow and thrive. They do deserve your respect and attention.

That said, when a new temporary worker comes to your site, make every effort to introduce them to your worksite, just as you do a new, regular employee. Show the worker where the lunchroom is, where the bathrooms are located, etc.

In addition, when you introduce the worker to your regular staff, refrain from introducing her as “the temp.” Instead, introduce the worker to her new colleagues by giving her name and the duties she’ll be filling at your company. This presents your temporary in a much more respectable light to her new co-workers — and it also presents you as a professional in the eyes of the temporary worker.

As you introduce the temporary worker, tell her a bit about your company and her role within it. This will help her feel more like a part of your team and less like “the temp.”

In fact, you should aim to treat your temporary employees as much as possible as your “regular” employees. Keep them in the loop regarding your company’s goals and challenges. Bring them in on staff and department meetings or, if you feel you can’t or shouldn’t due to the sensitive nature of these meetings, at least let them know in general what happened in the meetings. Be sure to send them your company’s memos and announcements to them.

When you’re looking to bring in new employees on a temp-to-hire basis, or when you need highly skilled temporary employees to help your business grow, give CR Fletcher Associates, Inc. a call. We provide talented and hard-working employees for Onondaga County companies. Contact us today.