Hiring For Small Business

October 2, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Operating a small business comes with its own share of benefits and struggles. According to a recent study by Robert Half Inc., finding skilled workers is one of small business owners greatest struggles. The recent study reports that 60% of small business owners and managers listed finding skilled workers as their company’s greatest challenge with hiring and managing staff. What makes this such a difficult struggle in small business?

Most small businesses fall below the average job seeker’s radar. When seeking career opportunities, top talent typically is chasing career opportunities with larger organizations who have a strong employment brand in their line of work. So how does a small business owner compete? Simple. Build an employment environment that top talent wants to work for and market it.

Many small business owners do not invest a lot of money into career marketing, online job boards, and other tools that get their name in front of candidates. Here are a few great ways to gain exposure for your organization in a cost effective manner:

Build group and company pages on social media. Market who you are as an organization and why candidates should desire a career with your company.
Offer referral bonuses to your current staff. No one knows better than a current employee, the benefits of working for your organization.
Network. Participate with your local chamber of commerce and other business networking groups to let others know the great things happening with your company and what type of talent you are in need of.
Partner with a staffing firm. An established staffing firm can market your organization to their existing pool of top talent and do direct recruiting for your positions. They often have their own job board and are experts and marketing the benefits of working for one of their client companies.

Many top level talent candidates are seeking a career with increased flexibility, advancement opportunities, and room for creativity. Small businesses are usually some of the best environments for these types of workplace benefits. Embrace your flexibility as an organization and the limitless growth opportunities, it’s likely candidates will notice and want to join you!

Are you a stand out professional, technical professional, driver, or skilled worker seeking contingent, temporary, or long term career opportunities? Visit our job board for more information! Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of professionals and skilled workers? Contact us today!

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

The Applicant's Investment In The Interview

September 27, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Generally speaking, most hiring managers have a good idea of what they have invested in an interview considering time and resources. Have you considered your applicant’s investment? If your recruiting efforts leave you struggling to book interviews, now may be a good time to reconsider what your applicant is being asked to commit to.

Whether you are overbooking interviews or struggling to book them at all, take a moment to consider what an applicant has invested in the interview. With many hiring managers and recruiters targeting passive candidates or finding that many of their qualified applicants are currently employed, your applicant may be investing more than you have initially considered. Here are just a few of the investments an employed candidate may have made in order to interview with you:

Hourly compensation
Vacation or sick time
Time away from their current workload that they’ll likely have to make up another time
Jeopardized their current employment
Made arrangements to have others assist with their duties in their absence

Even if the applicant is a salaried employee and has been able to use paid time off to participate in the interview they have given you valuable time that they could have used for other occasions. Now consider the likelihood of them landing the position.

If you already have hesitations about their qualifications for the position, you may want to reconsider asking them to commit to the interview considering their investment in doing so. If you are struggling to attract candidates to attend an interview consider alternatives such as phone interviews, off-site interviews, after hours interviews, or video interviews to accommodate their schedules.

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

Have You Mastered Recruiting But Not Hiring?

September 25, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

If you haven’t learned the difference between recruiting and hiring, now is the time. While recruiting involves the process of locating, identifying, screening, attracting, and evaluating talent; hiring involves the conversion of candidate to employee. Unfortunately, many companies are unable to close the deal in time to convert an applicant to an employee before they are recruited away to other opportunities. How can you protect yourself from losing valuable talent?

While the hiring process involves crucial steps and processes, building a smooth system can eliminate costly downtime and turnover. Studies have shown as many as 58% of employees who take part in a structured hiring process are more likely to be with the company three years later. Here are just a few tools that can help you build a structured hiring program!

Online applications
Strong applicant tracking system
A streamlined onboarding process
A structured training program
Regular performance reviews including in the new hire period

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

How To Land A Job At A Job Fair

September 23, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Let’s face it, most job fairs are filled with hundreds to thousands of applicants like yourself that are all chasing the same positions. Standing out against the competition, especially when the hiring managers and recruiters are likely to be overwhelmed by the end of the day can be very difficult. Here are some great tips to help you land a job at a job fair!

1. Come prepared. Sounds simple right? Some simple steps such as dressing professionally, researching which employers will be on hand that you are most interested in meeting with, researching those companies, and having a professionally built resume are the biggest steps to achieving success at a job fair. Many applicants consider a job fair to be a less formal setting and may appear more relaxed in their dress, often run out of a resumes, and can be seen wandering about hitting every booth. Walking with confidence to the locations that you are most interested in pursuing a career with can quickly set the tone for your conversation. Better yet, have a personalized cover letter for each of those employers to demonstrate that you came to the event seeking a career opportunity with them specifically.

2. Have your pitch ready. You’ll likely have 60 seconds or less to speak with a hiring manager or recruiter. Creating a strong first impression is key. Speak confidently, be to the point, and make sure you are express your strongest skills and accomplishments during this time. There is plenty of time in the future to discover what positions they have open currently and what they anticipate for the future. This is your time to convince them of why they need to meet with you formally.

3. Demonstrate professional etiquette. Similar to any job interview you should come dressed professionally, avoid chewing gum, silence your mobile devices, and avoid strong smells such as smoke, coffee, or cologne. Make sure that the employer is focused on your skills and abilities, not something with your presence. Be sure to stand a safe distance behind the candidate ahead of you in line allowing them to speak confidentially with the hiring manager and not making either party feel rushed.

4. Leave with information. After meeting with each employer make any notes from your conversation on the back of their business card. This will allow you to follow up with information that may trigger them to remember your conversation such as “We had spoken in regards to your desire to expand your engineering services into the Phoenix market, that is something that I would have a strong interest in participating with”. Be sure to note any follow up actions that were requested of you such as submitting an electronic version of your resume. Remember to send a personalized thank you card within 24 hours, expressing your continued desire to speak further with them in regards to career opportunities and what you can bring to their organization.

Are Your Employees Job Hunting On The Clock?

September 20, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Are your employees looking to make a career move? A recent study released by Robert Half International Inc. found that as many as 48% of employees between the ages of 18 and 34 said that they are likely to conduct job-search activities at work. Even the most flexible of employers are likely not going to be excited by this statistic. What can you do to prevent your employees from seeking new opportunities, especially while on the job?

Communicate regularly. Do you regularly meet with individual staff members to discuss their careers, ambitions, and frustrations? If not, you should. Many workplace issues and frustrations can be addressed in a simple meeting. You may learn of current team members that would be interested and qualified for other opportunities within the organization.
Recognize regularly. Regularly provide feedback to your employees on their progress, achievements, and contributions to the organization. Sometimes simple forms of recognition such as a thank you card, email, or recognition in front of the team can be the motivation your staff needs to remain engaged with the company.
Reward regularly. How do you motivate your staff to excel? A strong employee recognition program including awards, bonuses, gift cards, or free lunches show your employees that your organization is committed to keeping them happy and rewarding them for their efforts.

As the market remains tight for top level talent, keeping your top performers happy and engaged is critical. Click here for more information on employee retention.

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

Job Postings That Work!

August 28, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Are you frustrated with the number of job postings that you’ve posted only to find you still don’t have qualified candidates? Are your monthly charges to job boards beginning to look like they need a P&L of their own? Now’s the time to fix it!

With online job boards including millions of job postings each year, standing out among the competition is essential. The days of simply putting an ad in the newspaper resulting in stacks of resumes are gone. Today’s job postings must include several key components including:

SEO Value: If you aren’t familiar with SEO, you’re already behind in the game. SEO or Search Engine Optimization, refers to the content or structure of online content so that it will be prominently displayed by a search engine. Making sure that your job posting is rich in SEO value is the key to making sure that your job posting is even located by candidates. SEO value can be gained through strong and prominent keywords, exact location matches, and relevance between the content in your posting and what the job seeker is searching for. The more you have in common with their search statement, the more likely they are to find your posting.
Content is the key. No matter how great your SEO value is or how many candidates land on your posting, if the content in your posting doesn’t sell the position it won’t matter. The posting should include industry buzz words, specific qualifications, and enough information for a candidate to determine whether or not they are qualified for the position.
Is your job posting visually pleasing? According to HireRight, 75% of job seekers say the look and feel of a job posting influences their decision to apply. Make sure that your job posting visually appeals to the audience. Is it free of errors, includes important details, and is it easy to read through quickly? Most job seekers will not take the time to read a full length job description, make sure your posting includes the important details and nothing more.
Sell your job! Why would someone want to work for you? What sets a career with your organization apart from your competitors? This may be your only chance to sell a career with your company to the candidate, make sure you do it well! Include valuable information about your benefits, employment brand, and enough information about your organization that a candidate can see why a career opportunity with your organization is something they should be interested in.

The battle for top talent is becoming increasingly harder in most industries. Maintaining a strong employment brand, a great employee retention program, and a proactive recruiting strategy are all great ways to stay ahead of your competition in the recruiting field.

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

Social Media and The Workplace

August 26, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

The topic of social media and its effects on the workplace have likely come up in your organization. As a relatively new topic in case-law, social media and its place in the workplace is still unsettled. What can you do to protect yourself as an individual and as an organization?

Continue reading →

Finding A Recruiter Who Works For You!

August 19, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Whether you are seeking a new career path or are seeking to hire the newest talent for your organization, finding a recruiter who works for you, not with you will make or break your experience. A recruiter should work as your agent and should exhibit the same qualities that a sports agent provides their talent.

Not sure how to qualify your recruiter?

Here are some simple steps to get you started.

Determine their qualifications. The recruiting industry has the highest turnover rate of any industry with approximately 90% turnover within the first year. Recruiters makeup a large majority of the profiles on LinkedIn, if your recruiter does not have an active and complete profile with a large number of connections take caution. A recruiter’s LinkedIn profile is an excellent place to pre-qualify them. Do you they specialize in your line of work? How long have they been in the industry? The longer they have been in their role the larger the network and career opportunities or top level talent they can connect you with.

Conduct a mutual interview. A proven recruiter should be confident, almost arrogant about their abilities. If they aren’t able to sell themselves how can they sell your qualifications as a candidate or sell your position and organization to the industry’s top performers? Simple, they can’t. Be perfectly clear about what your priorities are and what items would make or break the perfect match for you. Inquire as to what their network in your industry looks like and what types of similar positions they have filled in the past.

Make sure their greatest strength is listening. If the recruiter is more focused on talking than listening, they’ll likely miss important details that are crucial to making the right fit for you. Make sure they ask you great questions, take notes, and have an attention to detail. Finding the perfect match can’t be done if they don’t have the details needed to make the match.

They should be busy. Especially with the recent surge in staffing, if your recruiter is available to take your every call that may not be a good sign. The staffing industry has seen a consistent surge since the economic recovery, if your recruiter excels in their field they should be extremely busy balancing candidates and clients. While they should be busy, they should also set clear expectations of when they are available and how best to reach them.

As with any business partner, if you feel that you are not connecting well with your recruiter it may be time to look at other options. Often times the best way to locate a top notch recruiter is to seek referrals from others in your line of business. As many as 90% of companies have partnered with a staffing agency in the past for recruiting support, therefore it’s very likely that you know someone who has hired a recruiter in the past for recruiting services or that you know someone who has located a position through a recruiter.

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

Job Demands Increase with ACA

August 7, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Have the changes coming forth with the Affordable Care Act impacted your career? If so, you are not alone. Here are a few careers in which job demands have and will continue to increase, as a result of the ACA.

Human Resources
Payroll
Legal Professionals
Nurses
Occupational Therapists
Personal Trainers
Customer Service Professionals
Insurance Consultants
Medical Billers
Medical Coders
Computer Programmers

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

Trillium Staffing Awarded By 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For

August 5, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Trillium Staffing is proud to announce their repeated recognition with West Michigan’s 101 Best and Brightest Companies To Work For, in 2013. The awards competition provides the regional business community with the opportunity to showcase their best practices and demonstrate why they are an ideal place for employees to work. The awards are presented to organizations based on nominations and direct feedback from employees of each organization.

“We have the same commitments to each and every one of our employees as we do our clients. We have high expectations and our requirements are stringent. Once you become an employee of Trillium, we’ll do everything in our power to help you succeed and meet your career goals. When our employees are successful, we’ve done our job,” stated René Poch, CEO.

Trillium Staffing was founded in 1984 in Battle Creek, Michigan by CEO René Poch and has expanded to include six companies and over eighty offices nationwide. Trillium has gained national recognition including recent awards from Staffing Industry Analysts for achieving top 25 placement in the Largest U.S. Industrial Staffing Firms and top 70 placement in the Largest U.S. Staffing Firms.

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.

Your Partner at Work

Tag Archives: careers

Hiring For Small Business

The Applicant's Investment In The Interview

Have You Mastered Recruiting But Not Hiring?

How To Land A Job At A Job Fair

Are Your Employees Job Hunting On The Clock?

Job Postings That Work!

Finding A Recruiter Who Works For You!

Job Demands Increase with ACA

Trillium Staffing Awarded By 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For