The tech industry has been hit especially hard, reportedly seeing the highest layoff levels since 2000. As layoffs continue and hiring cools in many industries, returning to work for some is becoming increasingly difficult.

The Department of Labor reports 826k unemployed workers remained out of work from 3.5 to 6 months in December. This was a dramatic 36% increase from April of 2022.

If you find yourself in a position of seeking new employment, here are some things to keep in mind in the current economy:

• Talent supply is increasing while hiring demand is decreasing, as a result US wages are expected to fall back to pre-pandemic levels over the next few months.
• Make sure that your resume is up to date and enriched with keywords relevant to your skillset. Employers in some industries are flooded with applies and are relying on search strings to quickly identify qualified talent.
• Be prepared to broaden your job search outside of your industry. Those in technology and talent acquisition may find far less opportunities available and more talent applying for those positions than other industries.
• Be prepared for a longer than usual return to work and to apply to more positions than usual to land a new role.
• Remain open to contract and contract to hire roles as employers may be cautious to permanent hires over the next few months.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Accounting and Finance, and Trillium Professional. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2022 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

Marijuana legalization is creating the same kind of problem regarding what to do about professional drivers who test positive for marijuana. For CDL drivers, it’s easy. It is prohibited for CDL drivers to use marijuana under any circumstances, even if the substance is legal in the state in which they reside. Even if a driver consumes a prohibited cannabis product in their off hours in a state where it is legal, if they test positive for it later, they may still be in violation of the Department of Transportation’s zero-tolerance policy at the federal level.

For non-CDL drivers, the employer testing is optional. However, if a driver with a CDL license tests positive for marijuana use, they are also prohibited from driving non-CDL vehicles until they pass the return-to-duty test: another drug test administered under direct supervision. Does that all sound confusing? That’s because it is.

Add to this already tangled web of marijuana laws and efforts to keep the roads safe from drivers under the influence the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Enforcement Assistance and Marketplace Modernization Act (NJCREAMMA), passed in February of 2021. Among other things, NJCREAMMA prohibits employers from taking adverse employment action against employees who test positive for cannabinoid metabolites in their blood or other bodily fluids.  In theory, this means that an employer cannot refuse to hire, fire, or discipline an employee who has been shown to have used cannabis. However, NJCREAMMA also upholds the right of employers to maintain a drug and alcohol-free workplace. Therefore, the regulation allows employers to make rules regarding the consumption, use, or influence of marijuana or marijuana products while at work.

At the time of the Act’s original issuance, employers could require employees to submit to a drug test under the following circumstances:

• Upon suspicion of impairment from cannabis/cannabinoid substances while performing work duties
• Upon finding any observable signs of marijuana/cannabinoid use at work
• Following a work-related accident

Under NJCREAMMA, the term “drug test” has been redefined to mean a process using reliable, scientific drug-testing methods administered at work, during work hours (blood, urine, saliva tests) AND an evaluation of person certified as a Workplace Impairment Recognition Expert (WIRE). If both the bodily fluid test and the WIRE evaluation show the employee is under the influence during work hours, the employer may then take adverse employment action. The problem? The state had yet to issue guidance or training protocols for the WIREs.

To that end, the state issued interim guidance in September of 2022 until WIREs can be identified and trained for each workplace. The interim guidance essentially upholds the previous legislation regarding prohibition of adverse employment action unless evidence-based documentation of physical signs of cannabis use or signs of impairment are present. This stop-gap guidance also provides suggestions to help identify signs of impairment due to marijuana use, according to SafetyNews Alert.

California has also recently passed similar legislation preventing adverse employment action against employees who test positive for cannabinoid metabolites. The New Jersey and California laws do not apply to those in certain industries (including CDL holders, as well as federal agency contractors and grantees) and cannot preempt any state or federal laws that require a clean drug test as a condition of employment. However, non-CDL drivers can theoretically use cannabis outside of working hours within these states.

Drug test manufacturers and concerned employers are looking for ways to test for actual impairment on the job, such as employee tests against their own baseline performance and tests for the presence of active THC, the compound that creates the high, in the blood. Until these testing methods have been established, employers must keep a watchful eye out for signs of employee impairment in non-CDL drivers in New Jersey and California.

Disclaimer: This document and any discussions set forth are for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice.

As a driver, you have been given a huge responsibility. Everyone is counting on you to get the goods to the proper destination quickly and safely. You take safety seriously, but even the most experienced drivers can sometimes get distracted. The number one distraction for drivers today? Our cell phones. Even in hand-free mode, multiple studies have shown that drivers could be missing up to half of the visual stimuli around them.

Here’s a disturbing statistic for you. According to the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA), taking your eyes off the road for a single text while traveling 55 MPH is equal to driving with your eyes closed for the length of an entire football field. Imagine your family members and loved ones surrounded by people driving with their eyes closed at high speeds, perhaps even in a large commercial vehicle. Talk about a sobering reminder of the importance of staying focused while driving!

The NHTSA reported that 3,142 people were killed in distracted driving accidents in 2019, accounting for 8.7% of all crash fatalities that year. Because of the high risk involved, handheld devices have been banned for drivers of commercial vehicles since 2011.

To put it simply, multitasking, especially while driving, is a myth. The human mind simply cannot devote equal attention to multiple tasks at the same time. Any task that takes your mind off the road should be avoided if possible. Not only is distracted driving a major safety concern, it also carries hefty penalties, which include the following:

· Up to $2,750 in fines per offense for drivers

· Up to $11,000 in fines for employers who allow or require drivers to use handheld devices

· Possible driver disqualification for repeat offenders

· Negative impact on Safety Measurement System (SMS) results

What actions count as using devices illegally?

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), you may be fined for the following actions:

· Using at least one hand to hold a mobile phone to make a call

· Dialing a mobile phone by pressing more than a single button

· Reaching for a mobile phone in a manner that requires a driver to maneuver so that he or she is no longer in a seated driving position, restrained by a seat belt

Staying in touch while avoiding distracted driving

Now you understand why distracted driving is a problem. But how can you stay in touch for important messages or calls while still maintaining a safe focus on the road? Luckily, your mobile phone can actually help with some special setting features.

For Apple Users:

Set up the Driving Focus to silence or limit messages and other notifications. Just go to Settings, then Focus. Tap the + sign in the upper right-hand corner and select “Driving.” You can customize the Driving Focus feature to allow specific contacts or allow emergency notifications. Through Driving Focus, you can also automatically share with others that your notifications are silenced so your contacts know you are waiting to respond until you safely reach your destination, or choose an auto-reply to let contacts know you are unavailable. Driving Focus can be set up to turn on automatically for a “set it and forget it” option that always keeps your driving free of mobile phone distractions.

For Android Users:

For every phone with Android 9 or newer, users can set up Focus Mode. Go to Settings, then Digital Wellbeing. You can also search “Focus Mode” under Settings. From there, you are presented with a list of distracting apps. You can choose which ones to silence in Focus Mode and which ones to leave active. Focus Mode can also be added to the Quick Settings menu to more easily turn it on and off.

With just a few taps, you can do your part to keep the roads a safer place for all drivers. You can also spread the word about the dangers of distracted driving to other drivers, your friends, and family. As awareness increases, it is our hope at Trillium Driver Solutions that safety increases as well.

“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.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Technical, and Trillium Environmental. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2018 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

Stay Metrics, a retention strategy firm, found that in the 1st quarter of 2019 only 64% of Drivers hired on last beyond 90 days. While this particular survey was sent to only 70 carriers and doesn’t necessarily represent a huge percentage of all carriers nationwide, it does lend to a particular trend that could be problematic for future hiring.

The main takeaways from this survey included such ideals as making sure to be transparent to your Drivers regarding the company, duties, equipment, etc., and paying attention to warning signs that may come before they are even hired in. Basically, the more you share with a potential Driver from the very beginning will ultimately benefit you as a employer. If a Driver knows exactly what they are getting into from day 1, they are much less likely to jump ship or leave prematurely and both the hiring manager and Driver will be on the same page.

In fact, transparency was such an important factor for Drivers, it was the basis for 4 of the 5 questions Drivers were asked. According to Lana Batts, co-President at Driver iQ, a background check company, stated that the overall cost of Driver retention can be $8,000-$10,000 per Driver.

If you are experiencing high turnover with your Drivers, this could be costing your company big, when the solution is rather simple. Listen to your applicants during the interviewing process and if you hear something that may not coincide with what you are offering or what the position entails, be honest with the candidate. Getting these kinks worked out in the very beginning of the process can ultimately save your company money in the long-run.

For more information on this survey, please visit ttnews.com.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, and Trillium Techs. With approximately 90 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2015 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

1. Be a candidate advocate. While you may be getting paid based on filling orders, try looking at each opening as an opportunity to advocate for both sides. Focus on your client’s needs but also keep in mind what may be best for your candidate. This will help to instill integrity and trustworthiness from both sides of the spectrum.
2. Do first what you hate most. This may sound easier said than done but the best way to be productive is to not procrastinate. By getting your most taxing job done first, this can free up the rest of your day to focus on more enjoyable tasks such as touching base with clients or employees for referrals.
3. Always be prospecting. This can be true for every candidate you come across. Keep in contact with them and make notes of what their strengths and weaknesses are. You may not have a fit for them now but that could change in the blink of an eye and by being prepared for the unexpected can help you to get the fill just that much faster.
4. Get your referral on. We can’t stress how important referrals can be in the recruiting and hiring industry. Word of mouth will always be an extremely influential tool and it is your job to make sure you are taking advantage of the resources at hand. Keep the communication open between you and your solid candidates. Chances are individuals with exceptional work ethic hang out with people of the same mentality. Always ask if they know of anyone seeking work and make sure your candidates know you are available for further contact.
5. Keep on collaborating. It is vital for recruiters to keep a strong working relationship with their hiring managers to ensure that communication and compromise can flow easily. Recruiters need to feel comfortable going to their hiring managers with issues and concerns and have the forethought to help them prioritize and plan on the best course of action with each order.
6. Don’t stop demoing. Technology is ever evolving and it is a critical tool for all recruiters to stay on top of. Even if you feel satisfied with your current work flow and programs/platforms available, it is always a good idea to stay ahead of the competition in terms of technological advances in the industry. You never know when a new program could help to revolutionize your company’s hiring strategy.
7. Review data, but go with your gut. While the ability to pull large amounts of data is great and can make your job easier, it is important to not be fully reliant on this information. As we all know, technology can only do so much and it is important to keep in touch with any gut feelings you may have regarding candidates or clients alike. In other words, try and keep the human element alive in recruiting.
8. Be honest and actionable. While it can be easy to be vague with a candidate if they didn’t get a specific role, it is not the best policy. Be honest and let them know what happened with the position or why someone else was better suited for the opening. Leave them with some kind of actionable item whether that means to hone in on our their interviewing skills or to simply keep looking for the right fit, candidates will appreciate the overall honesty.
9. Find (multiple) mentors. No one should be above seeking guidance from others. Hiring and recruitment can be a tough game and it is always make it easier by reaching out to others for assistance or insight. Choose a handful of people that are knowledgeable in this space and be ready and willing to reach out when needed.
10. Share what you know, and ask the same. Networking is a huge part of the recruiting industry and shouldn’t be something to be taken lightly. Not only can this help to increase your available candidate pool but you can also gather insight from industry leaders and use this information to grow and sustain your own hiring strategies. In addition, don’t be afraid to share what works for you when asked and hopefully the same individuals will do the same in return.

Not all recruiters are created equal and depending on the industry, overall strategies may be drastically different from one another. However, by keeping these habits in mind, you can try and grow as a recruiter and improve your company’s hiring strategy one candidate at a time.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, and Trillium Techs. With approximately 90 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2015 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

Think about this way; if you put forth the effort to apply for a position online and maybe even perform a follow-up call or email for a phone interview, you would expect the same level of participation from the hiring manager or recruiter, right? Check out these 7 simple steps that Indeed believes will help you and your team provide better candidate feedback and overall boost your company’s reputation among job seekers.

1. Every candidate deserves feedback. This is not rocket science and means exactly what it says, if they take the time to show interest in your role, reciprocate and provide a little feedback.
2. Start with the material. Always try and be clear and upfront with your job seekers, making sure they are aware of your hiring process. If there are multiple interviews or a waiting period involved, keep the candidates updated along the way.
3. Offer ongoing insight. Give them specific industry stats regarding hiring. If you have an over abundance of applicants for a role, statistics will show that you obviously can’t hire everyone and unfortunately that may involve the candidate in question.
4. Acknowledge the awkward. I think everyone will agree that the worse parts of hiring is having to A. let someone go or B. explain why are they are not qualified and will not be hired. However, in both instances, it will do much more good than harm if you are upfront and honest. Don’t beat around the bush, explain the situation, making sure they understand the reasons behind the decision even if it is as simple as they didn’t make the final cut.
5. You’re never too busy. You will always have enough time to make a quick 30 sec – 1 minute phone call notifying a candidate that unfortunately, you went another route. Although, the conversation is short, this action is much more powerful than you think.
6. Make it actionable. If you come across a candidate that may have just fallen short of being qualified, help them along the way. Provide constructive criticism and provide avenues in which they make be able to better their situation and resume. This could something as simple as improving their communication skills to taking some online courses.
7. Practice what you preach. Try and remember the human side behind recruiting. You don’t always know the back story behind each of your candidates. What if they have been struggling for months to land a job to not only provide for themselves but to better their future. A simple act of treating others the way you would want to be treated, if you were in their position, will go a long way!

In the end, it is very simple to lose sight of the big picture when going through resume after resume. Behind every cover letter and application is a person who is simply trying to find work. By making sure we provide those candidates with the proper courtesy of some kind of feedback, we are ultimately improving the overall job seeking experience for candidates and employers alike.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, and Trillium Techs. With approximately 90 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2015 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

“Many years ago when we started the company we felt that there were a couple of things that we needed to do particularly well. The first was to give great customer service, that means finding the absolute best candidate for the jobs that we have available. Today, we use a partnership approach between our candidates and our clients to find the best possible career matches,” states René Poch, CEO.

Trillium Staffing was founded in Battle Creek, Michigan in 1984, by founder and CEO René Poch. Since that time, René Poch has steadily expanded the employment service to include seven companies with over 95 locations across the nation. Today, Trillium is proud to be recognized as a national leader in recruitment and staffing, providing service to thousands of clients and employees in various capacities across the country.

The organization’s commitment to excellence has been the driving force behind its growth and expansion. Trillium is proud to employ a full time risk management team to help clients identify areas of liability and provide an unsurpassed safety program for their employees.

With a recruitment team of approximately 400 individuals nationwide, Trillium excels at attracting, identifying, and recruiting some of the best candidates in each line of work. Trillium uses the latest technology and sourcing tools available to locate and identify talent for some of the industry’s hardest to fill positions. Trillium employees have access to careers with some of the nation’s leading employers along with competitive pay and benefit options.

“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.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, and Trillium Techs. With approximately 90 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2015 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

Especially now, in a job market where true, available talent is becoming harder and harder to come by, Recruiters and Hiring Managers may need to change their focus. While going through potential applicants and hires for any position, consider the following; if the person doesn’t necessarily meet all requirements to a T, based on their skill set, do you feel they could learn what they need to while on the job? Taking this into consideration, take a closer look at their past employment history and determine whether they have shown a track record of not only learning new things in a role but excelling with that mindset. Someone who is not only willing to learn while on the job but is able to thrive in that type of environment may be better suited for your open position.

This idea is simple. If companies are able to be a little more open minded in regards to the “talent” they are seeking, the skills gap may not be as big of an issue as what thought.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, and Trillium Technical. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2017 and 2018 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

Candidates and job seekers have a number of avenues they can use when looking to build their personal brand. The largest and most widely used method is increasing their online presence. This can be done through blog posts, social media interaction, and sharing videos to showcase the candidate’s passions and expertise in their respective fields. By paying attention to a job seeker’s online presence, you may learn more than what can be written in a resume or application

In addition to an online presence, candidates can build their personal brand by networking offline. This can occur at networking events, conventions, seminars and through local or regional trade publications. By keeping an eye on an individual’s professional connections, a company can truly evaluate their experience and overall interest in that particular industry.

A more subtle form of personal brand improvement is through teamwork and collaboration with other leaders in their industry. Candidates who are more geared towards collaboration may make it known that they participate in podcasts, group articles or other avenues. This level of networking explicitly shows how well a job seeker is able to work with others.

When going through applicants and potential new hires, every aspect of their personal brand should be considered when determining a person’s experience and industry knowledge. Just remember, not everything can fit on a resume.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, and Trillium Technical. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2017 and 2018 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.