American Craftsmen was founded in 2015 by Jim Hyde and Kenneth Gerig who developed a diverse construction staffing business in the pacific northwest.

The addition of the American Craftsmen locations will allow the Trillium Construction team to continue their expansion in the pacific northwest region providing skilled commercial construction and industrial skilled trades talent in addition to construction managers for short and long term projects.

The former American Craftsmen locations will be lead by previous owner Jim Hyde and  Area Manager Toby Copeland who’s former company was also acquired by Trillium Construction.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides nearly 40 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions and Trillium Professional. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and more than 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts among the Largest Industrial Staffing Firms in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S.  and a repeat winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

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.

For those who make a living driving trucks, heatwaves can be problematic. According to a 2018 study published in Temperature, cars parked in the sun on a hot day can go from 85 degrees to 116 degrees in just an hour due to the way heat and humidity can become trapped inside an enclosed space. This means that just being inside of a vehicle without the air conditioning on can be a dangerous prospect, even with the windows open.

Of course, most truck drivers do much more in the course of their busy days that can cause harm to their bodies in extreme heat such as securing a load, inspecting the truck, or parking in a no-idle space without shade, not to mention manual labor tasks such as loading and unloading freight with a pallet jack, hand cart, etc. Due to the nature of the occupation, drivers may find themselves at a higher risk of heat-related health complications such as heat exhaustion or its more serious cousin, heatstroke.

How to recognize heatstroke

In the summer months, drivers should remain aware of symptoms of heatstroke so they can recognize the signs and seek immediate the medical attention required by this condition. Without treatment, heatstroke can lead to serious health complications and cause damage to your heart, brain, muscles, and kidneys, and can even lead to death. The damage increases over time without proper medical treatment, so do not delay seeking treatment if heatstroke is suspected.

The most common heatstroke symptoms include the following and can happen suddenly—within 10-15 minutes if body temperatures rise above 106 degrees.

• Throbbing headache
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Racing heart rate
• High body temp (over 104 degrees F)
• Strange behavior such as disorientation or confusion
• Lack of sweating despite the heat
• Muscle weakness or cramps
• Rapid breathing

Preventing heatstroke

The best treatment for heatstroke is obviously to avoid it altogether. Here are a few ways to keep cool during high temps.

• Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing with a wide-brimmed hat if possible.
• Use a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher
• Drink extra fluids. It is recommended to drink 6-8 glasses of water, fruit, or vegetable juice a day to stay hydrated. However, in extreme heat you should aim to drink 8oz of water every 20 minutes
• Avoid high-caffeine beverages such as coffee, soda, or energy drinks as these can worsen dehydration
• Choose a beverage with extra electrolytes such as Liquid IV or coconut water. These beverages not only keep you hydrated, but they also prevent a dangerous drop in electrolytes that contributes to health problems
• Take frequent breaks in a shaded or air-conditioned space

Extreme heat is the deadliest weather condition and should be taken seriously. Be aware that health conditions such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes, as well as certain medications can increase your risk of an extreme reaction to heat. Make sure to take proper precautions when working in high temps to keep yourself safe and healthy. If heatstroke is suspected, seek professional medical attention immediately so you can continue to enjoy all the other perks of summertime for many years to come.

Most employees today are looking for a job that offers them the opportunities to grow their skills and abilities and the flexibility to meet the needs of their personal lives. The current pandemic has had major impacts on school and daycare arrangements, making the need for flexible options even more critical.

Partnering with a reputation staffing agency, should present you with multiple job opportunities to help you make an educated decision on which opportunity is the best fit for you. Please take a few moments to view the video below to see what real Trillium employees have shared about their experience. We’d love to help you too!

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 35th 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.

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.

Today’s job market is, in every sense of the phrase, a job seeker’s market. With the demand for qualified talent at an all time high, candidates understand that they can be more demanding and much more selective in not only the position they choose but the company they work for. With this in mind, here are a few tips to help ensure that potential employees see your job openings as attractive and more enticing.

• The candidate’s experience matters! No amount of marketing can save a company culture that doesn’t put the candidate experience at the top of the priority list. The best part about simply treating potential employees better during the entire recruiting process is that it is 100% FREE. Surprisingly one of the easiest ways to improve the candidate experience is to simply communicate better. If you reach out to a candidate regarding a position, keep the lines of communication open. You would get frustrated too if you applied online, came into an office, talked to a Recruiter and then the communication went silent. Stand apart and communicate better!
  • Stay on top of sending responses to candidates. Even if your existing ATS does some of this automatically, it is still important to include a human element to responding to interested candidates. Time may not allow you to communicate with all applicants but do the best you can, whether that is via phone or email.
  • Screened candidates love feedback! Staying in contact with candidates through the entirety of the interview and recruiting process will ease concerns and make the candidates feel more comfortable working with you as a Recruiter and your company as a whole.
  • No matter the situation, do not give candidates the silent treatment. Whether or not you are able to place the candidate on a current assignment, be sure to provide feedback in a respectful manner. If possible, provide constructive criticism and try to suggest avenues with which they may be able to improve their hire-ability. It’s important to remember that word travels fast and if an applicant feels like they were treated well by you and your staff, they will remember that and spread the word.

This may not seem like rocket science or anything over the top exciting, however just by making these small changes to your company’s recruiting strategy can go a long way. In the end, the main goal is to attract and retain qualified candidates and improving the candidate experience is the fastest and easiest way to reach this goal.

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.

Let’s take a look at what, according to Business.Linkedin.com, are the recruiting trends to watch in 2018.

• Diversity: A staggering 78% of talent professionals state that diversity is the #1 trend currently impacting how they hire. Why? What LinkedIn found was that the main reason is to improve and diversify the company culture but also to boost financial performance and even to better represent their customers. Although companies are quick to boast wanting to focus on increasing diversity in the workplace, few actually succeed. This is largely due to the in-house Recruiters and hiring Managers are having a hard time locating enough diverse candidates to pull form.
• New interviewing tools: 58% of talent professionals state that new interviewing and hiring tools are the top trend affecting how they hire. By using tools such as online soft skills assessments, job auditions, casual interviews, virtual reality and video interviews, companies across the globe are able to improve the old model of interviewing candidates. The traditional interview is not going away any time soon but these new tools enable companies to look beyond the initial bias that may come from traditional interviews.
• Data: 50% of talent professionals say data is the most noticeable trend affecting their hiring practices today. Having data at a Recruiter’s fingertips to assist with hiring isn’t anything new but what is new is the speed with which this information is available and the different metrics that can be derived from it. Hiring professionals are able to gather and use data to predict hiring outcomes and trends and also to power machines to make smarter recruiting decisions for them (ie. AI).
• AI (Artificial Intelligence): While AI and data seem to go hand in hand, 35% of talent professionals described AI specifically as having the greatest impact on their hiring strategy this year. Can AI takeover your job? Possibly parts of it but having your position as a Recruiting professional taken over by robots isn’t happening. Only 13% of those surveyed believe that AI will take away their jobs. There is a lot more to recruiting than simply matching candidates based on a resume. The human element is very important in terms of building relationships, making judgment calls based on culture fit and determining the proper interpersonal and soft skills.

Being able to embrace these trends and determine how to best institute them into your existing recruiting process is your best bet in competing in today’s competitive job market. Just remember, that you’re not alone when it comes to trying to diversify your strategy. Companies across the country and the globe are keeping a keen eye on these trends now and into the future to make sure they continue to have a competitive advantage.

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.

According to Fast Company Article, the following industries/sectors are at the highest risk for experiencing talent shortages between now and 2025.

• Skilled trades, including Electricians, Machinists and Welders
• Healthcare, including Occupational and Physical Therapy Aides
• Manufacturing, including Production Workers and Engineers
• Sales, including professionals with a solid combination of social and cognitive skills
• Math-related fields, including Actuaries and Statisticians

So, we know what is coming but what can we do to prepare for it? Here are a few steps your organization can take to try and overcome talent shortages either currently or in the future.

• Forecast any long-term hiring needs. A talent shortage results in less available workers which equals a greater time to fill and find qualified applicants. The key is to be prepared! Instead of waiting until you have the need, forecast what your need may be based on historical data and start sourcing the talent now!
• Recruit passive talent. The idea behind a talent shortage is that the majority of potential hires are already working elsewhere, but that doesn’t mean that they couldn’t be persuaded to jump ship. In order to convince a passive candidate to leave a current position for a new one, we must do a better job of selling our jobs. Recruiters now must also be sales people for each of their positions in order to get talent in the door. Whether this means emphasizing company culture, pay, hours, benefits, etc., we must give potential employees a reason to want to leave a current position.
  • Take advantage of referrals. When recruiting passive talent, we must take advantage of any and all referrals that we can access. The following saying generally holds true, good people know good people. These referrals may come from vendors, clients, employees etc., so it is very important to share any job openings with all of these potential sources.

Knowing what is coming down the pipeline is half the battle. Being well prepared and better equipped to combat these issues will help to ensure that your company can make the best of any labor shortages you may experience in the coming years.

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.