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.

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.

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 →

Distracted Driving Remains A Deadly Epidemic

August 21, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Despite a 2011 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulation prohibiting the use of handheld phones while driving for bus and truck drivers, distracted driving is still a deadly epidemic on our roadways. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as many as 660,000 automobile drivers are using a cell phone or manipulating an electronic device during daylight hours.

What does this risk factor amount to? Here are a few statistics from the CDC:

In 2011, more than 3,300 people were killed in distracted driving related crashes

In 2011, more than 387,000 people were injured in distracted driving related crashes

In 2010, nearly 1 in 5 crashes that resulted in injury involved distracted driving

With professional drivers facing fines of almost $3,000 per offense and even loss of their license for repeat offenses for the use of handheld phones while driving, the FMCSA is working hard to combat the deadly issue. Unfortunately these consequences are not significant enough for some drivers. Companies who employ drivers must take additional steps and efforts to help enforce the safety of their staff and others. So what can you do?

Create and enforce policies in your employee handbook to prohibit distracted driving
· Place phone numbers on your vehicles allowing other drivers to report distracted or poor driving behaviors
· Regularly communicate the dangers of distracted driving to your staff and provide safety tips to prevent it
Make safety a main priority for your organization

Recognize and reward drivers for safe behaviors and compliance with your safety rules, state, and federal regulations

Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of professional drivers? Contact us today! Learn more about our Dedicated Driver Services here! Are you a safe and professional driver who is seeking a rewarding career? Visit us here to locate a driving career in your area!

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.

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.

Your Employees and Social Media Engagement

July 26, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Do you think that your social media policy is preventing the unauthorized use of social media during the workday? While implementing a social media policy is a great step in the right direction, most social networkers will continue to engage during the workday regardless.

According to a recent release from the Ethics Resource Center, as many as 72% of social networkers spent a portion of their workday on social networks, with a third of those reporting their activity as not work related. With access through company computers, tablets, and their mobile devices your employees have a variety of ways to access their social networks with or without being tracked. As many as 39% of those categorized as active social networks reported remaining connected the entire day! What does this mean for your organization?

As with any distraction, social media engagement for non-work related purposes will have an effect on productivity and eventually your bottom line. For those who remain connected for larger portions of the day, the likelihood of information about their work day, clients, projects, co-workers, and other work related information is likely to surface in their posts and engagements. Posts including derogatory statements, proprietary information, and other sensitive information could cause great loss and damages to your company. So what can you do?

With 38% of social networkers reporting use of personal devices exclusively, management and vigilance are an employer’s best chance of controlling unauthorized social media engagement in the workplace. Having policies in place and enforced that clearly define the expectations for social media and the use of personal devices during the workday are a great starting point. Work with your managers and supervisors to identify signs of social media misuse such as loss of productivity, loss of engagement, sensitive information going public before formally announced, and employees glued to their mobile devices. Most often, those who are engaged in social media for non-work related purposes during the work day will show signs of poor performance or productivity over time.

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.

IT Job Growth Reaches Another Record High!

July 16, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

Are you seeking IT talent? If so, you join most of the country! IT jobs in the U.S. rose again in June to reach another record high of almost 4.5 million jobs according to TechServe Alliance.

While the growth of IT jobs has remained consistent over the past few years, it appears the end is not in sight. The growing demand for top level IT talent stems from a multitude of factors including the increased use of technology in manufacturing, the downsizing of entry level administrative positions, and the increased use of the internet for marketing, research, and development.

Employers nationwide are scrambling to fill entry level to management level information technology positions, allowing candidates to be in the driver’s seat of their career path. In order to attract the experienced IT professionals needed in today’s employment market, employers must offer a competitive salary and benefits package that may differ greatly from what they are accustomed to offering in the past.

IT professionals are leading the surge with remote or virtual employment. Naturally, the nature of their work allows more flexibility and is better suited than some other roles for working outside of the traditional workplace. As many as 65% of companies are now allowing at least some remote work, a number that appears to grow with the size of the organization.

In addition to working remotely, IT candidates appear to be attracted to sign on bonuses, technology allowances, and flexible scheduling. If you are struggling to locate IT talent, you may consider offering additional benefits or perks to attract today’s top talent or partnering with an industry experienced recruitment firm. One thing remains clear, the recruitment of IT professionals is going to only increase in difficulty in the foreseeable future.

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.

Hurricane and Disaster Cleanups Slowed By Talent Shortages

July 2, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

The impact that a natural disaster can have on a community is profound. Consider the short and long term effects of Katrina and Sandy on not only their local areas, but nationwide as the valuable services that are provided by these communities are cut off. Unfortunately natural disasters usually wipe out the local and regional resources, making recovery time longer and causing additional hardships on those involved.

Hurricane Sandy brought to light the need for experienced skilled trades and environmental workers that are available to mobilize to different areas quickly. With many local contractors without equipment, personnel, and communication devices outside contractors were a critical part of the recovery and restoration process.

With hurricane season upon us, now is the time to consider your resources before disaster strikes. Most environmental and construction restoration contractors do not employ enough personnel to take on projects of this magnitude without adding to their workforce. In addition to the need to quickly mobilize, contractors should ensure that their additional project personnel are qualified, trained, and appropriately certified to be performing the work. Having skilled workers available at the moment that disaster strikes, can be invaluable to your business and allow you to take on additional project loads quickly and efficiently.

When considering a staffing partner for remediation and restoration work be sure to verify the following:

The staffing partner specializes in your line of work.
The staffing partner is well established and is able to demonstrate their previous abilities to hire for these roles.
The staffing partner has a pool of pre-qualified candidates.
The staffing partner is experienced in disaster related projects.
The staffing partner specializes in mobile workforces.

Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of experienced skilled trades workers? Contact us today! If you are a stand out skilled trades worker seeking short or long term career opportunities, visit our job seekers section for more information!

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.

Maintaining A Strong Rapport With Your Staff

June 21, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

When was the last time that you connected with your team on an individual level? Do you take time outside of your usual performance review process to acknowledge and connect with them? If not, you should. Maintaining a strong rapport with your staff is a critical part to managing and advancing your team and their efforts.

A strong rapport with your staff can reveal inefficiencies in the organization, departmental processes, and help to identify issues within your staff that may result in turnover if adjustments are not made. Communicating openly and regularly with your staff also allows for the generation and implementation of new ideas, guidance opportunities, and employee recognition. Not sure where to start or how to fit it in with your other countless duties? Here are a few quick tips:

First and foremost you have to make it a priority. As with anything on your to-do list, if you don’t make it a priority chances are you won’t make time to meet with your staff. Mark it on your calendar as any other important appointment and stick to it.

Keep it simple. Sometimes informal meetings can be even more productive and revealing than a structured meeting or progress meeting. Step outside of the office to a mutually comfortable setting such as a restaurant or coffee shop and make yourself available and free from distractions such as your phone and email.

Prepare for the discussion and remain open minded. Do your homework. Be sure to acknowledge specific accomplishments your employee has achieved since your last meeting. Be open to their feedback, both positive and negative. Often times the best ideas, changes, and suggestions come from those who work in the trenches day in and day out. Remain objective and avoid becoming defensive of any constructive criticism.

Make a follow up plan. Did you discuss ideas or changes that may need to take place? Are there things that you may need to investigate further or additional tools that may be helpful to the team? Be realistic and up front with what your team member can expect from you. Give them a timeline in which you plan to consider the points of your discussion and when they will hear back from you. Create an action plan for simple executable items to get the ball rolling.

Thank them. Make sure your employee understands that you appreciate them making the time to meet with you and let them know the best times for them to reach out to you if they have things that they would like to discuss further. If your staff feels that the meeting was something done out of obligation rather than a genuine interest in their development at the organization, they’ll be less likely to engage with you in the future.

Even the best leaders and managers can experience failure if they don’t have the support and dedication of a strong team behind them. Keep in mind that every member of your staff brings an added value to your organization and deserves recognition and acknowledgement on a regular basis. For more information on employee recognition, click here.

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.

Safety Concerns As Construction Season Booms!

June 13, 2013Posted by: Jenna Mathieu

With construction in it’s peak for most of the country, now is a great time to assess your risks and safety protocols. As recently as this week headlines are filled with work related injuries including work related fatalities. How can you avoid putting your staff at risk?

This week the construction of the new “Levi’s Stadium”, future home of the 49er’s was plagued with a work related fatality. A local contractor lost one of their long time elevator workers when he was struck by a falling counterweight while standing on a ladder at the bottom of an elevator shaft. Even with 43 years of experience on the job and what has been reported as appropriate PPE for the job, this 63 year old was lost. The $1.3 billion project with approximately 1,000 tradesmen on site was shut down for two days. How can you protect your team before it’s too late?

Host and engage your staff in regular safety meetings. Even the most qualified and experienced of tradesmen need to be reminded of safety procedures, cautions, and be aware of what is taking place on the job site. Regularly screen employees for PPE and question them on their safety precautions. Encourage all contractors on site to report any safety concerns or possible dangers to the on site safety manager immediately. Some of the safest sites include those who offer bonuses to those who report safety concerns and offer rewards for long periods of time on site without injury.

While maintaining and regularly evaluating your job sites for safety concerns can be time consuming and cost additional investment dollars, the return on investment is undeniable. Simple investments such as reflective vests, bright colored hard hats, additional safety fencing, and mirrors can save costly injuries quickly. Be sure to include all temporary workers who are on site in your regular safety meetings and practices. Everyone on site, regardless of their length of employment should have a part in maintaining a safe job site.

Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of experienced construction workers? Contact us today! If you are a stand out skilled trades worker seeking short or long term career opportunities, visit our job seekers section for more information!

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: workforce management

Job Postings That Work!

Distracted Driving Remains A Deadly Epidemic

Finding A Recruiter Who Works For You!

Job Demands Increase with ACA

IT Job Growth Reaches Another Record High!

Hurricane and Disaster Cleanups Slowed By Talent Shortages

Maintaining A Strong Rapport With Your Staff