Choosing a Staffing Firm
3/1/2011
The Staffing View
On business, the workplace and employee relations
_March, 2011
Micro Tech’s Featured Jobs Openings for March
Screw Machine Operator, Providence RI
Salary: $18 per hour
An employer seeks an experienced screw machine operator to do setup and operation of two or more screw machines Ideal candidate will have one-to-three years of setup and operation experience including programming, machining fundamentals, micrometers, and blueprints First shift
Mechanical assemblers, Nashua, NH
Salary: $13 to $16 per hour
This individual will ideally have two-to-five years of experience using hand tools and power tools, being familiar with blue prints/ schematics, and have the ability to do light wiring or cable harness assemblies Experience in prototype builds are a plus
Piping Designers, Atlanta, GA and Greenville, SC
Salary: $60 per hour
PDMS for long term contract positions
Technical Sales, Newton, MA
Salary: base of $60,000 first year, on-target-earnings up to $130,000
Our client is currently looking for top tier technical salespeople for both new business and account management roles Experience selling SaaS and web based software are major pluses Sales people with track record of proven success should apply Minimum five years of experience
How to Choose a Staffing Firm
If your search for employment continues to come up empty, it’s time to consider another course Taking on temporary assignments through a staffing firm can bring income, experience and contacts that could lead to a permanent position A staffing agency such as Microtech Staffing Group provides a service that matches the labor needs of its corporate clients with individuals who have the skill sets to meet those needs
Staffing companies across the country match millions of people to millions of jobs and many are converted to full-time employment Through a staffing firm you can be employed at a client company on a temporary or contract basis; you can work as a temp-to-perm or temp-to-hire in which your employment is really a trial to see if you are a good fit for the position and the company; or you could be a direct hire in which the staffing agency places you with an employer permanently from the start
But not all staffing firms are the same, so it makes sense to spend some time getting to know the companies in your area before you sign on with one Ideally, you’ll consider the staffing firm a career partner Sure, if you’ve been unemployed for a while you’re looking for a job and income But you also want to find a position that matches your skills and contributes to your long-term goals The right firm will understand you as well as the jobs it has available
Meet with several firms before you settle on one Treat your meeting as if you were interviewing them, as much as they are interviewing you Here are some considerations to have in mind:
Understand yourself first You can’t select a suitable firm unless you have a real good idea of your own skills and goals That isn’t always simple in today’s economy where technology is making some jobs obsolete and putting new requirements on others Make a list of what you can do and what you’d like to do for work Learn about those jobs Think about the sort of companies where you’d like to work What are your salary needs? All of that will help you communicate better with the staffing firm personnel
Learn about the staffing firm Before you go to interview them, do some background research Some firms specialize in a couple of industries Others, such as Microtech Staffing Group, work with clients in numerous sectors If a firm isn’t involved with companies in your industry, don’t waste your time or theirs
Ask a lot of questions when you meet Inquire about the type of client companies at the staffing firm Large corporations?Small business?Non-profits?All of the above Those are the ultimate destinations where you’ll be sent so understand in advance if they are what you want How well do they do with placements? How many employees does the firm have out with clients each day on average? And look around Does the staffing company’s office look like a busy, active place?
How are you treated? Remember, you’re expecting that the staffing firm you join will be a partner with you Are the people with whom you speak acting that way? Are they interested when you first call? When you meet with them do they seem like people with whom you could work?
UI Troubles for the States
Ronald Reagan once joked that the nine most terrifying words in the English language are: “I’m from the government and I’m here to help” If that’s the case, employers should keep their eye on a federal proposal to help cash-strapped states and their unemployment insurance trust funds
The Obama administration has proposed a plan to temporarily suspend interest payments owed by states to the federal government for borrowing money to cover the rising cost of unemployment benefits It’s relief that many states could use The deep recession and slow jobs recovery forced many states to borrow about $42 billion from the federal government to pay for unemployment insurance obligations
Additionally, the plan would stall an automatic increase in a tax on employers to help pay for unemployment benefits Under the unemployment benefits system, the federal government taxes employers on the first $7,000 of wages paid to each employees and requires the states to do the same Some states set higher taxable wage basis When states have an outstanding loan balance with the federal government for at least two years on money they borrowed to pay out jobless benefits, federal law automatically imposes an increase in the federal tax to employers to repay the loan
President Obama’s plan would give the state’s time to restore their balance sheets as the economy improves and revenues grow It would also save employers from a tax hike as the expansion tries to gain speed Several of the states within our service area have borrowed funds from Uncle Sam As of last month, Georgia owed more than $588 million, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures Rhode Island owed $225 million Virginia had borrowed $385 million and Massachusetts more than $85 million
But there are no free lunches Under the plan the portion of workers’ wages subject to the unemployment insurance tax that employers pay would more than double in 2014 This increase, from $7,000 to $15,000, would be aimed at raising revenue to repay the federal government Presumably employers would be in a stronger financial position by that time But one concern is that if the proposal is implemented it would actually discourage employers from hiring as a way to guard against a larger UI tax bill in 2014
The good news for clients of Microtech Staffing Group and our affiliates is that we pay the UI tax for our professionals We may place a worker with a company, but our employer customers are not responsible for paying jobless benefits taxes or health care benefits
Meanwhile many states are taking their own steps to protect their employers from rising unemployment insurance costs In January the Massachusetts Legislature froze the state’s unemployment insurance rate at 2010 levels, preventing a $228-per-employee increase on employers
10 Reasons To Hire a Vet
The unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans is more than 15 percent, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, well above the national jobless rate of 9 percent in January Veterans’ advocates say one reason for the high figure is the multiple deployments of many soldiers, pulling them in and out of the workforce and preventing them from establishing their careers Meanwhile many economists say the figure could rise as military operations in Afghanistan are trimmed down
Do you have a policy in place for hiring veterans? Here are 10 reasons why hiring a vet might make sense for your business, courtesy of the Veterans Today: Military Veterans and Foreign Affairs Journal
- Accelerated learning curve Veterans have the proven ability to learn new skills and concepts
- Leadership The military trains people to lead by example as well as through direction, delegation, motivation and inspiration
- Teamwork Veterans understand how genuine teamwork grows out of responsibility to one’s colleagues
- Diversity and inclusion in action Veterans have learned to work side by side with many different types of individuals
- Efficient performance under pressure Veterans understand the rigors of tight schedules and limited resources
- Respect for procedures Veterans have gained a unique perspective on the value of accountability
- Technology and globalization Because of their experience in the service, veterans are usually aware of international and technical trends pertinent to business and industry
- Integrity Veterans know what it means to do “an honest day’s work”
- Conscious of health and safety standards Thanks to extensive training, veterans are aware of health and safety protocols both for themselves and the welfare of others
- Triumph over adversity They likely have proven their mettle in mission critical situations