Job Search Resolutions

The Staffing View
On business, the workplace and employee relations
January, 2012


Micro Tech's Featured Job Openings for January
Electronic Assembly, Raleigh, NC
Salary: $12 per hour
Candidates with SMT experience are encouraged to apply This position requires soldering, using basic hand tools and following simple diagrams and blueprints Hours include 10-hour days on Monday -Thursday with over time possibilities on Friday and Saturday

Project Engineer/Project Manager, Westminster, MA
Salary: $85,000
Candidates must have experience with ASME Section III and VIII in the manufacturing of nuclear and pressure vessel components Must also have technical skills in manufacturing processes and be familiar with fabrication and machining practices An understanding of GD&T in accordance ASME Y145 is required and applicants should also be able to successfully troubleshoot and solve mechanical problems in time sensitive situations Candidate should also have the ability to organize and manage multiple priorities, while excelling in a team environment Should also be able to adhere to plans and schedules and be PC proficiency (including MS Word, Excel) 3D Cad experience is required (Keycreator or Solidworks is a plus) Education and experience requirements include a BS in Mechanical Engineering, and five-plus years working in a manufacturing environment

Web Developer, Watertown, MA
Salary: $40 per hour
Employer seeks a front end web developer, with strong skills in CSS and jQuery, plus some design work mixed in Contract extends at least one year A coding test is required

CNC Machinist, Weymouth, MA
Salary: $18 to $21 per hour
Client seeks candidates with five to 10 years of experience setting up and operating CNC Lathe and CNC Milling machines Mori Seiki and Okuma equipment needed, prefer experience on Robo Drill and Matsuura Milling Machines Familiar with programming and the "G" code used to set up Candidates should be flexible to work 3rd shift and 1st shift

New Year's Job Hunting Resolutions
There's no time like the present to make positive changes in your career, whether it's January or June But the end of one year and the beginning of the next is the traditional time for new resolutions So if you're in the market for a temporary or permanent job placement, commit to a successful job search in 2012 and put some fresh thinking into it

Here are the positives: the economy isn't cranking, but it is growing Historically stock market returns tend to be above average during a presidential election year A positive stock market contributes to improved consumer confidence and that too bodes well for the economy Inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index remains low Gasoline prices have been sliding down towards $3 per gallon nationally, essentially a tax break for automobile owners

With that in mind, consider the following as you begin your 2012 job search

Keep the faith You applied for a job, got a call for an interview, it seemed to go great, then boom! Thanks but no thanks Losing out can be devastating and discouraging over time But start 2012 with a resolution to keep the faith Hiring managers make a final selection based on many factors including a need for a certain skill set or base of experience Don't take a rejection as a statement about your worth as a person Eventually your skill set will find that open position and you'll thrive

Take a fresh approach If you spent 2011 in a fruitless job search, it's time to change tactics Start with your resume Is it a lifeless list of jobs you've held or a more captivating summary of achievements? What's your networking strategy? Expand your circle Be proactive enough to reach out to new people and check in more frequently with your established contacts

Plunge in to social media If you're in your 50s or even your 40s, your social media activities might be limited to a Facebook page you rarely post on or a LinkedIn page you don't promote But an all-fronts assault in your job search campaign should include leveraging social media Check out the Learning Center on LinkedIn There you'll not only get the basics on the most popular business networking site, but the various ways you can use it to your advantage

Create your work You've got skills and you've got time Take your passions, the things you love to do outside of work, and turn them into income A laid-off teacher with sewing skills created a business of making children's winter hats and mittens out of clothes they had outgrown A banker-turned-vegetable grower designed gardens for people in his town and leveraged that into full-time work at a garden center The money was less, but the fulfillment was much greater

Use a staffing firm Temporary and permanent help companies are constantly contacting corporations in your area, assessing their needs and making them aware of their pool of qualified professionals Get on the list with Microtech Staffing Group's offices and have someone work on your behalf



Quitting Makes a Comeback or "How to Keep Your Top Employees"
The federal Labor Department reports that the number of Americans quitting their jobs is on the rise, a sign that employees are feeling more confident about the economy and jumping to what they consider to be better opportunities

According to the report, from early 2009 to early 2011 the number of workers who quit their jobs did not exceed 19 million But this year that level has been topped eight times Labor market mobility took a nosedive during the 2007-2009 recession The obvious reason is because companies were laying workers off by the tens to thousands, depending on their size Opportunity was low and job insecurity was high

Job growth has been maddeningly slow, but it has been steady And that means that high performing employees can feel more confident about jumping to another company if they see a chance for something better These are the employees who make a difference in the success of your company People with ideas and skills that improve sales and reduce costs Losing them often hurts because they leave with institutional knowledge of your business Their departure negates the time and money you invested to train them and also means you need to find someone to replace, who'll also need to be trained Here are a few suggestions on retaining those stars

• Create a thriving environment High achievers are goal setters who want to feel they are growing in their jobs and their careers Offer opportunities for self-improvement through in-house programs Encourage informal lunches among the staff to discuss their work
• Encourage cross-training New England Patriot's Coach Bill Belichick often uses the same players in different positions - offense and defense You too can develop a versatile staff and help your employees learn more skills by letting them train in different areas of your company
• Encourage dialogue between employees and management Is there any management list that doesn't include "maintain good communication?" No and for good reason If your employees feel they can speak openly about ways to improve operations in your company their self-esteem will rise, their sense of contributing to the mission will grow and their commitment to the company will strengthen
• Know what motivates them Yes, money talks But it may not be saying enough to keep a top performer fixed Simply because an employee is a high performer in your shop doesn't mean their work is fulfilling You'll benefit from their work ethic in the short run, but long term they'll be looking for more elsewhere
• Pace them Encourage that work-life balance in your company A top performer who burns out from long hours on the job will eventually suffer a decline in work quality and in family life Know when to ease up on them


State Lawmakers and Immigration
The immigration issue continues to be a hot topic among state legislators Last year 42 states enacted 197 new laws and 109 new resolutions relating to immigrants and refugees, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures Verification of citizenship, education and combatting human trafficking were some of areas that laws and resolutions addressed

At Microtech Staffing Group, we do not hire undocumented workers We strictly follow the federal Form I-9 employment verification process when hiring new workers, meaning we review documents presented by prospective employees to confirm their identity and work eligibility We also closely monitor changes in immigration laws and policies in the states where we have offices Here is a look at some of the changes passed in our states in 2011

Massachusetts Passed a law mandating that benefits from the emergency assistance program and short-term housing assistance be provided to citizens of the US or lawfully present immigrants It also enacted a measure to establish an interagency task force on human trafficking

Georgia Passed a measure that prohibits the "entry, presence and involvement in economic activity of unauthorized aliens" Legislators also approved a resolution recognizing new refugees who have become citizens and contributed to Georgia's culture and economy

Maine Passed legislation requiring applicants for a drivers' license to present valid documentary evidence of "legal presence" in the US

North Carolina Passed legislation prohibiting state and local government contracts with contractors who employ illegal immigrants and requires contractors to verify their employees' legal status or authorization to work

New York Passed a law requiring a notary republic who advertises services in a language other than English to state that they are not authorized to practice law and have not authority to give advice on immigration law

Virginia Passed legislation requiring employers who sign a contract with a public agency and that have an average of 50 employees to use E-Verify or be debarred from contracting with public agencies for a year A contractor's eligibility would be reestablished upon their participation in E-Verify