Job Seekers and Temp Jobs

The Staffing View
On business, the workplace and employee relations

September, 2011


Micro Tech's Featured Job Openings for September
Second Shift Supervisor, Fuquay Varina, NC
Salary: $55,000
Employer seeks a production supervisor with proven ability to manage inventory, hire, train and manage up to 25 employees Experience with Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma desired Experience with "just-in-time" inventory a plus Experience with CNC operations, and programming a plus

Controller, Portland, ME
Salary: $50,000 to $80,000
Portland area manufacturing company is looking for an experienced controller Reporting to the CFO, ideal candidate will have experience managing a small accounting department and overseeing AP, AR, inventory and cost accounting, month-end close and financial statement prep, budgeting, and year end audit prep Ideal candidate will have their CPA designation and will have prior experience in a manufacturing environment

Quality Control Inspector, Randolph, MA
Salary: $16-18 per hour
Ideal candidate will have three-to-five years of previous quality control/inspection experience from the manufacturing industry, working from blueprints diagrams, moderate supervision, to perform a series of semi-repetitive, detailed steps to check the accuracy of production processes at a series of production stages, experience with verniers, calipers, micrometers and other measuring instruments

PHP Developer, Burlington, MA
Salary: $50 per hour
Employer seeks an experienced PHP developer with Moodle experience for an eLearning company

"Free Agent" Career Development: It's Up to You
The turbulent economy of the past several years is driving up the percentage of working Americans who describe themselves as "free agents" The large number of layoffs during the Great Recession, the age of many of those dislocated workers and the scarcity of permanent openings were among the reasons given by the 44 percent of those queried in a national survey for considering themselves free agents

But there are other factors at work as well Many workers today choose a career path in which they don't tie themselves to a single company, but advance through temporary employment, often with the help of a staffing firm They enjoy the challenges that new jobs bring, as well as the variety of working with different companies in various fields or locations

Employers too are becoming increasingly reliant on contract workers Not only does it give them the flexibility to add or shrink their workforce depending on business conditions, they're able to review talented professionals who might fit permanent openings if they're so inclined

But being a free agent worker means assuming responsibility for your own career development Many corporations run regular in-house training programs for their employees Independent workers have less access to that education They need to be more proactive in developing a network of business contacts and they need to think of selling themselves as the marketing people in the companies they work for market their products Some career development basics include:

Continuous education Free agent workers are valued because of the skills and knowledge they hold Keeping all of that sharp and current is critical to remaining in demand Smart independents are constantly seeking and participating in training on job sites or in outside locations such as universities, that is focused and career specific

Regular networking Free agents benefit in two ways from engaging in professional organizations or staying in touch with former employers and colleagues The first is that they learn early on of open positions at companies or new initiatives that will demand more employees Secondly, networking keeps them aware of the skills that employers need and so helps independents to focus on their training Commitment to networking is crucial because without it workers can isolate themselves without even being aware

Shine in what you do You're a free agent because you believe you have marketable skills that will enable you to have more control of your schedule and, in many cases, earn more money than working in-house Then be a star at what you do Don't be content to meet your job performance goals, exceed them
Be a smart marketer You're selling something and it's You Why should an employer buy You and not Someone Else? Begin by making sure your resume tells prospective customers what makes you different, your unique qualities, your accomplishments and what you can do for them Remember that employers, like consumers, are in the market to fill a need Understand that need and explain how you can meet it



The Rise of Online Learning
If continuous education is a requirement to stay employed - in a temporary assignment or as a permanent employee - in today's rapidly changing workplace, then online learning is a tool that all workers should consider It's the answer for many people living in rural areas, restricted by a medical condition or limited by responsibilities at home But the value of online learning is apparently looked at differently by the general public and educators - and that could discourage some job seekers from using it to enhance their knowledge and skills

According to a survey of 2,000 adults released last month by the Pew Research Center, only 29 percent believed that online classes offer the same value as an in-person class But a second survey by Pew and the Chronicle of Higher Education of more than 1,000 college presidents found that 51 percent say online classes offer the same value as an in-person class

The obvious knock on online learning is that students aren't in the classroom, interacting with other students, listening to answers given to other questions and benefiting from the face-to-face instruction from teachers But many educators argue that there is a greater amount of interaction with their online students than those in a large classroom They point out that students can do their course work when it fits with their schedule and not at a set time when the class might be inconvenient or impossible to attend

According to Pew more than 75 percent of the nation's colleges and universities offer online courses, with public institutions far more likely to offer them than private schools About 91 percent of two-year colleges offer online classes

Online learning is also becoming more common in the lower levels "Virtual schools" that allow students to take all of their K-12 courses online and earn a high school degree, exist in more than half the states, according to the International Association of K-12 Online Learning College admissions officers are becoming more comfortable accepting students who've earned their high school degree online, viewing them in the same way that they've viewed children who were home schooled

According to the Pew study, 50 percent of college presidents say that within 10 years the majority of their students will be taking classes online With that type of demand, it's logical to assume that the quality of courses will continue to climb and the usefulness of online learning for people in the workforce will become more apparent

Cripes! It's September
Technically summer doesn't end until September 22,but after Labor Day it's back to the grindstone for most of us You can drag yourself home from vacation or you can shake the "end-of-summer" blues with a slight attitude adjustment Take these steps for an easier transition away from those laid-back summer days:

Savor the best You took a great trip, you rented a cabin in the woods, you learned how to surf Maybe you just read a bunch of great books Think about those experiences as achievements and consider this summer a success You had two great weeks of fly fishing Well done!

Note what's ahead With your batteries recharged you can look ahead to working well Focus on the best projects you have going Note some opportune meetings you've got planned Think about that new job hunting idea you've got in mind Fall forward

Schedule smart September is a month when schedules grow fuller and more demanding Make sure you build in time for things you'll find useful or fun Take a course, exercise regularly, network for your career

Employer-Paid Health Insurance: Stay Tuned
Will employers continue to provide employee health insurance when the federal healthcare law of 2010 kicks in in 2014? At least two surveys of employers have found that most will, but many will not because of insurance coverage mandates The most recent study by Towers Watson found that nine percent of 368 midsize to large companies queried said they will drop their coverage Some of those employers said they will offer a salary boost or other benefits to balance the loss of coverage An employer study last June by McKinsey & Co found that up to 30 percent of respondents said they would drop insurance for their workers because of the federal healthcare overhaul

In 2010 the average annual health insurance premium for employer-sponsored family coverage was $13,770 per worker, with companies picking up most of that expense, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Educational Trust As a reminder, employers who contract with Microtech Staffing Group are not responsible for health care benefits for temporary workers