staffing firm

Even Small Businesses Should Know When to use a Staffing Agency

Even Small Businesses Should Know When to use a Staffing Agency

Small businesses in Southern California understand how important it is to save both time and money. If a business employs people then there is a very good chance that a staffing agency can have a positive influence on that company’s bottom line. Let’s take a closer look at why.

Most small business owners have the misconception that only large companies can benefit from using a staffing agency. However staffing firms can benefit businesses both large and small. In fact there is a large magnitude of small businesses that rely on staffing firms. These businesses use staffing agencies to fill a variety of positions.

Staffing agencies help free up time by handling hiring needs when workloads increase. Time is often the most valuable commodity to a small business owner. When small business owners develop a relationship with a staffing firm they are able to resolve staffing issues in as little as one phone call.

Outside of staffing services, a staffing agency is able to handle many human resource services such as:

Performance evaluations, hiring, terminations, disciplinary matters and statutory issues
Group health plan administration
Payroll services
RSSP administration
Benefit plan consulting
Employee handbook, policies and procedures
Organizational effectiveness surveys

When a company utilizes these services early in their growth they are able to resolve many human resource issues before they are allowed to become a problem.

Many people do not realize the cost involved with hiring people. Online recruiting costs an average of $2000 per new hire and additional time is lost as the hiring manager is kept from their regular duties. Over time these types of hiring methods cost a company far more time and money than using a staffing agency.

While large companies hire employees on an ongoing basis, small businesses typically do not. When recruiting and interviewing isn’t common practice, issues can arise. Knowing how to properly conduct an interview is a skill that not everyone possesses. Often, the hiring of employees is based on emotion rather than fact and skills. A staffing firm’s evaluation program eliminates the guesswork. In fact most of the time, associates provided by a staffing agency prove to be a perfect fit.

iStaffing Agency helps Southern California companies locate, screen and place professional candidates into Management, Senior and Executive level positions. iStaffing Agency specializes in Human Resources, Accountants, Executives, IT Professionals, Loan Officers and other professional candidates in addition to candidates in the Entertainment and Nonprofit sector. iStaffing services all areas of Orange County and Los Angeles County. For more information about how iStaffing Agency can help your company with their staffing needs, please contact us today.

Using Temp Jobs to Boost your Career

Using Temp Jobs to Boost your Career

While temp jobs might seem like worthless endeavors to some people, these opportunities could be just what you need to further your career. Temp positions help bridge the gap between jobs, help job seekers get a feel for a different work environment and can possibly lead to permanent employment.

Even though experienced workers and college graduates might not think to consider temporary jobs, temp work has many benefits. During long periods of unemployment, a job that lasts a few months can be a welcome change and can even add to the relevancy of a resume. For first time job seekers, temp jobs provide much needed hands on experience.

Temp jobs are ideal for anyone that is unsure of what they want to do. Working briefly for one industry can help workers determine whether a career in that field is right for them. If the job is not to their liking, they are able to try out other temp positions without having to make any long term commitments.

Temporary jobs are a great way to stay employed while you are looking for permanent work. When an individual works one or more temporary jobs, recruiters and potential employers are able to learn what their individual strengths and weaknesses are. In addition, the job seeker can learn what job training or college courses can further their job prospects and make them a more valuable candidate in the future.

Another benefit to temporary employment is that candidates can work with a variety of people and employers and build a strong social network to use for job referrals. Additionally, when individuals continue to communicate with previous co-workers they create the opportunity to be called back for a position.

Temp jobs can be a valuable stepping stone for many people. Temporary jobs keep skills fresh and keep job hunters in contact with potential employers. When a temporary employee shows strong work ethic, ambition and initiative they might even be asked to take on a permanent position.

iStaffing Agency helps place professional candidates into Management, Senior and Executive level positions in Southern California. iStaffing Agency specializes in Human Resources, Accountants, Executives, IT Professionals, Loan Officers and other professional candidates in addition to candidates in the Entertainment and Nonprofit sector. For more information about how iStaffing Agency can help you locate your next career opportunity in Los Angeles County or Orange County, California please contact us today.

Questions you Should be Asking During an Interview

Questions you Should be Asking During an Interview

When interviewing in Southern California, it is extremely important to make yourself memorable. Asking questions during an interview demonstrates an interest in the position, a desire to learn more and creates a feeling of communication rather than interrogation. The following ten questions will help you impress your interviewer and make you stand out above your competition.

Is there an ability to grow with the company?
When you ask this question you show your ambition, drive and intent to stay long-term. Numerous studies have proven that employers prefer to hire employees who offer the greatest return on their investment.
What is a typical week like in this position?
This is a more practical question and encourages the employer to describe how the position fits into the larger framework of the company. It also allows you to imagine yourself in the position and encourages your interviewer to do the same.
What unique qualities does your ideal candidate have?
This question lets your interviewer know that you are willing to better yourself to become the ideal candidate for the position.
Can you describe the culture and atmosphere of the workplace?
This answer to this question will give you an idea of how you might mesh with your coworkers and how your personality and interests might be received in the office.
What do you like most about working for the company?
If you show a general interest in the interviewer’s experiences you make yourself a more memorable candidate. This question allows you to connect with the interviewer and gives you a firsthand account of the benefits if you take the job.
What is your least favorite part of working for the company?
This is a question that most interviewers are not used to answering. It forces them to evaluate their own experiences and puts them into an entirely different frame of mind for the rest of the interview.
What drew you to this company?
This question helps you build a better connection with the interviewer and gives you a closer look at what they value most when approaching a new position.
What are the typical hours and is overtime expected?
This question will provide you with an idea of how hard their average employee is expected to work.
How is success evaluated and rewarded?
If you understand before being hired what you need to do in order to advance then you can focus your energy on the tasks and responsibilities that are most valuable to the company.
Does the company offer extra training or education opportunities?

This question shows your enthusiasm for the position and your desire to continue improving.

Benefits of a College Degree

Benefits of a College Degree

The labor market in Southern California is extremely competitive. In order to land the job, benefits and pay that you desire, you must have an advantage over your competitors. A college degree can help you tremendously with your career goals and is actually required for many jobs. Benefits of a college degree include:

Higher pay
Gain the college experience
Obtain trade skills
Greater opportunity for career advancement

People without a college degree typically make tens of thousands of dollars less each year when compared to individuals with a degree. Studies have shown a difference of $20,000 or more for a bachelor’s degree and $60,000 or more for a doctorate and higher. Over the course of a lifetime this adds up to nearly one million dollars in income difference. However, simply having a degree does not guarantee that you will get the job you want. Experience, personality and overall skills set are also important.

Some employers are less concerned about the major you studied and more concerned that you actually earned a degree. Having a college degree shows prospective employers that you have had the experience of making short, medium and long-term goals and that you are able to work through projects, find and use resources and assess your own work. All of these skills are extremely important in the workplace. Additionally, a college degree indicates that you have the aptitude to learn new concepts. Employers want to know that they are hiring someone who knows more than just their field. The core curriculum offered at most universities exposes you to far more your major field of study.

A college education exposes you to the skills necessary for many highly competitive and rewarding careers. Universities frequently consult with major employers in order to determine what skills are most desired, and adjust their curriculum accordingly.

Some jobs require a college degree to even be considered for the position. This is often due to social expectations or it might be because of certain certification requirements. In addition, advanced degrees are sometimes required for promotion. For example, managerial jobs, especially executive jobs, typically require a master’s or doctorate degree.

Job Description of a Retail District Manager

Job Description of a Retail District Manager

Many retail companies in Southern California have several locations in order to better serve their customers. Companies that operate several retail stores in a region must hire retail district managers to oversee the everyday operations of their stores. These managers are responsible for coordinating the movement and distribution of goods, handling the stores’ staffing needs and maintaining contact with the head office. Retail district managers must possess strong management skills and enjoy travelling.

The work of a retail district manager often involves working across several stores in an expansive area. A retail district manager should possess excellent time-management skills. They must be able to adhere to daily schedules and visit all of the stores within a designated time period. Retail district managers must have good customer service skills in order to interact with customers in a friendly and responsible manner. They must also have good leadership skills in order to keep employees motivated and to resolve workplace conflicts. Strong communication skills are also important so that they can adequately share operational information with store supervisors or managers on a daily basis.

The main responsibility of a retail district manager is to increase the operational efficiency of the stores under their management. They must review operational reports and determine each store’s individual needs. For example, if a store is understaffed, the retail district manager must coordinate the hiring and training of new employees. They must also maintain contact with the suppliers or manufacturers in order to ensure that products will be delivered to each store on time.

To become a retail district manager you typically need to hold a bachelor’s degree in business. Some companies might even require a degree in hotel management. Since employers require retail management experience, prospective retail district managers typically start in entry level positions in order to gain job experience. Retail district managers that are looking to occupy executive positions in business firms should consider acquiring a master’s degree in business administration or strategic management.

Top Reasons Why Your Company Should Use a Staffing Agency to Hire Temps

Top Reasons Why Your Company Should Use a Staffing Agency to Hire Temps

Sometimes companies need to hire temporary employees on a short-term, long-term or intermittent basis. To find these employees the company might place an ad, attempt to locate employees themselves or contact a staffing agency. When temporary workers are needed, using a staffing agency offers the most benefits. Following are the top four reasons why your company should use a staffing agency to fill your next temp position:

Reduced Costs
Specialized Expertise
Reduced Training Costs and Time
Increased Productivity

The recruitment and training process can be extremely costly. In order to find and hire competent employees businesses must develop a vacancy announcement and advertise through both print and media, collect and review resumes, schedule and conduct interviews, assess applicants, check references and conduct background checks. Once the company has found the perfect candidate for the job they must then train and orientate the new employee. These activities tie up the company’s resources as existing staff is taken away from their regular duties. Additional costs involved with the hiring process include payroll processing, taxes, unemployment, workers compensation and liability claims. Using a staffing agency eliminates all of these costs.

Staffing agencies specialize in placing the right person in the right job. This is why many staffing agencies only offer candidates for certain industries. These specialized staffing firms are experts in the industries that they deal with. They have a large database of pre-screened candidates to choose from, ensuring the perfect match for even hard to fill positions.

The actual recruitment process of a staffing agency is lengthy and typically more involved than in-house recruitment processes. A staffing firm assesses the skills of applicants and provides additional training in order to strengthen those skills. When a staffing agency employee starts working at your business they should be ready to hit the ground running without needed any additional training.

Staffing agencies typically have pre-screened qualified workers that are ready and willing to work with very little notice. When a staffing firm is able to place a skilled employee in your vacant position quickly, you never have to worry about tasks not being completed on time or your current staff being burdened with other responsibilities.

iStaffing Agency helps companies in California locate, screen and place professional candidates into Management, Senior and Executive level positions. iStaffing Agency specializes in Human Resources, Accountants, Executives, IT Professionals, Loan Officers and other professional candidates in addition to candidates in the Entertainment and Nonprofit sector. For more information about how iStaffing Agency can help your company with their staffing needs, please contact us today.

Questions To Ask a Temp Employment Agency

Questions To Ask a Temp Employment Agency

Workers turn to temporary employment agencies for a variety of reasons. It might be because job seekers are having a difficult time locating permanent work, they might not be available to take on a full-time position or they are simply looking to get their foot in the door for a future permanent position. Temp employment agencies are the perfect choice for all of these situations.

When choosing a temp agency to work with, consider asking them the following questions:

Ask the agency for information about their clients. This should include what types of businesses and industries they work with and what kind of employment they seek.
Check which geographic areas the staffing agency works with to ensure that they are convenient for your current transportation situation.
Ensure that the agency is able to offer you work that meets your qualifications and needs.
It is important to find out if the temp agency offers temporary work that might one day turn into a permanent position. If you are seeking this type of employment, be sure to alert the temp agency by asking them for their “temp to hire” listings.
Ask the agency about their expectations regarding overtime and weekend work.
Find out about the temp agency’s pay rate. Figure out if the agency pays weekly or bi-weekly.
Check with the staffing agency about any job training that is offered.
Find out what sick leave policies the agency has in place and how sick leave is handled.
If your employment will be based on a particular project, you will need to find out what will happen when the project ends.
Figure out how the agency will contact you if a position opens up. Sometimes you will need to contact the agency periodically to inquire about new positions. It is also important to find out whether you can turn down a position if it doesn’t fit your skill set or schedule.
Ask the temp agency how many years they have been in business. Respectable staffing agencies will have testimonials that you can reference.

iStaffing Agency helps place professional candidates into Management, Senior and Executive level positions . iStaffing Agency specializes in Human Resources, Accountants, Executives, IT Professionals, Loan Officers and other professional candidates in addition to candidates in the Entertainment and Nonprofit sector. For more information about how iStaffing Agency can help you locate your next career opportunity in California, please contact us today.

Obtaining Permanent Placement Through a Staffing Agency

Obtaining Permanent Placement Through a Staffing Agency

If you aren’t working with a staffing agency to find your next job then you are probably missing out on several job listings that aren’t being advertised through traditional means. There are several reasons why companies don’t post all of their open positions. It could be because of confidentiality/replacement reasons or simply because they understand that working with a competent staffing agency will get the position filled much faster. One of the main benefits of using a staffing firm to locate your next job is that you can be considered for multiple positions that were not available to find on your own.

There are a few different ways to obtain permanent placement through a staffing agency. For example, you can start out with temporary or contract work. Many companies will start by employing a new hire on a temporary basis in order to make sure that they are a good fit. If the company likes your work, they might offer you a permanent position. Contract work allows you to see if you enjoy the role that you are given in a company without actually being committed to it. These types of positions are often listed as temp-to-perm, meaning that there is a potential for the job to turn into a permanent role, however you are not required to take the position if you do not want to.

Staffing firms that offer direct placement fill permanent positions for companies. Companies hire these types of staffing agencies to find top talent to fill a permanent position. The staffing agency locates the best candidates for the client’s individual needs. When searching for a staffing firm to help you with permanent placement, be sure to choose one that has proven results and good reviews.

Even if you aren’t actively looking for a job it’s a good idea to keep active profiles with a respectable staffing firm. Maintaining good relationships with a staffing agency makes it possible to check in when you are ready to update your professional goals.