Inside Express | Journey

Temporary Work Myths: EXPOSED!

By Jared Cole on Monday, May 28, 2012

The economy is changing, and while it slowly climbs it’s way to recovery, employers are looking at the job market in a different way. Now more than ever, companies are increasingly relying on temporary staffing to fill open positions instead of dealing with the time and expense of directly hiring new employees.

This is a great opportunity for job seekers to gain valuable experience, but many don’t consider it as an option because of the various misconceptions about interim work. It’s time to expose these ideas for the myths they are. Here are the top three staffing myths busted to help you find success in your career.

Temporary work doesn’t pay well and is low-level.
This isn’t the case. For staffing agencies, demand is growing fastest for administrative and commercial jobs. More and more professionals are embracing the flexibility and control they have over their work schedule and the challenge and variety they can have acting as a consultant to their various jobs.

Staffing agencies want highly skilled and talented individuals to meet the needs of their job orders. That means they offer competitive wages and benefits that are on par with those directly hired. Some staffing companies offer health insurance, vacation, and retirement options. Research your local agency to see if their services are the right fit for you and your schedule.

I can’t get a full-time job if everyone knows I’m a temporary employee.
Because of the high cost of hiring and terminating employees, companies are turning to staffing agencies to evaluate and test new hires before hiring them full time. Employers are still cautious of the economy, so it makes perfect sense to hire workers from staffing agencies as a cost effective way to meet their needs. In many cases, a staffing agency can be your foot in the door with some prominent companies.

There are several stories about temporary employees working for Express who end up in full-time positions in companies they never would have been considered for otherwise. Check out these stories of temporary employees’ success.

Having temp work on your résumé looks bad.
Showing how you have gained and developed skills will only strengthen your résumé. As staffing has grown into a bigger part of the economy, experience in temporary work is seen as the equivalent of consulting experience in some industries. Many employers see long-term staffing jobs as the same as regular work experience. There are several benefits to working with a staffing agency that will look good on a résumé as long as you can show how your experience can help potential employers.

The increase in employment through staffing has always been a sign of future economic recovery, but opportunities to work on a temporary basis are expanding. Some industry experts are predicting temporary work may become more integral to the economy in the next decade. Contact your local Express office to see if we can provide you with an opportunity to help you succeed with your career goals.

Inside Express Reader Surveys

Will You Take a Summer Vacation? Take Our Poll

By Jared Cole on Tuesday, May 1, 2012

We mentioned back in March that most Americans are vacation deprived. With summer quickly approaching, now is the perfect time to plan and prep for a getaway. So, we were wondering if any of you will be taking some time off in the near future. Let us know in the poll below, and tell us where you plan on going in the comments section.

Associates of the Month Inside Express

Associate Spotlight: Sarah Reid

By Jared Cole on Wednesday, April 25, 2012

To help recognize outstanding associates’ dedication to Express Employment Professionals and the companies they work for, we like to showcase exceptional associates each month on Movin’ On Up. It’s important to give credit where credit is due, and Express loves to share the stories of our associates as an inspiration to you while you strive to achieve professional success

Our most recent associate spotlight showcases one of those individuals who finds pride in working with Express as a career. Associates like the ones we feature are a testament to how a good work ethic and positive attitude can go a long way in your profession, even in the roughest of economic conditions.

Sarah Reid
Sarah has been recognized by the Express office in Greenwood, IN as an excellent associate. She’s currently assigned to JT International, a leading international horse equipment wholesaler, who has had nothing but great things to say about her.

When Sarah started at JTI, she had little experience with or knowledge about horse products, but in a few short months, she took on a leadership role and brought improvement and productivity to the administrative office. Sarah has never missed a day on the job, has a great attitude towards her work, and strives to better herself and the company.

“Sarah has been a true blessing for our company. She gets along with everyone, works hard each and every day and has really helped keep the morale up in our office,” said Jan Knepp, Sales Supervisor at JTI. “Every time Express calls me asking what my needs are at this time, I ask to find me another Sarah, find me a clone of her. That is simply how thankful we are to have her on our team!”

We’re excited to have Sarah as a part of our Express family. If you haven’t already considered looking into working with a staffing agency like Express, give it a try. You could find the same success that Sarah did.

If you know an Express associate who would be a great candidate for our associate spotlight, let your Express office know. If you have Express associates you’d like to feature on Movin’ On Up, you can nominate them in the comments below.

“I am so thankful that Express gave me the opportunity to branch out into a new profession. I love my job and I am very grateful that Express found this placement for me,” Sarah said.

Associates of the Month Inside Express National Staffing Week

Associate Spotlight: Jomon Raju

By Jared Cole on Friday, April 6, 2012

Express Employment Professionals employs more than 335,000 workers in the United States and Canada each year, and they all have a story to tell. They represent a diverse group of workers with different skills, backgrounds, and traditions that have a global impact on the economy. Our associates come from all walks of life and hold with them true stories of inspiration.

As we continue our series highlighting Express’ associates, we look at an associate who chased after opportunity and found that dream in an unlikely situation. Sometimes you may not start where you expect, but a solid work ethic and determination can help you end up where you want to be.

Jomon Raju
Jomon graduated from college in 2010 with a computer sciences degree, but was having trouble finding a job in the IT field. As time went on with little to no position openings, he needed some sort of income until he could find a job in his field. One day, Jomon was driving down the highway and saw a sign for the downtown Fort Worth, TX, Express office, advertising openings for call center positions.

He jumped on the opportunity, applied, and was initially placed in a warehouse position he worked for six months. While working there, his supervisor found out that Jomon had a computer sciences degree. The supervisor contacted the vice president of IT to let him know about Jomon and his education. The VP and his group set up an interview with Jamon and were very impressed by his hard work and dedication. Even though the IT group concluded that Jamon didn’t have experience in the particular application they work with, they decided to invest the time in training him.

With training from the IT department, Jamon’s hourly rate increased by nearly 300%! He’s been working on the documentation of their processes and the IT department has been very pleased with his performance. They’re now training him on their applications in hopes of having him on their development team.

“I never thought I’d find an IT position by taking a warehouse job,” Jomon said.

Express takes pride in the accomplishments of those individuals who come to us for work. Without the skills and talents our associates provide to employers, Express wouldn’t be what it is today. If you’re an Express associate and know a fellow associate who would be a great candidate for our associate spotlight, let your Express office know. If you have an Express associate you’d like to feature on Movin’ On Up, let us know in the comments below.

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New Look, Same Great Content

By Jared Cole on Thursday, April 5, 2012

We’d like to take just a moment to thank you for your continued readership of our career and job seeker tips at Movin’ On Up. And, we’re excited to announce that we now offer our readers even more features with a brand new look!

We’ll still provide the same great content, but now you’ll be able to easily share that content with your friends and contacts through our new features. You’ll also be able to share comments, browse our archives, and more. So, take a few moments to take a look around! And while you’re at it, leave a note in the comments section below to tell us what you think.

Inside Express Reader Surveys

What’s the Best Part of Your Job? Take Our Poll

By Jared Cole on Tuesday, April 3, 2012

MSNBC recently reported that there is a growing number of frustrated employees leaving their current employer for better opportunities. While it may be a good sign that the U.S. economy is improving, there are still millions of workers staying loyal to their employers. This made us wonder what employees are enjoying the most about their job. Sound off in the poll below and let us know why you enjoy showing up to work every day.

Current Affairs The Job Search Work/Life Balance

How to Beat the Fear of Long-Term Unemployment

By Job Journey on Friday, March 9, 2012

There still seems to be a stigma in today’s society about those who have been unemployed for more than a few months. It’s hard for some to understand how anyone could fail to find a job for more than a year without being lazy or unreliable. But, according to Business Insider, an online source of financial, media, and tech news for businesses, nearly four million American job seekers have been unemployed for more than a year, not including the millions of other individuals who gave up the job search, retired, or took part-time jobs.

Long-term unemployment is something millions of Americans still struggle with. Not only is it financially, emotionally, and physically straining, but it’s also psychologically taxing while dealing with the notion that your skills, talents, and attitudes aren’t good enough. It can be a difficult time in anyone’s life when going several months without work, but there are means to cope. Here are four ways to manage long term unemployment.

Meditate

Meditation doesn’t have to be a religious or spiritual experience, and there are several methods and activities to help you lower stress and anxiety. If you let the tension of unemployment affect your life, you will start making rash decisions instead of making clear, educated decisions.

Whether it’s going out to a lake for fishing or spending an hour alone with good music and a book, there are things you can do that will be beneficial to your mental and physical health. It can be difficult keeping a positive attitude during such a long transitional period, but taking time for yourself can go a long way to keep that positive feeling going forward.

Build Family Bonds

Game designer and president of Ozark Softscape, Inc., Dani Buten Berry, said, “No one on their death bed ever said ‘I wish I had spent more time at work.’” Use your time not devoted to the office to build better relationships with loved ones. Not only can family be a great networking avenue, but they can also be a strong support tool for you to lean on during the most difficult times of unemployment. And if you can help out the elderly, relatives, or care for children, it can bring a sense of purpose and routine to your day.

Join Social Clubs

Join something and really get involved. It could be a charitable organization like United Way, civic groups like the Kiwanis, or local choir, sports, or hobby groups. Just as long as you get active. Having a social footing outside of work is important support against the stress and strain of unemployment. When unemployed, it’s important to keep a sense of purpose and willfulness that you may have previously found in your job. Long-lasting stability in life comes from the relationships you make that serve something bigger or serve a bigger cause. Find your place in a local organization of some kind.

Do Work

Just because you aren’t being paid for a job doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be working. Start a project that could boost your résumé. Use your talents to help local charities fill needs. It could be something built in your garage, or a project that can help improve your community. Research local businesses and see if you can offer pro bono freelance work. You may be surprised at how many businesses will jump at the offer for free help.

Everyone faces tough times at some point in their lives. Even if you are dealing with long-term unemployment, it doesn’t mean you have to be in despair about the situation. If you follow these helpful hints on how to cope, it will only help your job search.