agency | Journey

How to Take Full Advantage of Your Staffing Agency

By Jared Cole on Saturday, June 23, 2012

When you’re between jobs, it can feel like you’re walking in an endless desert. It’s like you’ve been there forever and you can’t do anything else but walk aimlessly. The truth is, your job search doesn’t have to be that way. Many job seekers and workers have discovered the benefits of working for a staffing agency.

Access to temporary work full-time jobs aren’t the only things staffing agencies have to offer. More than just providing work, they can help you develop a stronger job search outside of employment experience. Here are some lesser-known benefits of staffing agencies that you can take advantage of.

Résumé Review
One of the biggest perks of working with a staffing agency is your direct access to résumé experts. Your recruiter sees a large number of résumés every day, so they are often times well versed in the dos and don’ts of effective writing. This perk is often overlooked because workers are under the impression that since they are already working, their résumé doesn’t need work.

All résumés need to be constantly updated. Who better than your recruiter to help you best outline and describe your temporary work experience in a manner that’s appealing to employers? If you’re interested in tightening or critiquing your résumé, talk to your recruiter. It’s free to schedule a time aside for you to go over the ins and outs of résumé writing. If your agency can’t, they can refer you to someone who can.

Resource Libraries
It’s important for staffing agencies to have employee satisfaction, retention, morale, and motivation. That’s why many agencies have meetings and lectures focused on helping you plan, succeed, and grow in your career. These gatherings let you discuss and learn about job related issues from experts and peers, which help build a better working relationship between the recruiter and you.

Most staffing agencies have resources full of useful information on interviewing, workplace etiquette, cover letter writing, and networking. When you develop stronger job skills, you’ll be better enabled to achieve your career goals, and your staffing firm will have a more qualified worker to place for its clients.

Software Training
Sometimes you have to take several placement tests before you can schedule an interview with a recruiter. Depending on what field and pay rate you want to be in, or where you want to go in your career, you might be tested on more than just basic use of word processors. Some clerical positions require more than a basic knowledge of Microsoft Office, and with the program frequently changing and updating, it can be difficult to keep up with it on your own.

If you want to enhance your office software skills, most agencies allow you to come in during your days off to train yourself. Recruiters will be impressed seeing you take the initiative to educate yourself and improve your skills. Employers like to see candidates get closer to their career goals by improving skills from programs offered by staffing firms.

While there may be some misconception s about staffing agencies, there are several opportunities for you to learn and grow as a job seeker. What are some ways you’ve taken advantage of programs offered by staffing firms?

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.

National Staffing Week Teamwork

Associate Spotlight: Erin Wharton

By Jared Cole on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

When looking for a job, it’s easy to overlook the benefits of working for a staffing agency. In fact, companies like Express Employment Professionals can help change lives in the midst of economic uncertainty and provide job opportunities for some of the most hardworking individuals around.

Express takes pride in the accomplishments of those individuals who come to us for work. Without the skills and talents of our associates who provide what companies are looking for, Express wouldn’t be what it is today.

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

Erin Wharton

Erin found her current job through the South Indianapolis office in Greenwood, Ind. She came to Express after a rough job search. She spent 14 years with a previous employer in a less-than-constructive work environment. She left in hopes of finding a better place to work, but ended up facing a fiercely competitive job market, sending countless résumés and submitting numerous job applications for weeks with no response.

Fearing the worst, she noticed a job posting for an administrative position through Express. She had no previous experience dealing with staffing companies like Express and was a little cautious about calling to apply, but ended up emailing her résumé and application anyway. Within a couple of days, she was called by Michelle Bright from the Greenwood office for an interview.

“During the phone call, Michelle made me feel comfortable, confident, and helped ease what little fear I had.” Erin said.

When Erin came to the Express office for an interview, her anxiety returned until she met someone in the waiting room who had been working for Express for a few years. The woman told Erin that Express was “great to work with,” and “you’re working with the best.” When Erin sat down for the interview with Express, she was almost immediately told that there was a perfect position for her. After interviewing with McAllister Power on a Friday morning, she was offered a job to start the next Monday.

“Working with Express was by far the best choice I have made. I have even referred people to them. You don’t know how good it feels to be happy, enjoy getting up in the morning and coming to work. I look forward to the next day and what it is going to bring. Every day is something new. The employees here at MacAllister are absolutely wonderful,” Erin said.

We’re excited to have Erin 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 Erin did.

“I owe my happiness and my life to Michelle for matching me with the perfect company. I give everyone at Express my sincere gratitude!”

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