XL Staffing's Blog

– For those that didn’t catch it, I’m including the article that was in the San Diego Reader on September 1st 2011 titled Get Over your Temp Phobia by Candice Reed.

Get Over Your Temp Phobia
By Candice Reed | Published Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011

You might not consider taking a temp job because it seems like a risky move. Other than a paycheck what would you get out of it? No health insurance or 401(k) plan, no vacation or sick time, no company picnics, and no guarantee of a job from month to month.

Get over yourself!

The latest trend in jobs is not to have a permanent cubicle in the same old boring office with the same old boring people. This time around hopefully you’ll have learned your lesson about getting so close to your fellow employees that they want to be friends on Facebook.

Seriously, a new report finds that temp work is likely to become even more common in the future.

The report from The McKinsey Global Institute finds that in the next five years, more than half of employers expect to rely more on temporary, part-time, and contract workers for a variety of duties.

In many cases, a temp job is better than a full-time job.

Not convinced?

There are already 8.4 million involuntary part-time workers in the United States, according to the July unemployment data from the Labor Department.

If in the end temp work just isn’t a good fit, you can always ask the employer if you can be considered for permanent employment. Let your employer know you like what you’re doing and would like to keep doing it. Once you’re established in your temping position and know you’re doing a good job, consider coming right out and asking to be hired for a permanent job. This could end up being miserable and boring. But hey, you can always go back to being a temp.

Cheryl Goodwin of Orange County lost her job as a teacher in 2010, so she signed on with a temp agency. She worked in offices for a luggage company, a granola manufacturer, and a funeral home in less than a year.

“I loved all these jobs because they gave me such a new outlook on life,” she said. “Before, when I was teaching, it was the same thing pretty much every day. Now I look forward to seeing where the next job takes me. Temping isn’t always predictable, but that’s what I’ve learned to love about it.”

You might think that taking a temp job is taking a huge risk, but who cares? It’s time to throw caution to the wind and jump on the temp-job bandwagon. But before you make possibly the best career decision of your life; think about what you can gain – other than the coveted paycheck – from your new temp career.

Build your résumé as you hop from job to job. Build your skills so if you want to look for a full-time career later down the line you’ll be more qualified than the next guy.

Think of your temp job as a way to network. You’re doing new stuff for new companies, so take advantage of all the people you meet and leave behind.

Buy your own health insurance. Find one with a high deductible and fewer benefits. If you need a dentist, Mexico is right around the corner. Don’t ignore this one – you’ll sleep better at night if you have insurance.

Figure out your finances. If you have student loans, take a deferment. Check out if you can still file for unemployment – sometimes you can. Cut back on the booze bill and eat dinner with your parents a few times a week. It will be worth it in the long-run to be in a temp job where you choose the job and the days you work.

Seems like a no-brainer at this stage in the jobless game.

– When you are ready to take a temp job, XL Staffing is here to help guide you through the process. Give us a call or check our job listings to see what openings we have today!

This weekend at the Annual Staffing Conference in San Diego, Stacy Mackey, Vice-President of XL Staffing, received the Staffing Professional of the Year award. California Staffing Professionals is an association of nearly 300 staffing companies across the state of California. There are 8 local chapters including San Diego, LA, Orange County, and others.

Every year each chapter selects one nominee for the state award. Then one is selected the Staffing Professional of the Year. The award is based upon Standards of Excellence for; production, education/accreditation, leadership, and business development superiority.

The staffing industry in California is a 20 Billion dollar industry and employees over 1,000,000 employees statewide. The staffing industry has led in new jobs creation for the last three quarters. XL Staffing is located at 680 Fletcher Pkwy, #206 El Cajon, CA 92020.

Stacy served two terms as San Diego Chapter President and in 2009 Stacy received the Diamond Award. She has been a speaker at Owners Only Retreat and was a Speaker on Unemployment Claims for the 2011 Annual Conference. Stacy has been very active in the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce, graduating from the Leadership East County Program in 2007, and serving on the Alumni and Steering Committees. Stacy is currently the President of the Cajon Valley Education Foundation, a single mom active in her daughter’s Girl Scout Troop, and FAME program at her elementary school.

14 Essential Interviewing Tips for The Unemployed

This is a reblog from one of my favorite sites!

Posted: 18 Apr 2011 06:24 AM PDT

All indications are that the economy is starting to pick up and that’s great for eager job seekers. For some, this recession has been a long, drawn out affair and most are eager to get back to work.

If you are starting your job search and have been out of the job market for a while, relax. Lots of us have been laid off and everyone understands the challenges of the last couple of years. Take a look at the tips below to whip yourself back into top interview shape.

Tip #1: Treat Everyone With Respect
This goes for every single person you interact with — right down to the janitor. The way you treat people will directly reflect on how you connect with people. Connections are important when interviewing since you never know who the hiring manager is going to call on to review your performance.

Tip #2: Eat Beforehand
It’s best to eat beforehand, even if it’s a lunch interview. Being hungry will dull your mind and quickly fatigue your body. So, eat what you normally would even if nerves are creeping in.

Tip #3: Overdress a little
Your attire shows a lot about who you are. If it’s been a while since you interviewed, make sure you have clean, well fitting clothes that are a little nicer than what you would normally wear on the job. This shows that you care about your appearance and will give a great first impression.

Tip #4: Look People in the Eye
Too often, nerves get in the way and we don’t look people in the eye when we talk. It’s vital that you look a person in the eye. This eye contact shows confidence and is the best way to engage with an interviewer.

Tip #5: Don’t be Afraid to Say “I Don’t Know”
It’s awful tempting to embellish an answer or stretch the truth a little bit to impress people. Resist doing this. Saying that you don’t know something is perfectly acceptable as long as you follow up with how you would figure it out.

Tip #6: Make Sure to Answer the Question
Most people don’t answer the question they have been asked. If you tend to do this, repeat the question back to the interviewer and then make sure you answer their question fully.

Tip #7: Maintain Intellectual Honesty
Akin to saying I don’t know, you should not lie on your resume. An astute interviewer will find you out. Scrub your resume and make sure you qualify any experience that might be asked during the interview.

Tip #8: If your Nervous, Admit It
Everyone gets nervous and it’s fine to admit that. People will understand that this is a stressful situation and being out of work for a while makes it even worst. So, just admit it and you will feel and perform a lot better.

Tip #9: Always Have a Question to Ask
Too often, a candidate will have no questions for the interviewer. Don’t be one of those people. Having a couple of questions ready shows that you did some research and your interested in the company. Make sure to have more than one and preferably have one that deals with the current conditions at the company.

Tip #10: Be Ready to Explain Job Gaps
Gaps in a job history can be a red flag. If you have several, be sure to explain them in the most positive light without lying about the circumstances. If it’s been a while since you worked, make sure you explain how you have been keeping your skills fresh. If you volunteered, make sure you list that. Volunteering is a noble endeavorer and it shows that you are eager to contribute.

Tip #11: Be Honest About Why You Are Unemployed
Don’t be ashamed that you lost your job. It happens to everyone. What you need to do is be honest as to why you are unemployed and what you have been doing to find work. Economic times hurt us all and we all have friends or family members that have been caught up in lay offs.

Tip #12: Ask When You Should Follow-up
Before you leave the interview, ask when you should follow up. This technique is called permission follow up and it’s important that you plant the follow up seed so that it’s not as awkward down the line.

Tip #13: Send a Thank You Email or Note
Make sure to send an email or note to everyone you got a card from. I know this seems like a small thing but it can be the difference between getting the job and not. Candidates who send notes, even via email, are remembered.

Tip #14: Follow Up But Not Too Aggressive
When the time comes, make sure to follow up with the hiring manager or HR professional. Don’t get discouraged if they don’t call you back right away or ignore you. Sometimes priorities change and what was a must hire is now just a nice to have.

Once You Land the Job
There is no doubt that soon, you will land a job and report to work. When that happens, make sure to read this post on Your First 90 Days at a New Job. It’s chalked full of useful tips to ensure that you make a great first impression. Good luck.

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14 Essential Interviewing Tips for The Unemployed originally appeared on The Daily MBA on April 18, 2011.

Dear employees (mine and others),

Even if this isn’t your dream job, you’ll want a reference from us at some point in your career. One part of getting a good recommendation from a former employer is that you left on good terms. Leaving on good terms means that when you decide you are going to leave the company, you provide a written resignation and two weeks notice prior to your last day of work.

Too often I am seeing people who are chosing to quit thier job and leave with no notice to the employer. The fact that your supervisor had to struggle to get your work done on the day you left and the amount of extra effort to hire some one new at the last minute to replace you, will stick with them until your future employer calls for a reference.

All employers look at how you left your last jobs and use that to consider your employment with them.

If for some reason you are accepting a great new job and you need to begin it sooner than a two week notice would allow, have that conversation with your supervisor or HR department. Tell them that you want to leave on good terms but you need to begin the new job soon.

No one likes being stood up, or walked out on, especially employers.

Sincerely,

Employers Everywhere

P.S. Click the links in the letter, they take you to other sites to help you write a notice of resignation and give good advice on why it’s in your best interest!

Featured today at CSP is Stacy Mackey’s breakout session for the upcoming Staffing and Recruiting Conference.
Mackey will be sharing the tips and tricks she has used over the past seven years to lower XL Staffing’s UI Rate from 6.3% down to 3.3%.
When this topic was presented by Mackey at the 2010 Owner’s Only Retreat in San Diego, the feedback was overwhelming. Mackey was asked back to share her experience and knowledge again and this time with a 90 minute break out session at the Hilton in San Diego.
To prepare for the breakout session, Mackey filmed this short video to help explain why everyone should come to her session on Satuday morning, May 21st!

Hidden Treasures
CSP Annual Staffing and Recruiting Conference
May 19th – 21st, 2011

Hilton San Diego Resort and Spa

Resgister HERE

Joe Mackey, a leader of the business and civic communities of eastern San Diego County, was installed as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce at the organization’s annual gala installation dinner on February 25, 2011.

Mackey was also honored as the first-time recipient of the “Chairman’s Award,” given as the choice of the outgoing Chair of the Board to the individual whose efforts, dedication and commitment made them invaluable to the Chamber during the prior year. The largest business organization in East County, the Chamber grew from 690 members to nearly 850 in the first two months of Joe’s term.

As President and CEO of XL Staffing Service, Inc., and Excell Security, Inc, Mackey, oversees the operations of two of Southern California’s leading employment firms. His leadership style draws upon nearly three decades of experience in business and management, with particular emphasis in the security, hospitality and event staffing industries.

Mackey is highly-regarded within the staffing industry, and has served as president of California Staffing Professionals (CSP). He has been active in CSP for more than a decade, and has also been honored with the James R Pierce Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the staffing industry. Joe is also a leader within the security profession, currently serving as a member of Board of Directors of the California Association of Licensed Security Agencies, Guards and Associates (CALSAGA), the state trade association serving the contract private security industry in California.

Joe is a longtime civic leader in his local community, and was elected to the El Cajon Valley School Board, where he served as President of both the School Board and the Cajon Valley Educational Foundation. Mackey was nominated as El Cajon’s Citizen of the Year in 2010.

Please have a resume when you come to apply in my office. Or for any other job. There are 10 or more people applying for the same position and the first method to reduce that number is to ignore those applicants who are not prepared. One piece of preparedness is your resume. Here are some tips that I have seen people failing at lately.

1) Make sure your information is current. Include information right up to the day you come to apply. Include temporary jobs, include volunteerism (especially if you have been long-term unemployed). Do not leave anything out. Include most recent information at the top and work backwards.

2) Make sure that you present a neat and clean resume. One lady brought hers in an 9X12 envelope. I’ve also been impressed with those carrying a file folder to keep resumes in. Do not turn in a stained or crumpled resume.

3) Don’t include your picture. This may change depending on what you are applying for, but unless you are a model, I don’t see a reason for it. Your picture says a lot about you, but most of what it can tell me… I can’t use in making a decision about hiring you. In short I won’t pay attention to the photo, so you should save space and leave it out. Emphasize your skills and experience on a resume.

4) No graphics or graphic designed resumes. Unless you are applying for an artsy job, this doesn’t impress me. I don’t like to turn my head side ways or search for your information. Even if you are applying for some position that you want to showcase your work for, a link to a webpage with your portfolio is a classy way I’ve seen this done.

5) Review, Proofread and EDIT your resume. Let a friend or other employment professional review your resume. If they find it difficult to read or hard to find the information they are looking for, you may need to reformat. Use a standard font, nothing fancy. Use a standard 11 or 12 pt font size for easy readability.

6) Forget about writing your objective, we all know it’s going to be vague or an outright lie. Instead show me your accomplishments! Include facts and figures for the things you have done with previous employers. Examples: a) Increased efficiency by finding a step that could be eliminated without reducing quality in our product at abc manufacturing. b) decreased injuries at xyz inc by implementing a safety plan that people could understand or c) was awarded the BlahBlahBlah award for my success as a CoolProfessional in 2009.

7) Tell me what position you are applying for. You can do this in a cover letter, or if you must in an objective section. Be clear. I see many resumes each day for numerous positions. Other hiring managers have resume searching software and if they need a Receptionist they type in that word and any resume with that word comes to the top!

8 ) Don’t print on fancy paper. Now I will admit I saw this done once last week and I was impressed. However, I don’t recommend it on a general basis. Most resumes you submit will be scanned into a computer and searched through intelligent software. A specialty paper will not stand out in this situation. Depending on the amount of texture in the paper, you may even find that your information doesn’t get read by the scanning machines. When appearing for an interview you can and should bring a clean resume on quality paper.

9) Include E-Mail Contact Information. We appreciate being able to reach you by email to set up a follow up interview. However, please use an appropriate email address. Your name is most appropriate. Never put anything relating to an illegal activity in your e-mail address for a job application or resume.

10) One Page Only. I don’t want to look through multiple pages. Use keywords and bullets instead of describing in detail each position or skill set. If you held many positions just include enough to fit on one page and a sentence about “More Available Upon Request”. Only include your highest level of education unless you have multiple degrees that pertain to the position. This applies to any licenses you hold or training you recieved. If your resume is multiple pages, reduce it to one by only including the relevant education/training to the job you are applying for. Include “More Available Upon Request.”

Sincerely,

Hiring Managers Everywhere

P.S. If you think your resume needs some tips, send it to me Stacy@XLStaffing.com I will give a few specific tips to the first 5 people who send me thier resume asking for help.

Everyone is experiencing the tough employment climate in the region. One benefit you have in East County is the great local resources at your disposal. If you have not already visited these locations seeking career advice, please do so. If you have not had a professional review and help you update your resume these places can help. In the current job market your first impression may be your last. I recommend you use the resources available to you locally to help you make the right first impression!

East County Career Center
924 East Main St.
El Cajon, CA 92021
– They offer a Job Search Workshop Mon-Fr 8am – 12pm (5 sessions lasting the whole week)
– They are open to the public, and free of charge.

Spring Valley Career Center
located in the Spring Valley Library
836 Kempton Street
Spring Valley, CA
– Offering employment advice, interviewing skills, resume review, and career assesment.

Professional Development Academy at your local community college
– offers training in Frontline, Customer Service, Supervision and Leadership.

Online Sources
– Careerlink Inventory – asseses good ideas for your future careers.
– California Career Videos – allows you to see average pay rates, description and video of the job you are thinking of.
– Grossmont College Job Search Resources – offers resume writing packet, tips for interview, writing a cover letter, and application basics.