“I can’t stand my boss.”

“I HATE my job.”

These are very powerful statements that I hear on a regular basis from normal people all around the country.  These statements come from actuaries, bankers, food production professionals and sales people who are frustrated.  Normal, talented, hardworking people are humbled every day by confounding professional situations that affect them both inside and outside the normal work hours – these frustrations permeate their personal lives, affecting spouses, children and others in their wake. 

I’ll be honest, one of the many things that keeps me in this business is a recruiter’s ability to be a part of the solution for problems like these.  Unfortunately, however, no one (including a recruiter) can help a frustrated candidate until the frustrated candidate decides what they want to do with their lives.  Realizing that you are an unhappy employee is only part of the healing process.  Defining the ideal next step is just as critical or the embattled employee is doomed to continued unhappiness.

Deciding what you want to do with your career is MUCH harder than it appears on paper.  Today, there are several directions that almost any professional can take their career.  Within those directions there area several sub-directions that can allow someone to branch out and be a specialist.  Choosing the wrong path at any time in one’s career can mean the foregoing of future career progression, compensation or opportunity.  Choosing the right path can ensure a happy, productive professional career.  Changing jobs is a big deal.

If you could sculpt an ideal job opportunity what would it look like?  How would you interact with your boss and co-workers?  What would the office culture feel like?  What the heck would you do all day every day?  What would your salary be?  In a world of fairness and realism, visualize the professional scenario that would satisfy you the most.  When you begin your interview process, bring that wish list with you.  Screen companies as they screen you.  In each interview, rank the opportunity based on the criteria that you have outlined (just as a corporate recruiter would evaluate you in a job interview).  Map this out in a “T” chart for every interview and when the process is completed, my guess is that you will have made the strongest career decision of your life.

I would be very interested to learn what some of the people who read this blog list as their primary job considerations.  If you could carve out a top three list of things that are most important to you in a job search, what would they be?  Feel free to add comments below.  My criteria are as follows – 1) Am I working for an organization that is best positioned to help the candidates and companies that rely on me?  2) Am I working for an organization that is best positioned to help me realize my potential?  3) Am I working in a culture that is collaborative and rewarding?  What is important to you?

Jeff Kovar, Aureus Group Executive Recruiter

About the Author, Jeff Kovar
Jeff has been with the Aureus Group Executive team since September 2008 and in the recruiting business since April 2007. Prior to entering the recruiting world, he worked for five years in the corporate currency exchange business. He specializes in working with $100K+ candidates in the actuarial, financial, accounting, banking, and many other functional areas from coast to coast. Jeff enjoys golfing, watching Nebraska football, spending time with his wife Jenny, their son Connor, and jogging with their two labs, Freddy and Cali.

1. Poor Spelling, Grammar
No matter how great a match your experience is for the position to which you are applying, make sure you proofread! Don’t distract hiring managers with spelling and grammar errors. Instead “wow” them with your work history, professionalism, written communication, and attention to detail. If I begin reading a resume and the first thing I notice is that my company’s name is spelled wrong or the applicant used “they’re” instead of “their” it gives me the impression that the person either doesn’t care or he/she does not know any better.  Either way, is that truly the type of person I want working for me or my clients? 

2. Opinions Without Facts
Stick to the facts. Don’t start your resume with a list of opinions of yourself, such as: hard worker, excellent communicator, fast learner, team player, etc. If you choose to include these soft skills instead of facts, follow up with why you think you embody that quality. If the job description requires strong communication skills, follow up your “strong communication skills” bullet point with a fact to back it up such as “prepared and presented presentations to upper management,” or “wrote and published the company’s monthly newsletter.” I receive too many resumes that highlight the applicant’s strong communication skills, and then when I call that person I can barely understand what he/she is saying, or his/her phone presence leaves something to be desired. Anyone can list adjectives and soft skills on their resume, but those people who can back up those statements with facts will stand out among the crowd. 

3. Irrelevant Experience
Pay attention to the position to which you are applying. Do you have the required skills and experience? If so, did you include it in your resume? Many times, I find myself shaking my head at some of the resumes I receive.  Did these people even bother to look at the position before sending their resumes? A few months ago, I was reviewing resumes for a Lead Java Developer position. My job description clearly stated that this position required someone with 5 or more years of experience. So imagine my surprise when I opened up a resume to find the Lead Box Cutter at a manufacturing company. True. He was the LEAD box cutter, but absolutely nowhere on that resume did I even see the words “Java” or “developer.” Did he accidentally click on my job posting instead of another, or was he just blindly sending his resume to every job posting he could find, just to see what would happen? True or not, when they don’t have the required experience, most applicants will tell you they are fast learners and they will get up to speed in no time. However, unless it is an entry-level position or an internship, most employers do not want to see resumes from people with irrelevant work experience. 

4. Vague Descriptions
Depending on the size of the company and the complexity of its IT environment, the job title “IT Manager” can mean anything from a jack-of-all-trades responsible for keeping a few computers up and running, to someone with 10 employees reporting to them who is responsible for hundreds of servers and desktops and large-scale IT infrastructure projects. Often times, programmers will include a “Technical Skills” section at the top of their resumes listing every single programming language they have ever heard of, whether or not they have worked with it on the job. Then, in the body of their resumes, their bullet points contain vague statements such as: 

• “Made a Web site”
• “Provided technical support”

These generalized statements leave me wondering:

• What programming languages did you use (.NET, Java, PHP, HTML)? 
• What is the Web sites’ address so I can see an example of your work?
• Did you develop the Web site from scratch or modify an existing site?
• How many computer users did you support?
• What types of issues would you troubleshoot (password resets, network troubleshooting, firewall configuration)?
• What specific technologies did you troubleshoot (Windows XP desktops, Cisco routers and switches)?

Hiring managers don’t have time to call every single resume they receive. If you are a Lead Java Developer, make sure “Java” is all over your resume. If you are applying for a job that requires Windows 7 troubleshooting, make sure your resume says more than “provided technical support” and it specifically states you were responsible for Windows 7 troubleshooting. If it is in the job description, but not in your resume, they are going to assume you don’t have it, and they are probably not going to call you. 

So, the next time you decide to apply for a job opening, put yourself in the hiring person’s shoes. Make sure your resume speaks to the needs of the position and highlights the qualifications listed in the job description.  If the job requires specific responsibilities and technologies that you have in your background, be sure those are clearly spelled out in your resume. You only get one chance to make a first impression, and in many cases, your resume is just that. In this highly competitive marketplace you need to do everything you can to appeal to hiring managers and stand out among the other applicants. If you want to make it to the interview, a strong resume is a good start.

Julie Pentis, Aureus Group Recruiter

About Julie Pentis
Julie has been with Aureus Group since 2006 after graduating from Creighton University with a BSBA in Human Resources and Spanish. In 2010 Julie received her MBA from Bellevue University. As a technical recruiter for the Information Systems team, she is responsible for sourcing, qualifying, and matching candidates with job opportunities in the Kansas City area. In 2007 Julie earned the designation of Certified Personnel Consultant and currently serves as Vice President of Membership for a local Toastmaster’s group and Co-Chair for HRAM’s Workforce Readiness Committee. In her free time Julie enjoys spending time with her dog Jack at the dog park and singing in her church choir.

Then I met Chris. Chris approached our group, introduced himself and immediately started talking about his new business venture, a Web site marketing firm. He directed our attention to his shirt, which sported the logo and Web site address for his new business, and started handing out business cards. Everyone smiled and congratulated him on the new venture, but it was clear that the group dynamic had drastically changed, in just a matter of seconds. As I looked around at other members of the group and caught their reactions, I could tell that everyone, with the exception of Chris, was feeling uncomfortable. We were caught off guard by Chris’ brazen approach to use this social gathering as a forum for promoting his new business. 

Chris took advantage of what he saw as an opportunity to do some PR for his new start-up company. While he obviously felt like this was an appropriate decision, I beg to differ. There’s an appropriate time and place for promoting one’s business and professional accolades and this was clearly not the right setting for Chris’ five minute infomercial! Whether you’re a hiring manager looking for top talent to join your team, or a professional who is interested in exploring a new job opportunity and researching great places to work, the opportunities for networking are endless! The critical factor, in my opinion, is evaluating whether the event is truly an appropriate forum for recruiting talented professionals or marketing oneself to prospective employers.

While I can completely appreciate the fact that there are many professionals out there who are motivated to achieve success and land their next “dream job”, networking is something that needs to happen more organically, particularly when it occurs in a setting that is not specifically geared toward this purpose (i.e. a volunteering program). If you force your personal agenda on other professionals whom you’ve just recently met, you risk coming across as inauthentic and self-absorbed, which are not the redeeming qualities most hiring managers are looking for in their next great addition to the team. 

Don’t get me wrong–I am a big advocate of getting involved in community organizations, professional associations, and volunteering programs. There are many positive aspects of becoming an active member in these groups. But, these added perks, such as connecting with other professionals who may be a great resource in helping you achieve your personal goals, should be the “icing on the cake,” not one’s sole motivating factor for joining the group. If you’re focusing on what the organization can do for you, you’re missing the point. The other members are going to eventually sense your lack of true interest or enthusiasm and the negative impact of this discovery could be lasting.

It was very obvious to everyone in our group that Chris was not truly interested in volunteering and giving back to the community. His motivation was to network with other professionals in order to convert his fellow volunteers into new clients for his business. His overzealous approach backfired….big time. I know the next time I’m at a social gathering for this volunteer group and I see Chris venturing my direction, I’m going the other way!  If I wanted to listen to a sales pitch, I can head over to the nearest car dealership. There’s no question that Chris has a lot to learn when it comes to demonstrating appropriate rules of etiquette when engaging in professional networking.

According to the Web site Careerealisim, there are three smart rules to smart business card etiquette.

1. Keeping your business card to yourself!  Don’t hand it out to every single person who walks by you! It’s annoying and, as career coach Tai Goodwin states, “It’s the equivalent of receiving junk mail at home.”

2. Giving your business card to someone when they ask for it. If you are truly interested in connecting with someone after the event, simply ask them what would be a good way to contact them in the future. Additionally, if someone asks you for your business card, take a moment to write something that will serve as a reminder to that person of the context of your conversation (i.e. discuss career opportunities or providing insights on professional certifications).

3. If you are successful in making some promising connections, don’t waste the contact information you’ve gathered during the event. If you ask someone for their work number or email address, take the time to follow up with a thank you and let that person know that you would like to keep the dialogue going.

This definitely isn’t rocket science, people. Don’t take advantage of situations where it’s not appropriate to engage is blatant networking, like my fellow volunteer, Chris. And in those situations where it is okay to engage in such activities, make sure you follow the simple guidelines listed above.

Now that you’re more aware, I have a feeling you’ll be amazed by how many other professionals you cross paths with who aren’t following these rules!  As a result, they end up sabotaging their own attempts to make positive connections with other professionals who may serve as great resources in the future.

Stephanie Miller, Aureus Group Account Manager

About Stephanie Miller
Stephanie Miller has worked for Aureus Group for almost five years.  As a Senior Account Manager within the Finance and Accounting division, Stephanie partners with organizations throughout the state of Iowa and provides staffing solutions within the accounting, finance, and human resources departments. With a bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Nebraska Wesleyan University, Stephanie is currently pursuing a master’s degree in negotiation and dispute resolution at Creighton University and is a certified professional consultant.

Stephanie reports that two of the most rewarding aspects of her job is seeing how pleased the client is when she’s successful in identifying a professional who meets the level of experience/skills the company desires for a particular position and also helping a candidate make a successful career change. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her husband, Chad, and their two dogs, Benny and Olive. She also loves to travel, check out new restaurants, watch movies, run, attend sporting events and theatrical performances, and volunteer through the United Way a few times per month.

I was recruiting for some help desk positions recently, and I received more than 500 responses to one of my online ads. I immediately screened most of them out due to having no help desk experience or being extremely over qualified. Of the 20 or so who actually matched the job requirements on paper, after phone screens and interviews, I ended up presenting my top five candidates to my client, who selected just one of them to join their team. That is one out of 500 inquiries, and that does not include the candidates I actively recruited, or those who were referred to me. 

My client had the luxury of being so specific with their requirements because when you add up candidates who applied to them directly and candidates who were submitted through other recruiters, this position probably received a few thousand applicants. With odds like that, it’s no wonder that so many job applicants have struggled to secure new positions in recent years!

In response to this employer-driven market I have seen many companies make the mistake of offering entry-level positions to senior-level people, or offering them a much lower salary than they are worth. Unfortunately, candidates have been settling for these positions and accepting poor job offers because they couldn’t afford to remain unemployed. However, these jobs were never intended to be a long-term solution; rather a temporary band-aid. 

It goes without saying then, that during the past several months I have seen many these quick-fix hiring decisions fall apart, leaving employers with several vacant positions and increasing attrition rates. Senior-level people who accepted entry-level jobs are now accepting job offers that are a closer match to their work experience and desired salary. Instead of projects being put on hold, wage and hiring freezes, and mass layoffs, an increasing number of companies are seeing just the opposite. Employers are starting to hire again, and the market is beginning to turn in candidates’ favor.

What does this mean for employers? It means more competition to hire the best talent. Low ball job offers and mediocre benefits packages won’t cut it anymore. In fact, I have seen more candidates receive multiple job offers and counter-offers in the past few months than I have in the past few years.  I have seen some pretty impressive job offers turned down recently because the candidates were interviewing for jobs that paid a little bit more or that were a little bit closer to home. I have seen too many employers lose candidates to their competitors because they took too long to schedule an interview. 

The bottom line is, the market is turning, and employers need to adjust their recruiting and hiring strategies accordingly. I am not saying that unemployment rates are not still high; I am not saying that candidates no longer have to compete for job openings. What I am saying is that employment conditions are moving in the right direction for job seekers, slowly but surely. So although we have been experiencing an employer-driven market the past few years, the candidate-driven market is right around the corner. Let’s just hope enough employers are ready to compete!

Julie Pentis, Aureus Group Recruiter

About Julie Pentis
Julie has been with Aureus Group since 2006 after graduating from Creighton University with a BSBA in Human Resources and Spanish. In 2010 Julie received her MBA from Bellevue University.  As a technical recruiter for the Information Systems team, she is responsible for sourcing, qualifying, and matching candidates with job opportunities in the Kansas City area. In 2007 Julie earned the designation of Certified Personnel Consultant and currently serves as vice president of membership for a local Toastmaster’s group and co-chair for HRAM’s Workforce Readiness Committee. In her free time Julie enjoys spending time with her dog Jack at the dog park and singing in her church choir.

In case you’re not familiar with this phrase, I’m going to refer to Daniel Goldman, someone who has been a pioneer in the study of leadership, for a definition of emotional intelligence. According to Goldman, emotional intelligence (EI) is the capacity for recognizing and managing our own feelings and for recognizing and managing emotions well in our relationships with others. So, now that you know the definition, I challenge you to start engaging in some self reflection! If someone were to evaluate you today from this perspective, what would your EI score look like? 

An emotionally intelligent leader is someone who is connected to their team and who recognizes and understands the value of relationships in the workplace. Leaders with a high level of EI are more empathetic and are in tune with what’s going on among the individual members of their team. On the opposite end of the spectrum, those professionals who seem to be lacking in the EI arena are much more likely to have a negative impact on the overall success and productivity of the team. There’s no question that employees take emotional cues from their boss. If the boss consistently demonstrates a negative attitude and is not emotionally in tune with his or her team, the effects can be very long lasting. Not only does the leader’s EI impact the members of the team, the “ripple effect” that transpires between the leader and the team members will resonate throughout the entire organization and contribute to the overall emotional climate that exists within the company.

So, now that we’ve considered the importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace, it’s time for a self-evaluation exercise. There are four main factors that contribute to one’s level of emotional intelligence. These include: self awareness, self management, social awareness, and relationship management. Considering these four areas, how would you rank yourself at this point in your career, from an EI perspective? 

The first EI domain, self awareness, really serves as the foundation for the rest. If a leader doesn’t recognize his own emotions, he’ll be less likely to manage them appropriately in the workplace, not to mention understand how his team member’s emotions are impacting the work performance and professional development of the entire group. While the remaining three domains are pretty self explanatory, I think it’s also important for us to briefly touch on social awareness. When a leader is attuned to how team members feel about their individual responsibilities and other work-related issues, the leader is better able to respond to them in an appropriate and effective manner. People want to feel like they’re being heard and understood and an emotionally intelligent leader is more effective at working with team members to create a shared sense of values and priorities. 

I challenge all of you to improve your EI! Consider how your words and actions are impacting those around you in the workplace. Take time to build trust with team members. Work hard to engage in active listening!  Show your team that you are interested in their professional development. The positive, “ripple effect” of all this will do wonders for improving employee satisfaction rates and contribute to a healthier, productive culture in the workplace.

Stephanie Miller, CPC, Aureus Group Senior Account Manager

About Stephanie Miller, CPC

Stephanie Miller has worked for Aureus Group for almost five years.  As a Senior Account Manager within the Finance and Accounting division, Stephanie partners with organizations throughout the state of Iowa and provides staffing solutions within the accounting, finance, and human resources departments. With a bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Nebraska Wesleyan University, Stephanie is currently pursuing a master’s degree in negotiation and dispute resolution at Creighton University and is a certified professional consultant. Stephanie reports that two of the most rewarding aspects of her job is seeing how pleased the client is when she’s successful in identifying a professional who meets the level of experience/skills the company desires for a particular position and also helping a candidate make a successful career change. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her husband, Chad, and their two dogs, Benny and Olive. She also loves to travel, check out new restaurants, watch movies, run, attend sporting events and theatrical performances, and volunteer through the United Way a few times per month.

I realized that even though there are legitimate bad recruiters out there, the negative stereotype we sometimes get is not always warranted and might actually be due to a misunderstanding of what the process is when working with a quality recruiter. For instance, earlier today someone e-mailed me a resume for a SQL database administrator position. When I called the job seeker back he seemed like a good fit so I asked him to move forward with our online application and testing. This candidate immediately asked, “Why can’t you just forward [the employer] my resume?” I did not submit him. That is not the way we qualify our candidates for recommendation to employers.

In another situation a few days ago, someone called to ask me about a search engine marketing position. I had her resume in front of me, but I didn’t know anything about her besides what was written on paper. I didn’t know what her greatest accomplishments or biggest strengths were; I didn’t know why she left her previous positions or why she had so many work gaps. At this point she was just a resume to me. Right away she started asking me how much the job paid, what the benefits were, and what company the job was with. I did not tell her.  That is not the way we maintain our clients’ confidentiality.

And in yet another example, a few weeks ago I posted an ad for a three-year Java developer contract in which I received more than 100 responses to, plus I actively recruited other talent as well. Through the screening and interviewing process I narrowed the list down to my top four candidates to submit to my client. Some of the people who did not make the top four were absolutely not qualified. Some of them didn’t even have the word “Java” on their resumes. Others however, did have Java experience, but their work history, technical scores, or personal interviews were not quite as strong as my finalists. 

I remember one candidate who became very angry with me saying he has never had a recruiter refuse to submit him to a position. What he didn’t understand was that I don’t forward every resume I receive to my clients. Our clients take our candidate submissions very seriously because they know we have carefully screened and selected them. If I sent my top 20 instead of my top four, how much confidence would my client have in my screening?

Reflecting on these three scenarios, I understand where these people were coming from. There are recruiters out there who will assume candidates are as good as they look on paper, forward their resumes to tons of companies, and keep their fingers crossed that something sticks. There are recruiters out there who will reveal their clients’ names to anyone who asks, regardless of whether the person asking is qualified for the position, thus forfeiting the company’s confidentiality. There are recruiters out there who will submit as many candidates as they can to a position, just to increase their probability of making a placement.  These recruiters are pinning their hopes on chance, rather than their recruiting, screening, and matching skills. Are those really the kinds of recruiters you want to work with? 

When I first joined the staffing world, I didn’t know what to expect. I had heard both good and bad things about recruiters and staffing companies. Now I understand that both sides of the fence have good points. There are some pretty bad recruiters out there who cut corners and try their luck, but I am happy to say I don’t have to be that kind of recruiter to make it in this business. If you take the time to get to know your candidates, and understand their goals and accomplishments, your reputation will pave the way for successful partnerships.  I am proud of some of the relationships my team has established with our clients, becoming their trusted advisor in identifying and hiring the best people. I am proud of the quality job matches my team has made since we entered the Kansas City market only a short time ago and of the relationships we continue to foster with employers in the Omaha metro area. The more people and companies we find good long-term matches for, the more credibility we will hold. I hope to see more recruiters embrace this business plan, so we can help people see what the word “Recruiter” can really mean.

Julie Pentis, CPC, Aureus Group IT Recruiter

About Julie Pentis, CPC – IT Recruiter
Julie has been with Aureus Group since 2006 after graduating from Creighton University with a BSBA in Human Resources and Spanish. In 2010 Julie received her MBA from Bellevue University.  As a technical recruiter for the Information Systems team, she is responsible for sourcing, qualifying, and matching candidates with job opportunities in the Kansas City area. In 2007 Julie earned the designation of Certified Personnel Consultant and currently serves as Vice President of Membership for a local Toastmaster’s group and Co-Chair for HRAM’s Workforce Readiness Committee. In her free time Julie enjoys spending time with her dog Jack at the dog park and singing in her church choir.

Top 5 Motivators for Career Change
1. Company is too unstable
2. Employer does not offer ample career growth opportunities
3. Manager does not recognize contributions enough
4. Seeking better work-life balance
5. Would like to relocate closer to family

This month we’d like to turn the question around to employers. As a  manager or hiring authority, what are your management challenges and what motivates you to make a change on your team beyond economic concerns of the last 18 months? In the effort of sharing common challenges, please participate in this two minute survey by clicking on the link below.

Aureus Group Employer Challenges & Hiring Motivations survey

We will share survey results and solutions in the April Top Talent newsletter.

At the beginning of each off-season, players were challenged to write down their goals for the upcoming season. Then, the top three to five listed across the entire team were defined as the shared goals, and thus became the heartbeat of the team. What pleased Dr. Tom, as he is affectionately called, was that the goals most often mentioned across a team of 18 to 22 year-olds, we all team oriented.

Think about the best teams you have ever been a part of in business. You likely had great individual talent that achieved measurable excellence and supporting personnel that embraced their “behind-the-scenes” role. People showed up for work excited to attack the day, and the true leaders of your team were the ones who embodied the “team first” mentality of achieving the goals that represented the shared vision of your team.

Teams like this require harmony from the top down in a company with everyone feeding into the positive flow and momentum of the team. The road is never paved smooth 100 percent of time, so naturally there are tough times and obstacles to overcome. Elite teams, however; thrive on adversity realizing it can only bring them closer. And, as it so often occurs, these teams realize that it is always darkest just before dawn.

Idealistic? Perhaps. Unattainable? Absolutely not. Team unity starts slowly and builds momentum before the majority buys in. Those who do not unify with the team are then faced with an important choice. Unfortunately, some choose to disengage and they fall out naturally. Some, through assistance from the team leaders, decide to jump back on the bus and they are welcomed with open arms.  

In sports, success is easily measured by wins and losses, and then compartmentalized by seasons. In business, the clock never stops and the challenges are much greater to creating a true sprit of teamwork. We can learn from Coach Osborne though, in the way that he never stopped trying to improve the greatest assets he had, his players. He not only coached them on blocking and tackling, but in how to be a great teammate. The end result was some of the greatest teams in college sports history.

Next month, we will examine some of the obstacles business leaders have to overcome. Specifically we will try to isolate employer frustrations with the workforce and what managers are doing to overcome these problems.

Nate Elgert, Senior Account Manager, Aureus Group

About the Author, Nate Elgert
Nate was born and raised in Lincoln, Neb., graduated from Lincoln East High School, and went on to The University of Missouri at Kansas City (UMKC) where he was a four year letter-winner on the men’s golf team and earned a bachelor’s degree in communication in 1999. Nate took a winding road back to Lincoln that led through Phoenix, Des Moines, Chicago, back to Kansas City, and then finally Lincoln once again in 2005. Before coming to Aureus Group in 2006 as an account manager in the Lincoln Accounting and Finance office, Nate was a golf professional, an advertising rep, and a mortgage lender. Currently, Nate is a senior account manager. He enjoys playing basketball and golf, and spending time with his wife Angie and daughter Sofia, who is 2. Nate and Angie are also expecting their second little girl in May.

Recognition takes on many forms from the informal, “Good job”, after a completed project, to the formal Employee of the Year prizes awarded at company-wide events.  Each has a specific place in the recognition spectrum of importance and is a win-win for companies and employees alike.

Aureus Group is honored to have some of the region’s most talented professionals working for us sharing in the company’s mission of being a staffing provider of choice. C&A, parent company of Aureus Group, recently announced the company’s four Q4 Employees of the Quarter, selected by their peers and based on several key criteria. I’m proud to announce that Aureus Group’s very own Linda Aughenbaugh earned this top honor for the Commercial / Professional Staffing Divisions category.

Linda Aughenbaugh, Aureus Group Account Manager, was named one of four C&A Industries' Q4 Employees of the Quarter

Here are some of the comments from Linda’s nomination forms: “Linda has been with our Aureus Group team just about six months. In this time Linda has done everything asked of her and more. She brings an over-the-top positive attitude and a tremendous amount of energy and passion to the job. She has been in the industry for more than 20 years and yet never once has she acted like any job or learning opportunity is beneath her. Linda is a terrific mentor and is always more than willing to fill in wherever needed. Linda burns up the phone line every day, always focused on her goals. She talks to her clients and candidates with such enthusiasm and passion it’s no wonder she’s doing so well – they can’t help but want to work with her! What a great example Linda sets for our group and the organization.”

Not only do I want to congratulate Linda on a job well done, I want to challenge all employers to find ways to recognize their top employees for their contributions.  Our employees are the life line of our companies and now more than ever we need to share our appreciation with them for all they do for us.

Stay tuned . . . our next newsletter will discuss the top 5 motivators top talent candidates provide us when asked why they want to leave their current roles and their criteria in selecting new employers.

The contingent workforce has historically been a thermometer of the economy highlighting job recovering before full-time employment rebounds. According to the American Staffing Association, which tracks staffing companies that provide contingent and temporary workers to all industries, the number of people placed by staffing firms fell by one third since 2007. This equated to a drop from 3 million in 2007 to about 1.9 million in Q2 of 2009. Recovery in the labor market can be marked by the number of temporary workers, which has been steadily rising since the end of June, and was up 8 percent by early September. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, from October to November 2009 temporary employment increased 2.9 percent and 52,000 temporary jobs were added in November, the largest gain since October 2004. A rise in contingent staffing is clearly underway.

As we boldly march into 2010, we are entering a time in our history that will require a new way of thinking about staffing. In a recent survey conducted by Veritude about hiring in the post-recession, it was concluded that only 3 percent of companies would revert to the staffing model used before the most recent recession. Organizations are recognizing that contingent staffing can allow them to be extremely agile in any type of changing environment. Recent studies also indicate that at least 73 percent of employers will increase their contingent workforce in 2010. Among these employers, 35 percent predict more than a 50 percent increase in their flexible temporary employees. 

We have seen hundreds of our customers take advantage of the recent downturn by investing the time to evaluate the competencies and willingness of their workforce. Gut wrenching cutbacks obviously happened. However, we also witnessed some cutting of the fat, upgrading of talent, and alignment of the workforce with true corporate visions. A staffing approach including a higher degree of contingent workers in critical roles will be the answer for organizations that need to quickly attract top talent in order to execute its corporate strategy.    

Contingent workers often have experiences and skill sets that traditional employees do not. Some examples include interim executives acting as change agents leading software implementations, helping an organization go public, or creating and merging new compensation plans. This trend will obviously continue because our retirement age keeps extending. The best contract employees tend to enjoy 1-2 year assignments so they can keep learning. 

As you and your teams discuss the talent needed to meet your goals, you may determine contingent workers are a proactive model that should be a explored further. We have heard the call of our customers, and have worked diligently to locate only the best contingent staff in this marketplace.