Our November 2009 employee of the month is Laverne Fennell. Laverne registered with Emerson Personnel Group in August of 2009. We were impressed by her professionalism, as well as her excellent software skills. We immediately set Laverne up to do a phone screen with a client of ours that was searching for an office manager. Laverne did a super job with her phone screen and was sent to
Amy Humphries is our October 2009 employee of the month. Amy registered with us in February 2009 and her background was in the graphic arts and web design field. We were very impressed with her personality, presentation, and excellent software skills. We were able to get her to work on an excellent long term web design position beginning June 2009. We are happy to report that Amy is still there and doing a wonderful job! Congratulations Amy!
Congratulations to our September 2009 employee of the month, Barbara James! In January of 2007, Barbara was referred to Emerson Personnel Group by her cousin, who we helped find employment in 2006. We were very impressed with Barbara, and placed her that same month in a temp to perm office opportunity. Barbara became permanent with this client and stayed there until this year. She then returned to us and we proudly sent her out again on a long term assignment. Barbara’s pleasant, upbeat disposition makes her a pleasure to work with. Congratulations Barbara!!
By Yaffa Klugerman
Temporary hires increased significantly last month, prompting speculation that permanent hiring will soon be on the rise as well.
The Labor Department reported last week that 44,000 temporary jobs were added since July, including 34,000 last month alone. The number is precisely the same amount of temp jobs lost between January 2008 and July 2009.
“Most companies have cut their head count back so far that they don’t have extra help,” explained Tom Darrow of Talent Connections in Atlanta, who was interviewed by 11 Alive. “And all of a sudden some projects are coming along, they’re starting to ramp back up and they need the help.”
Darrow told 11 Alive that employers are hiring temporary workers because they are being cautious about offering permanent positions. “It saves them money in the long term,” he noted. “They don’t have to pay benefits for contractors or temporaries. They can try them out before they hire them full time.”
The Wall Street Journal points out another benefit of hiring temps: If their employment ends, it’s less devastating to staff than laying off permanent workers. “It has a much smaller effect on the morale of your permanent staff,” noted Jeffrey Wenger, associate professor of public administration and policy at the University of Georgia, who was quoted in the Journal.
Economists noted that a rise in temporary hires could signal the beginning of an increase in overall employment. “This is a way for companies to dip their toes in the water,” explained Neal Soss, chief economist at Credit Suisse in New York, who was quoted by Bloomberg.com. “If firms are willing to do that, it tells you that they’re feeling a little better about their business prospects, and that’s the beginning of something.”
But temporary jobs can be demanding, reports the Chicago Tribune: Because budgets are so tight at companies, temps are often required to perform the duties of several different employees.
“They want a receptionist who’s also an administrator and answering the phone and making the coffee,” said Daphne Dolan, managing partner at City Staffing, who was interviewed by the Tribune. “They want hybrid people.”
According to Joy Moore, a career coach in Albuquerque, New Mexico who was interviewed by the Journal, many job seekers don’t consider temporary work because they are determined to find permanent positions. They also falsely assume that temporary jobs are for low level work.
But such assumptions are untrue, said Moore, and temporary work is “definitely an area people should be looking at.”
Action – Now it’s time to make a decision about direction. Be realistic about your choice. Would enjoy doing this job? Is it attainable? Do you have the appropriate credentials? If needed, check out programs that offer these. Perhaps you can work a part-time or temporary position while you earn these credentials. Maybe you can find a position that will give you some entry level experience in your new field of interest. Perhaps you can volunteer somewhere to gain insight and experience. Once you are prepared, the final step will be to begin an active job search in your new field.
Success – Network with people in your new chosen field to develop relationships and to learn everything you can about your new area. Create a resume that repositions you for the new career. You must highlight the skills, experience, and any credentials that relate to the new career. Write a cover letter that gives a compelling reason to consider you as a great candidate. Above all, be sure that everything you state is honest. Then be sure to be persistent and positive. I’ve seen enough successful career transitions to know that it can be done. Wishing you the best of success in your search!
