Posts in category Business Leadership

Free Job Postings for Non Profit Organizations Continue in 2012

Dec31
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Jason

Free Job PostingsBeginning early in 2011, our team at Masiello Employment Services decided to offer free online job postings to non profit organizations that serve our community.  Throughout the year we had about a dozen organizations take advantage of this great offer.

In 2012 we are very happy to continue this service.  Our goal is two fold:

  1. People are looking for work and our mission is to match people with great jobs.  By offering free postings to non profit organizations, our belief is that more people will have access to the jobs that are available. 
  2. Non profit organizations work hard to raise enough money to achieve their goals and often times the bulk of the funds are spent on salaries.  We don’t think that these organizations should have to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars simply to advertise their job openings.

How does this work, and how does the posting benefit an organization?

  • Simply send your job opening information, including a description of the job and of your organization, and how a person may apply to jobs@masemp.com.  You can also post your job on our Contact Us form here.
  • This is a benefit because jobs posted on Masiello Employment’s website are syndicated to over 10,000 job boards throughout New England and the U.S.  In 2011 we had over 80,000 job seekers view one or more jobs on our website.  This coverage for free is of tremendous benefit to companies looking for the best talent.  For more information on our job board, read this post.

Posted in Recruiting & Hiring - Tagged , , , ,

Where Are Masiello Employment’s Candidates From?

Dec27
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Jason

Over the last few months I have been asked by several employers where our applicants and candidates are from.  This is a great question, and the answer is important.  Employers need to attract the best candidates, and they know that by extending their reach beyond the immediate area, they will bring in a larger group of qualified applicants…increasing their chances of finding the right fit.

At Masiello Employment Services we use a large array of recruiting and sourcing methods, but our most visible way of attracting candidates is through our web based job board.  The Masiello Employment Services Candidate Portal has had over 80,000 visits from job seekers in 2011.  By using our advanced applicant tracking system, we are able to post job openings that not only display on our website, but they are syndicated to Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and to well over 10,000 job boards nationwide.  Our jobs are also shown on Indeed.com and SimplyHired.com.

The results of our efforts have paid off in big ways for our clients.  Below are screenshots showing where the majority of our candidates and applicants are from.

Job Seekers in New England

  • Massachusetts – 28,000 visits – 35% of our visits are from Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire – 26,000 visits – 33% of our visits are from New Hampshire
  • Vermont – 12,000 visits – 15% of our visits are from Vermont
  • Connecticut – 4,000 visits – 5% of our visits are from Connecticut
  • New England – 90% of our 80,000 visits are from job seekers in New England

You no doubt noticed that our job seekers come from all over New England.  This is a source of pride for our employees because they work hard to match the best candidates with our clients.  Attracting this number of job seekers ensures that we are serving our clients and candidates to the full.

For more information about our recruiting strategies, or to become a client, please contact us today.

Posted in Recruiting & Hiring - Tagged , , , ,

Up the Ante – Motivate Your Employees With These Creative Team Builders

Dec21
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Jason

As the end of 2011 approaches, your employees may be stressed out with holiday to-do lists, and productivity may be impacted by missed days and other holiday distractions. Team building exercises should be a part of your year-round employee motivation plan; however, as the end of the year approaches, it may be time to take a more creative approach.

Creative team builders can get your team on track.

Break out of the “ordinary” team builder shell and motivate your team with these three creative ideas:

1. Volunteer in the community. Your employees may be stressed this time of year. Family responsibilities, holiday shopping, and other personal stressors may be creeping into their on-the-job performance. Bring your team together — and make an impact in the community — by taking a day or half day to volunteer with a local nonprofit organization. To involve your employees even more, open up the specific organization to a vote, and let your employees choose where to spend their time.

2. Solve a murder! Yes, you read that correctly. Ever watch a “whodunit” show on television? Why not bring the fun and intrigue into your office. This can also be a fun way to involve your clients, if you feel comfortable enough to bring them in on this activity. Right in your office, create a “murder” (or another silly-type crime), and break your employees into teams. Offer clues, and scatter other clues throughout the office to help your employees solve the case. If you want to take this activity up a notch, invite a local high school or college drama club to serve as actors and create an even more exciting team builder. You can offer fun prizes to the first team that solves the case as well (extra lunches, paid time off, or something similar).

3. Flex some muscles. For the colder months, many indoor sports leagues will accept new teams – band enough employees together to get an indoor basketball or volleyball team started. To make sure no willing employees are left out, regardless of their physical ability, involve employees as coaches or referees, and not just players.

When you take the time and small investment to engage your employees in team builders, the short- and long-term rewards can be dramatic. And if you’re looking to add to your team, contact Masiello Employment Services. We help organizations across New England find the top talent they need to get to the next level.

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Leadership Lessons From Steve Jobs

Nov22
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Jason

Whether you’re a Mac or PC person. An Android or iPhone user (or if you’re still sticking to Blackberry). You can learn from Steve Jobs. The impact his products had on American culture, and the day-to-day life of many people, is undeniable. And although he was far from a perfect man, Steve Jobs was a celebrated leader within Apple.

Take some tips from Steve Jobs.

Losing one of the visionaries of our generation is difficult, but you can apply some of Jobs’ leadership lessons to your organization. Here are three lessons you can start applying now:

  1. Don’t be afraid of taking risks. By most accounts, the idea of a tablet device was dead on delivery. People wanted laptops, and smart phones, but a tablet just didn’t have a place in everyday life. Jobs ignored the naysayers, believing that creating the right tablet device was the real challenge. And as of June 2011, more than 25 million iPads (1st and 2nd generation) have been sold. The lesson? If you believe strongly in an idea, and you have buy-in from your team, don’t be afraid to take a risk from time to time. At the very least, you’ll earn the trust and respect of your team. And at the most – you could revolutionize your company.
  2. Develop a succession plan. Jobs’ health had been declining since his first diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. And his successor, Tim Cook, has been groomed to take over for Jobs since before the diagnosis – he joined Apple in 1998. While things may seem perfectly rosy now, the reality for every organization is that people leave, for whatever reason. If you have identified future potential leaders of your organization, develop a clear succession plan. You’ll help retain your top performers, and you’ll also protect your organization in the long-term.
  3. Aim for perfection. Sure, the reality is that very few people (if any) can be perfect, every time. But if you aim for perfection and follow through on your goals every time, you’ll inspire your team to reach higher, think bigger and get to the next level. Don’t settle for mediocrity. You’ve assembled a team of talented professionals who want to help you company succeed – now it’s up to you to motivate them to do their best.

Searching for new leaders?
Contact Masiello Employment Services. Our extensive network of professionals includes top performers who aren’t actively seeking new employment. We will find the talent you need to get to the next level.

 

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Have the Tough Talk

Sep14
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Jason

Sometime in every manager’s career, there comes a time when a tough talk with an employee must take place. This can be quite uncomfortable for both parties, as it can involve difficult topics and decisions. However, there are ways of handling employee meetings in a professional and productive manner that will leave them feeling inspired instead of freaked out. And they can be less painful for you as well. Here are some suggested ways to make difficult conversations with employees less distressing.

Take the meeting behind closed doors. No one wants to have to talk with an employee on the factory floor or in front of others. Respect the employee by inviting them to your office and keep the door closed to honor their privacy. If the meeting involves a member of the opposite sex, you will want to have another person present in the office with you such as the HR representative or a secretary. Let the employee know you respect them and that you want to make sure whatever is said during this time is kept 100% confidential.

Hold meetings at the right time. There is a good time to have a tough talk with an employee and there’s a very bad time. The best time depends on the nature of your conversation. As a rule of thumb, disciplinary meetings are best reserved for Monday mid-mornings. Employee terminations are typically done at the end of the employee’s shift on the last day of the week, to give them the opportunity to calm down over the weekend and leave without distracting other employees.

Prepare a list of action items before the meeting. Remember that the purpose of this meeting is to address things that the employee needs to work on or improve. Therefore, it’s important to create a general list of action items and stick to this list as you speak with the employee. Review this list with the employee by giving him or her a copy of it, so there is no room for personal interpretation or unnecessary distractions throughout the meeting. If this meeting is to terminate an employee, prepare a separation letter and checklist.

Keep the conversation focused on specific clear factors. When talking with an employee about performance issues, remember to remain focused on the actual behaviors or events that are troubling you. Employees are more likely to feel attacked if you use the term “you” a lot in your conversation, so remember to phrase things in a “when I observe this…behavior”. This places emphasis on specific things that are affecting the performance of the employee on the job, not on the employee personally.

Ask the employee for more information and feedback. A conversation is two-way, so once you have spoken, engage the employee to provide possible feedback and more information about the issues. Let the employee tell you what is at the root of the problem, and work through that together. Oftentimes, employees know what the problem is and have been in a pattern of self-sabotage for a variety of personal reasons. These can be easily overcome with some healthy dialogue.

Give praise where applicable. Being an effective manager is not solely about supervision, but rather about giving positive feedback to employees who achieve their goals. The more you praise, the more likely your employees are to succeed as they feed off this positive energy. Employees will become more productive, communicate with you more often, and a level of trust will develop as you give praise where it should be given.

Establish accountability. Once you have had a chance to speak with the employee, schedule a follow-up meeting within a week or two. That will help the employee to understand the need for accountability, and it will give you a reason to evaluate any changes that occur. Let the employee know you will be looking for specific areas of improvement during this window of opportunity. By using this method, you will eliminate the need to micro-manage people all the time, instead giving employees a chance to be responsible for their own work performance.

Need more ideas on how to conduct employee meetings and reviews?

Masiello Employment Services has the guidance and support to help make employee meetings more productive and less uncomfortable.

Now open in Northampton, MA!  Find more info about our office locations here.

Posted in HR Essentials, Legal Issues - Tagged , ,

Money Isn’t Everything – Low Cost Ways to Improve Employee Satisfaction

Aug30
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Jason

Do you cash your paycheck every week? Most of us do, since we need to pay bills and put food on the table. But, what drives us to go to work each day? Is it just the paycheck? For some of us, maybe. But for most people, we go to work each day to contribute to a team, help clients, and maybe even make a difference.

It’s Not All About the Benjamins.

Yes, a paycheck is very helpful, but your employees need more than money to help them be happy in their jobs. Here are some low-cost ways to help your employees be happier, and more engaged in their jobs:

  1. Give praise. When people do a good job, tell them. Simple. Effective. Zero cost. You can thank us later (or now, really).
  2. Provide flexibility. Some people just work better from home (others aren’t quite as effective with a cat crawling on their head). Others work better from 10 to 6 or 12 to 8 instead of 9 to 5. Whenever possible, give your employees some flexibility with their work arrangement. Whether it’s location or hours, even if they don’t take you up on it, your employees will be more satisfied knowing that the flexibility is there, should they wish to take you up on it.
  3. Make your office a nice place to be. Fluorescent lights can trigger migraines (and are just cold and sterile). White walls are so…white. Spruce up your office, and make it a more comfortable place to be. Encourage employees to personalize their workspaces. Slap some paint on the walls to inspire creativity (anything but white!). Add some comfortable furniture to your break room, or better yet, your meeting rooms. Comfortable employees are more creative and open to new ideas. A big, comfy chair could spawn your next great product or service!
  4. Provide training opportunities. Even for employees who love their current jobs, long-term goals are always on the horizon. Provide on- or off-site opportunities for employees to advance their skills or training, on your dime.

On the lookout for engaged employees?
Masiello Employment Services has them! Our extensive network of qualified professionals is ready to step in and make an immediate impact on your business.

Now open in Northampton, MA!  Find more info about this office location here.

Posted in HR Essentials - Tagged , , ,

Reduce Employee Absenteeism

Aug22
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Jason

In an uncertain economy, many employers are concerned about employee retention. Retention is a critical part of every business, but when employees become too comfortable, they can feel a little too comfortable – leading to increased absenteeism.

Don’t let the absenteeism bug take over your office!

There are several legitimate causes of absenteeism. Colds and flus happen. Personal emergencies happen. And your business should be ready to handle those fluctuations. Here are a few ways to cut down on unnecessary absenteeism.

  1. Improve employee satisfaction. We recently addressed ways to increase employee satisfaction in the workplace. Implement some of these strategies, and you’re satisfied, engaged employees will be much less likely to miss work.
  2. Put hand sanitizer at every desk. Seriously! If you’ve ever worked in an office, you have seen how quickly a cold or flu bug can sweep through your entire team. Keep some hand sanitizer at every desk, and encourage employees to use it. Sanitize common areas like copiers, printers and break rooms. A little spending here goes a long way toward keeping your employees from getting sick and missing work.
  3. Start an employee wellness plan. Employees who are fit and healthy are less likely to get sick and miss work. Plus, instituting an employee wellness plan adds another benefit to working with you – adding to your benefits, and leading to increased employee retention.
  4. Have a clear policy. When you hire new employees, make sure that your vacation and personal time policy is clearly stated. When you define time off up front, you are less likely to encounter problems down the line.
  5. Don’t create unrealistic expectations. Once you have a policy in place, don’t forget that people have lives outside of the office. And things can come up from time to time. If your office can survive without an employee from time to time, be flexible when you can. You’ll end up with happier employees, who are more invested in their jobs.

Looking for new employees?
Contact Masiello Employment Services. We provide talented staff to employers across Western Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Posted in HR Essentials - Tagged , , ,

Come Visit Us at 6 Market Street in Northampton on August 22!

Aug09
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Jason

Masiello Employment at 6 Market Street NorthamptonCome and visit us on August 22, 2011 at our new downtown Northampton, MA location.  We would love to show you around our new space and talk to you about how we can help you find a great job.  To check out our current listings, click here.

For more information on the location and our office hours, please visit our Locations page, as well as the Meet the Team section of our website.

We look forward to meeting you and helping you take the next step in your career.

The image below is the street view from Google Maps.


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Posted in Career Essentials, Local Events - Tagged , ,

5 Job Interview Myths – Debunked

May25
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Jason

The truth is out thereWho isn’t nervous during a job interview? Interviews can be incredibly stressful and intimidating. A lack of information due to common job myths can handicap you, and lead to additional, unnecessary stress.

Let’s debunk some myths!

Avoid unnecessary stress in your interviews, by reading up on the following job interview myths:

1. There’s a “right” answer to interview questions.
Believe it or not, the interviewer is not likely to be searching for a particular answer during your interview. Interviewers are typically paying attention to how you respond and react to the question, rather than your actual words.

2. The most qualified person automatically gets the job.
If this were true, why even bother with the interviewing process? The truth is, there are likely dozens, if not hundreds, of people applying to a single job position. If it came down to a matter of qualifications only, the hiring process would be much simpler. Most employers are searching for a combination of skills, traits and education. Personality and corporate culture can also figure into hiring decisions.

3. Candidates should always accept offers of refreshment.
Imagine you’ve interviewed six candidates in the last eight hours, asking many of the same questions each time. Interviewing can be very draining, and most interviewers want to be done with the process. When you’ve entered the office, ready to begin, and you’re offered a beverage, do you really think that interviewer wants to get back up and prepare you a cup of coffee?

4. Your interviewer is experienced and trained in how to interview.
You may be interviewing with a human resources professional, but in all likelihood, you are interviewing with a manager or co-worker from within the department. How can you use this to your advantage? Give concrete, specific details and examples in your responses, not long-winded, canned responses.

5. Keep your answers short.
Many job seekers think that it’s best to keep their answers short in interviews, so that the interview moves quickly. In reality, interviewers likely hope that your answer will be long and informative, so they don’t have to come up with another question! Don’t squander an opportunity to sell yourself for the position. Now is the time to put all your research and background information on the company to use. Experts suggest interviewees should be talking during about 2/3 of the interview, so make sure you have plenty to say once you get there?

Need help finding your next career opportunity?
Masiello Employment Services offers rewarding and challenging career opportunities to professionals across New England.

Posted in Career Essentials - Tagged , , ,

Wellness Programs in the Workplace – Part 1

Mar30
2011 2 Comments Written by Jason

What if there was a way for work to be more refreshing? What if this place you go to earn a living also gave the benefit of getting healthier or maintaining a healthy balance in life? Wellness programs implemented by employers in the workplace have a noticeable effect on the health of workers. Not only is this proved by more productive workers READ MORE »

Posted in Personal Growth, Recruiting & Hiring - Tagged , , , , ,
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Favorite Quotes

"If we don’t get the people thing right, we lose; it is THE most important thing in all our business."

—Jack Welch, CEO General Electric

“The ability to make good decisions regarding people is one of the last reliable sources of competitive advantage, since very few competitors are good at it.”

—Peter Drucker

"The toughest decisions in organizations are people decisions - hiring, firing, and promoting people. These are the decisions that receive the least attention and are the ones that are hardest to "unmake.""

—Peter Drucker

"Those who build great companies understand that the ultimate throttle on growth for any great company is not markets, or technology, or competition, or products. It is one thing above all others; the ability to get and keep enough of the right people.

- Jim Collins
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