When:  February 23, 2012  from Noon to 1pm
Given By:  Sherryl Bemis, CSP, Staffing Manager
Where:  Masiello Employment Services, 294 West Street, Keene, NH.
Cost:  FREE

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Waiting to make a decision can be strength – this fast paced world is short on patience and short on time. We want instant gratification and we sometimes lose track of our priorities. Sometimes it’s okay to move quickly and make fast decisions; sometimes it is not even an option. But more often than not, a significant business decision should be well thought out; the pros and cons contemplated; the people it affects considered. Ed taught me to slow down, to take the big picture into consideration before acting. This lesson has saved me countless times, and has saved us even more money.

Listening is more important than speaking – The importance of learning how to be a good listener can’t be overstated. A good place to start is by considering the difference between hearing and listening. Ed was a great listener and everyone who interacted with him noticed. Listening can endear your employees and it is integral when interviewing. By listening to a business partner, a friend or a family member, you will show your concern for them. You will set a good example for those who look to you for help.

Your employees are what make your business successful – you have heard people say it, you have read it in business books, but Ed lived it. It wasn’t lip service when Ed said it. I heard Ed say many, many times that his employees were his extended family. He brought them gifts back from trips, he invited them to family functions, he included them in many of his decisions. Ed knew that one of the secrets to success in business was in finding people that were better at performing certain tasks than he was. Learn to trust your employees and their abilities and they will reward you with their respect and hard work

Fair pay includes friends and family – Hiring friends and family can be a dangerous prospect. Expectations can be skewed, liberties can be taken, and non-family members of the business can become jealous. A new study called “Protecting the Family Fortune,” conducted for U.S. Trust, by Prince & Associates Trust and Campden Research, proves the point. It finds that only 15% of family businesses last beyond the second generation. “A family business combines the most rational human institution — a business — with the most irrational human institution — families,” states a Wall Street Journal article.

Music makes things seem less serious – Ed loved music and people loved Ed. There is just something important about enjoying good music. Some people say it makes you smarter, others say plants do well with music. I am not sure about either of those, but I do know nothing can motivate and inspire like the right music at the right time.

There is enough time in the day to do all the important things – I went on vacation recently and I actually managed to relax. In the past few years I had started to suspect I was not capable of such a feat. I considered going to vacation counseling (calm down, I made it up). While on vacation I realized that my attitude was different about time. I was not as focused on what I had to do next, so the days seem longer and more enjoyable. I decided right there and then that when I got back from vacation I was going to try and pretend I could still relax. It worked. But it also made me think of something I had been wondering since Ed passed away. In the months that have gone by I have talked to many people that had a story to share about Ed and something he had done or said that helped them. How did he have the time to for all of these people? He found the time, which means there is enough, after all he had 24 hours in his days too.

Pancakes are not just for breakfast – My wife Becky (Ed’s daughter) had an overnight stay at a hospital in Boston a few years ago. Ed and his wife Sandy came out to visit us in the hospital. At about 11pm at night we all decided we were going to get food delivered from a local restaurant. Ed ordered pancakes. I will always remember that because I saw in Ed a boyish joy when he saw he could order pancakes, delivered, at close to midnight. Ed loved pancakes and he didn’t apologize for it. Find your comforts where you can get them.

Helping other businesses owners does not need to be self serving – If you listen to Google, this is old news. Google helps everyone that uses its search product for free, and it is one of the fastest growing and most successful businesses of all time. Give your friends, your customers what they want, what they need, for free and they will thank you by paying you for the other things you offer. Ed gave his time and his knowledge and he was supported and respected for it.

A good sense of humor helps foster good relationships with your employees – Ed’s sense of humor bordered on absurd, but his delivery could pull a laugh out of an armed guard. Keep it light, keep it fun and you will feel like smiling more often.

One can never have too many pens – highlighters, pens, pencils, if we all lost our computers and had to go back to basics, Ed would have been well prepared. In fact, he probably could have opened a side business just selling the office supplies he had purchased over the years. I don’t think he ever found the perfect pen, but I don’t know if that would have ended the quest. Ed always carried a pen, which is smart. He also often wrote business communications by hand. There is something noble and personal about receiving a handwritten message from a business partner, customer or vendor. Email is fast and easy, and your recipients know that.

Thank you Ed.

Recently we were featured in a national staffing magazine for our record of safety.  To read the full article, click here.

Staffing services earning the designation WRC Certified are positioned to provide the best possible service to the customer by establishing a partnership with the following benefits:

• Superior matching of talent to client work environment and production goals
• Greater Familiarity with Customer Facilities
• Superior Matching of Talent with Client Work Needs
• Lower Turnover
• Employ higher quality workers
• Less Downtime and Increased Productivity
• Preservation of Customer Safety Record
• Client-Specific Orientation
• Safety Consultation

If you are interested in learning more about Masiello Employment Services and how our friendly Staffing Professionals can help your company, please contact us today.  We’d love to hear from you!

Do you enjoy multi-tasking in a busy office environment?

Are you an individual with strong prioritization & organization skills?

Would you like to work with a company who values their employees?

If you answered yes, we have the opportunity for you!…

This position will involve daily interaction with many staff members as well as several departments within the organization.

Duties will include:

• Scheduling
• Data Entry
• Prepare reports
• Create spreadsheets
• Answers inquiries
• Monitors department budgets
• Maintains file system
• Update records

Ideal candidate will have strong computer skills; MS Office Suite and have the ability to multi-task on a daily basis. Attention to detail is vital to be successful in this position.

If you are interested in this position, apply today for immediate consideration.

Charitable Organization Needs Your Help!

A local client in the Northampton, MA area is looking for a skilled candidate to fill this temporary position. This position will include preparing orders, stocking product, shipping items and other duties as needed. If you have experience with operating a forklift, have a solid work history and great interpersonal skills this is the job for you!

Apply today and become a part of a team who helps our community everyday.

Keeping up to date on health care reform is integral to your business.

Understanding the health care reform law and its ramifications is essential to your business. Change too late, and you could end up receiving heavy fines or penalties. Jump the gun, and you could incur unnecessary cost for your business.

To help you understand what is “hot” in health care reform right now, we’ve identified three areas of confusion for both employees and employers:

• The Affordable Care Act – Part of health care reform, the Affordable Care Act eliminates copays and co-insurance for certain types of preventative care (when using an in-network provider). Your employees may be asking you, though, why their annual health exams, or other medical costs, haven’t been covered. Common tests and screenings, like blood pressure tests, colonoscopies and mammograms are also typically covered. And since it’s cold and flu season, you may also note that many immunizations are also covered. But, while these are typically covered, there are a few things to note. Specifically, if your health insurance plan was started before the bill was signed, your health care plan may be grandfathered out of the requirement. This exemption will last until your plan is significantly changed by your employer, or if certain aspects of your payments are changed. Another exemption – if your preventative care visit turns into a “sick” visit (if your doctor notices something and treats it during your visit), you may be charged. Confusion over these exemptions can be avoided by asking doctors when something is done that will result in a charge.
• Pre-Existing Conditions. The reform law will require health insurance companies to charge both healthy and sick people the same prices – eliminating extra fees for people with pre-existing conditions. But, this does not go into effect until 2014. Until 2014, though, the government is trying to help people with pre-existing conditions get by, both by excluding kids from pre-existing conditions clauses, and by providing subsidized programs in each state, called Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plans.
• The “Doughnut Hole.” Medicare prescription coverage has a bit of a gap. Once the spending on your prescriptions surpasses $2,840, patients must pay out of pocket until costs reach $6,448. The laws have changed to eliminate this hole; however, the elimination will take time.  Patients who fell into the gap may have received a one-time payment of $250 to help bridge the gap; however, this year there will not be any checks. Instead, patients will receive a 50% discount on brand-name prescription drugs purchased while in the hole. Generic drugs will be discounted by 7%. This cost differential will occur right at the pharmacy, and will not require forms or submissions.

Understanding the health care reform bill can have a significant impact on your bottom line as businesses continue to adjust and prepare for its full ramifications. Here at Masiello Employment Services, we’ll do our part to keep you updated on the latest news, changes and adjustments that could have an effect. And if you’re looking for experienced temporary or permanent professionals in Vermont, New Hampshire or Massachusetts, contact us today!

We have all been taught about the value of first impressions. Since the days of childhood, we have heard things like “always keep in mind that you never get a second chance to make a first impression”.  We have heard it so much, we probably don’t even think about it, but we should.

The smiling person behind the reception desk understands the value of first impressions, since they are the face and voice of the company. Making a good impression is simply what they do best.

The first person you meet on an interview is the receptionist. The receptionist has the power to assess your positive or negative points before you even set eyes on the interviewer. Possibly before you considered being on your best behavior.  The interviewer will probably ask the receptionist for his or her opinion of you after you leave.   What will he or she say about you?

If you call the office after the interview, guess who answers the phone? If you do get the job, who is the first person you will see when you report for work?

This is your first chance to make a great first impression, and believe me, the first impression with the receptionist is important.  Smile, be friendly and make the most of your time!

Want more tips and techniques for landing your dream job?  Your own personal career consultant at Masiello Employment Services would be glad to help.  Just give us a call today!

Artwork Theme Choices:

1. What do you want to be when you grow up?
2. Your parents at work.

Learn more about the prizes and how to enter by clicking here.

Your next job might be in the “hidden” job market.

You may find your next job applying to an online posting…fighting against hundreds of other candidates to hopefully stand out and get called in for an interview. Or, you can up your chances and tap into the “hidden” job market with these three tips:

• Do some research. Try to help companies in need. But what do they need? Why, you, of course! Put in some leg work and do research on prospective employers. Research their history and current challenges, then, send them a letter (even better, a letter sent via courier) where you carefully prove how hiring you can solve one (or more) of their workforce challenges. You will prove your immediate worth and ability to impact their organization, in a much more powerful way than a few bullet points on a resume.
• Elevate your confidence level. Confidence is key – that’s one you’ve probably heard. But how about taking ownership of the position for which you’re applying? Show some initiative and put together a business card and brochure with both your information, and your prospective employer’s information. By demonstrating your knowledge of the company, and your recognition of how your strengths will lend themselves to on-the-job results, you’ll display a confidence that outpaces any interviewee.
• Get creative. After awhile, all cover letters and resumes can start to look the same to hiring managers. Try to present yourself in a unique way to prospective employers. Instead of a cover letter, how about a press release announcing your hire, touting your background and strengths? If you’ve never written a press release, a simple online search can provide you with the resources you need to get started. Instead of a simple one-page resume, how about a visual representation of your resume? The possibilities go as far as your creativity can take you!

Looking for your next career opportunity?
Search our currently available jobs or contact a Masiello Employment Services recruiter today. We’ll help you reach your career goals!

Did you work for Masiello Employment Services in 2011?

2011 W-2′s will be available for pick up at your local office beginning Friday, January 20, 2012.

Our offices are open Monday thru Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm and are located at:

• 294 West Street Keene, NH
• 6 Market Street Northampton, MA

Please contact us at 1-800-639-7021 with any questions.