This quick and easy read – available for a free download below – is essentially a guide for making candidate searching as painless a process as possible.  

As the economy makes its way to recovery, your organization may find itself with an urgent need to re-grow staff in order to keep up with increasing demand.  “Search Smart” provides tips and tricks you can use to conduct an easier, faster and more effective resume database search – and find the perfect candidate when time is of the essence.

Searching for candidates doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming, but it can be if you’re not going about it the right way.  ”Search Smart” explains what you need to know to get the most relevant results – in the shortest amount of time – when conducting a resume database search, including: 

• Why candidate search today requires a different approach than a decade ago, and how to rethink the way we search for talent.
• How to understand and effectively use the technology within the resume database for faster and easier search.
• The advantage of using search in a world that relies increasingly on social media recruitment tactics.
• The difference between keyword and concept search, and how to use both techniques together and more efficiently.
• How to avoid common mistakes to take the time and labor out of resume databse searches.   

If you’ve ever been frustrated or disappointed when conducted resume database searches – whether you’re not getting the quality or quantity of results you need or find it too time-consuming – you should take a look at this eBook. 

Click on the image below to view or download your free copy of CareerBuilder’s Search Smart eBook.

1.  They’re not afraid to relinquish a little control. Despite reports that over half of employers still ban social networking at work, companies who’ve embraced it have found tremendous reward in enabling employees to use social media. Zappos was one of the first companies to embrace social media, giving employees the freedom to use Twitter.  The strategy has worked well for the online shoe retailer: By enabling employees to talk freely about their jobs, new products, or other interesting aspects of company life, they’ve effectively made their employees into brand advocates, and created buzz about being a great place to work. More recently, Whole Foods has taken a similar approach to social media, believing that letting individual employees’ personalities shine through is essential to for social media to work well and engage people.
2. They embrace new media as a recruiting tool. Staffing firm Kelly Services, a 2008 Best Place to Work in Western Pa., created a virtual community in Second Life to provide job seekers with an interactive experience to see what it’s like to work for Kelly. It has also helped to create buzz about Kelly and differentiate the firm from its competitors. For much the same reason, staffing firm Spherion decided to leverage the current popularity of viral video when it created its Web series, “The Temp Life.”  Seems to be working: the 17-episode series is clearly resonating with audiences, with over 1 million views to date.
3. They embrace new media as an engagement tool. IBM did it with Beehive. Best Buy did it with Blue Shirt Nation.  Now, companies of every size are utilizing online social communities for internal purposes - engaging employees and keeping them informed of important company news, events and projects. Over 50,000 companies worldwide, including Fox and Adobe use microblogging site Yammer, while companies like Starbucks and Pepsico have found success with cfactor’s “enterprise social networking” solution.  
4. They think outside the Facebooks. Overwhelmed by the sheer volume of users on Facebook, Twitter and other social media giants? Think “niche.” That’s what Seattle-based Tableau Software did recently when it needed a Web developer with extensive knowledge of Drupal:  the company’s recruiters began surfing social networking sites that catered to Drupal enthusiasts, where they eventually found their new hire.
5. They ask for employee feedback (and actually listen to it).  Feedback from Aetna’s employee surveys – administered regularly to enable employees to voice their thoughts about how the company is doing and where there is room for improvement – led to the establishment of Aetna’s current recognition program, The Aetna Way Excellence Awards, according to CEO Ronald Williams in an interview for our Leadership Series. Leadership recognized that employees wanted more company-wide recognition events, so they delivered. “That whole program came about as a result of employees’ suggestions that came through the survey,” Williams said.
6. They work in partnership with Human Resources. “People decisions are some of the most important decisions I make, so I make those decisions in collaboration with my HR partners,” says Stryker CEO Steve MacMillan in a recent interview with CareerBuilder. “Responsibility for our people may be a human resources function, but we all manage it together.” It’s no accident that Stryker is a three-time winner of the “Gallup Great Place to Work Award,” in addition to other best place to work honors.  
7. They actively encourage learning and development. Smart companies know the power of providing opportunities for professional development and personal growth in helping to retain top talent.  Spectrum Health does both: The company’s relationship with University of Michigan provides opportunities for leadership members to gain experience in project-based work. And its EXCEL Professional Development Model program recognizes and provides monetary awards for nursing staff for academic and professional accomplishments, as well as community service.

What about you? What particular practices make your organization a best place to work?

That – or at least some variation of it – was one of the most common responses to my previous posts about why recruiters and hiring managers don’t call job seekers back. 

It seems many of you are bombarded with so many applications – and so many unqualified applications, at that – that it’s virtually impossible to get back to everyone…

As one commenter puts it, simply, “The problem is that so many candidates send their resumes for jobs they are clearly not qualified for.” A valid complaint, yes.  But what if there were a way to alleviate this problem yourselves?

Certainly, you’ll never be able to fully control job seeker behavior (might be a scary world if you could)…but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do to minimize the number of unqualified applications you receive. Try the following:   

1. Look to Promote from Within First.  Promoting from within (when it makes sense for your business) not only cuts down on costs associated with new hire training, but it sends a positive message to your employees that you appreciate them and are invested in their development, which can ultimately increase both engagement and retention.
2. Re-Evaluate Your Job Postings: Start at the source – If your job posting sounds generic, job seekers who are applying to anything remotely to their field of interest are just going to scan it over before blindly applying.  Make sure that you clarify the responsibilities of the position and creating an accurate skill-based profile of the ideal candidate to get more targeted results. Also, format the posting into a concise, easy-to-read layout by breaking up information into categories so job seekers are more likely to read important information (like “Requirements”).
3. Respond to Applicants: An auto-response letter to acknowledge receipt of application could go a long way in cutting out duplicate resumes from job seekers who ‘want to make sure’ you’ve received their resumes and apply more than once.
4. Utilize Screening Questions: Attaching filtering questions to your job postings will screen out unqualified candidates from the beginning. Screening systems can be one of the first things to fall off the list when budget cuts are made; yet, they ultimately save recruiters and hiring managers time and save the company costs associated with lost production and turnover (and remember that screeners are free if you’re a CareerBuilder client…That doesn’t suck, right?). 
5. Create and Implement an Employee Referral Program: Who knows the kind of employee your company wants better than your own employees? Get the most use out of it by making it as easy as possible for an employee to recommend a candidate or forward a job posting to a friend, offering an incentive when an employee’s referral is hired – and by making sure your employees are aware of both the program and the opportunities available with clear, constant communication.

Companies expect candidates to continuously advance their skills, be cognizant of industry news, and surpass expectations. It should come as no surprise, then, that candidates expect the same of the companies with which they’re interviewing. When is the last time you thought about the questions you ask candidates in an interview? Or changed them to stay current or reflect the changing attitudes and needs of the job seekers in today’s market? We’ve rounded up some of the most cliché interview questions, courtesy of the experts: job seekers themselves. Underneath each cliché, we’ve added a new twist on the old standard.

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1. Cliché: Tell me about yourself.

Why it’s weak: With a question this vague, you’re opening yourself up to some potentially uncomfortable answers. And really, this question only serves to make job prospects squirm. Yes, you might hear something of value, but more than not, you’re going to get a rundown of a resume you can read yourself, or a blank stare and uncomfortable pause before a candidate blurts out, “Where should I start?” Why not just get to the point? What do you want to know, anyway? Ask.

New Twist: Think about what you want candidates to tell you about themselves.  Their volunteering habits? “You mention your affiliation with Habitat for Humanity. Can you tell me more about that experience?” The project written about in their cover letter that generated $500,000 in revenue? “What was one critical component in the creation of ABC project that  you had responsibility in bringing to fruition?” A candidate’s desire to switch from law to health care? “Can you describe the moment or point in time when you knew you wanted to become a hospital administrator?”

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2. Cliché: What is your biggest strength/weakness?

Why it’s weak: This question begs for fabrication. Often, candidates — and people in general — answer questions about themselves as they’d like to see themselves — not as they are (even if they don’t realize they’re doing it). Sally may say “I have superior attention to detail,” but her real strength may be more specifically attention to detail  in her ability to coordinate team strategy for marketing campaigns — or she may not even be aware of her flair for public speaking. Alternately, asking for a candidate’s biggest strength will likely result in an answer that’s twisted to make it appear as a strength, which doesn’t necessarily help you. Does “I’m a perfectionist” or “I’m sometimes too ambitious for my own good” ring a bell?

New Twist: Ask for a candidate’s strength/weakness, but also ask, “Can you give me an example of a situation in which you’ve displayed this strength/weakness? Biggest strength: How did it help you with this project? / Biggest weakness: What did you learn from this?

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3. Cliché: How would your last boss describe you in five words?

Why it’s weak: Any candidate worth his or her salt is probably not going to pick words like “lazy,” “unmotivated,” or “disappointing,” right? Think Facebook or online dating profile — when someone asks you to describe yourself, or to describe how others see you, the results are likely to be overwhelming positive — and inflated. Why waste a question? Ask a question that will give you a more genuine answer.

New Twist: This is a great question to ask a candidate’s references — you’ll be getting the essence of someone’s personality or work habits from an outside perspective. Alternately, ask a candidate a question that gives him or her opportunity to display growth. “If I asked you to describe yourself going into your last job, what would you say? How would that description be different now?”

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4. Cliché: Describe a situation in which you have overcome a challenge or seen a project to its conclusion.

Why it’s weak: This question gets the internal eye roll from prospective employees.  Again, it’s vague. You ask candidates to be specific in the achievements they describe on their resume, so why don’t you be more specific as well?

New Twist: What piqued your interest from the accomplishments listed on the candidate’s resume? Try rephrasing this question with “What are you most proud of from the X campaign, and why?” You could follow up with a question like, “What would you do differently next time to make the campaign more successful?” or “How did this success spark ideas for your next project?” This frames the question in a more positive light, and enables the candidate to talk in-depth about a project or accomplishment he or she is proud of and passionate about.

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5. Cliché: Where do you see yourself in five years?

Why it’s weak: Candidates barely know what they’re doing for tonight’s dinner these days, let alone five years. Many people move jobs often, and by pigeonholing them with this question, you could be missing out on a question that will really reveal their aspirations in the near-term future, which may be more valuable.

New Twist: Get a feel for where candidates’ heads are now, while still learning more about what they hope to achieve.  “What is the first thing you want to accomplish with this position?” Or  “What most excites you about this potential job role? How do you see this being different than your previous position?”

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6. Cliché: Why should we hire you?

Why it’s weak: The tables have turned, and Gen Y candidates in particular want different things from a job than in the past: flexibility, quality of life, and more. Yes, candidates must “sell” themselves and their qualifications for a position to you, but how can you sell yourself to them as well? Despite a tight job market, it’s not fair to assume candidates will take the first job that is offered to them. Rise above your competition and offer them something different.

New Twist: This is an excellent opportunity to tell candidates about you, or reiterate your company’s strengths (even though they’ve likely already researched your company), while giving the candidate a chance to talk about what’s most important to him or her. “We believe our flexible scheduling options, 401(k) matching, Diversity Awareness group, and casual dress code are a few things that set our company apart. What made you most interested in working for our company?” or “What is your ideal company environment?”

Cliché away

We know old habits die hard. If you love the “cliché” questions and want to continue using them, consider following up with a “new twist” question so you don’t miss out on any additional insight the interviewee might have to give. (Baby steps, right?)

And while we might have some ideas, you’re the ones in the trenches. What cliché are you willing to throw out — or have you heard that made you cringe? Any new twists on old questions you’ve come up with to reflect the changing job market? We’d love to hear ‘em.

Anyway, the list below aims to do for recruiters and hiring managers what these books do for conscientious eaters: Achieve the desired results by making better choices.  In order to achieve their goals of getting certain information out of candidates, recruiters and hiring managers need to be careful in the way they phrase certain interview questions; otherwise, they could face potential legal ramifications.   

Recruiters and hiring managers should already know that any question that asks a candidate to reveal information about his or her national origin, citizenship, age, marital status, disabilities, arrest record, military discharges, or personal information is a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 

But while avoiding these subjects sounds easy enough, it’s not always glaringly obvious what questions might be construed as inappropriate – even when they seem harmless on the surface.  Below is a guideline to avoiding 10 potentially dangerous questions – while still getting the information you’re looking for.

1. Ask this: Are you legally authorized to work in the United States?  Not that: Are you a U.S. citizen? or Where were your parents born? Questions about national origin or ancestry are prohibited as they have no relevance to the job at hand or work status. The exception to this rule, of course, is if the position specifically requires one to be a U.S. citizen (and it should state so in the job posting).  
   
2. Ask this: What is your current address and phone number? or Do you have any alternative locations where you can be reached?  Not that: How long have you lived here? Like the question above, this one alludes to a candidate’s citizenship. Stay away.
   
3. Ask this: Are you able to perform the specific duties of this position?  Not that: Do you have any disabilities? or Have you had any recent or past illnesses and operations? You may want to know about a candidate’s ability to handle certain responsibilities or perform certain jobs, but asking about disabilities or illnesses of any sort is not the way find out (legally, at least).  
   
4. Ask this: Are you a member of any professional or trade groups that are relevant to our industry?  Not that: Do you belong to any clubs or social organizations? You might simply be trying to learn about a candidates interests and activities outside of work, but a general question about organizational membership could tap into a candidate’s political and religious affiliations or other personal matters.
   
5. Ask this: Have you ever been convicted of “x” [something that is substantially related to the job]?  Not that: Have you ever been arrested? Questions about arrests or pending charges for jobs that are NOT substantially related to the particular job are off-limits.
   
6. Ask this…What are your long-term career goals?  Not that… How much longer do you plan to work before you retire? While you may not want to hire an older worker who will retire in a few years, you can’t dismiss an applicant for this reason.
   
7. Ask this…Are you available to work overtime on occasion? Can you travel? Not that…Do you have children? or Can you get a babysitter on short notice for overtime or travel? You might be concerned that family obligations will get in the way of work, but you can’t ask or make assumptions about family situations. (You know what happens when you assume.) Cut to the chase by asking directly about the candidate’s availability.
   
8. Ask this…Are you available to work within our required schedule? Not that…What religion do you practice? or What religious holidays do you observe? Again, you might simply be trying to discern a candidate’s availability, but leave religion out of it.   
   
9. Ask this… Are you over the age of 18? Not that…How old are you? or When did you graduate from college? If you know a candidate’s age, you could find yourself facing discrimination charges at some point. Your only concern should be as to whether the candidate is legally old enough to work for your organization.
   
10. Ask this…Is additional information, such as a different name or nickname necessary in order to check job references? Not that…Is this your maiden name? or Do you prefer to be called “Ms.,” “Miss,” or “Mrs.?” Be sure to avoid any question that alludes to a woman’s marital status – as well as anything that could be construed as a question referring to national origin or ancestry (e.g. “Your name is interesting. What nationality is it?”).

When in doubt…keep it work-related.  According to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, if employers can phrase questions so that they directly relate to specific occupational qualifications, then the questions may be legitimate ones.

This post has been updated to reflect the correction of a previous error. Thanks to everyone who caught – and helped to correct – the oversight.

Some of you think an objective is a necessary component of a resume, pointing out that it can provide an expanded view of a candidate’s experience as well as detail a candidate’s drive and vision — while others dismissed it as clutter or vague filler. Many of you were divided on whether candidates should send a resume to you in a Word document or in a PDF.

As evidenced by a CareerBuilder survey earlier this year, over a third (38 percent) of HR managers spend just one to two minutes reviewing a candidate’s resume before making some kind of decision about it. That’s not a lot of time for a candidate to put his or her best foot forward and make a strong impression. So how, exactly, should candidates make a (good) impression on you, employers?

In a recent CNN article, CareerBuilder’s vice president of corporate marketing, Jason Ferrara, offered five tips for job seekers to make their resume stand out:

1. Include a career summary at the top of a resume
2. Keep it up to date
3. Incorporate keywords
4. Use a functional resume
5. Include all relevant experience

And in an article on MSN careers, CareerBuilder writer Rachel Zupek, gives 10 resume tips for candidates to get a better response from employers. They include having a less-selfish objective, focusing on accomplishments rather than duties, and filling in any unemployment gaps.

Of course, resume information may also include things like social media info (a candidate’s Twitter handle or professional networking profile), volunteer work, awards, certification and training, work history, references (or stating “References available upon request.”

But the real question is, What information do you want to see in a candidate’s resume — and what are they better off leaving out like former Top Chef contestant Mattin’s undercooked ceviche?

While awareness and satisfaction levels for staffing firms have increased over the past year (that’s the good news), a new survey by CareerBuilder and Inavero Institute indicates there’s still a lot of room for improvement in these areas (that’s…well, you get it)

 “While staffing firms have done a better job delivering their value to clients, job seekers, however, are still looking for a more engaging and positive experience,” said Todd McCormick, president of CareerBuilder’s Recruiter Business Unit.

CareerBuilder and Inavero surveyed more than 2,100 staffing industry clients and 19,000 job candidates nationwide over the course of four years, and published the results in the newly released Opportunities in Staffing 2009: a Comprehensive Guide to Clients and Candidates.  ”This guide is designed to identify opportunities to expand business and support the continued growth of staffing firms in the recruitment arena,” said McCormick.  

Looking at the client and candidate perceptions and opinions of the staffing industry, highlighted in the guide, it seems as though those opportunities lie in at least three major areas:  

Branding efforts:

• While staffing firm awareness and utilization is up slightly among job seekers, the study found that 78 percent of job seekers still don’t utilize a staffing firm as part of their job search. Lack of awareness and misconceptions about staffing firms are common reasons for not utilizing staffing firms as part of their job search.
• The survey also found that, while awareness of staffing firms among clients has increased since last year, the survey showed that no staffing firm is “top of mind” (first brand mentioned) with more than 5 percent of clients.
• These findings indicate that staffing firms need to extend their branding efforts across the board – targeting both clients as well as candidates.

Social media presence:

• The average job candidate spends more than five hours on social media sites each week; however, only one in five organizations indicated utilizing social networking as part of their recruiting strategy.
• By ignoring the influence and prominence of social media in job seekers’ everyday lives, organizations are missing out on an opportunity to tap into a significant talent base.

Candidate sourcing:

• The survey found that the majority of candidates (84 percent) utilize more than three resources as part of their job search, indicating staffing firms need to expand their efforts and reach out to candidates through a number of different means. (Seems utilizing social media would be a good start…See above.)

For more findings or information on the study itself, download a free executive summary here or go here to see the press release.

• One respondent reported receiving up to 500 applicants for one filled position, while another said they had 50 – 100 applicants they were trying to reach each day, adding, “If they [recruiters] called very candidate back that called them they would be fielding candidate call backs all day.”  Okay, fair enough.
• Other than lack of time, someone else offered the possibility that recruiters were trying to test job seekers’ follow-up skills, while another respondent turned the tables on job seekers, saying that they often fail to show up for interviews on time, if at all – or are just too lazy to check the status of their applications on-line. 
• One last possibility a recruiter offered? “Recruiters are lazy.”  Well…alright then. 

Is that why so many job seekers responded with similar experiences where employers didn’t call back even after they’d interviewed – and been told they’d hear back either way? Because if that’s true – which I know it’s not for several of you, who even expressed a lot of sympathy for these job seekers – then it’s actually not alright.

In fact, to paraphrase Julia Roberts’ hooker with a heart of gold, it’s actually a big mistake. Big. Huge. And here’s why:

Not getting back to candidates is more than bad manners; it’s bad business – on multiple levels. From an employment branding standpoint, not only does this behavior inhibit spurned candidates from ever applying to your postings again, but it does the same for anyone these candidate talk to (and they will) about their awful experience with your company.

In addition to talent, you’re also losing potential customers, because this lack of professional courtesy is a reflection on the whole company. Case in point: commenter “df,” who said, “Although I have landed my dream job, there are company’s [sic] that did not respond that I will never do business with them whatsoever. In fact I share that information with all network groups I am involved in along the way.”        

While job seekers might be able to forgive not receiving a response to an application, they won’t be so forgiving of such behavior after they’ve interviewed (i.e. have been granted hope).  Even if you can’t hire them, the vast majority of candidates will always appreciate any effort to keep them informed, and should you ever have an opening for them in the future, you’ll be glad you didn’t burn that bridge. 

A possible solution…
One final thing I want to mention that someone brought up, and which could also help with the whole ‘too many applicants to respond to’ debacle…One commenter asked, “How hard is it to have a blanket rejection response that lets you off the hook?” It’s actually not hard at all, you’d find if you read my colleague Amy Chulik’s post about ”My Letters”, one of CareerBuilder’s Free Tools You Can Use, which enables hiring managers and recruiters respond to applicants effortlessly to let them know the status of their application.

If you’re a Resume Database customer and haven’t tried this application, yet, I suggest you at least give it a try – after all, it’s free for you and could save you a lot of time in the long run.  On the other hand, if you have used this application, feel free to give us your thoughts in the comments section below.

In CareerBuilder’s recent interview with Ben Roth, founder and chief executive officer of Roth Staffing Companies, L.P., Ben revealed his thoughts on the “three circles of the hedgehog,” his advice to other companies on how to create a values-driven company, the importance of his company’s “Ambassadors” in driving employee engagement, and more.

What was the mission you set out to accomplish when you created Roth Staffing?

Roth Staffing Companies opened its doors on August 15, 1994 with one office in Newport Beach, California. Anyone who has opened a business knows the excitement and trepidation that comes with those first days. From the start, I was faced with the challenge of operating within what some perceive as a mundane industry. “Aren’t all staffing companies the same?” I had already been in the industry for more than a decade and I knew that the best was yet to come. Our mission was to truly be different and better. We knew from the beginning that we were limited only by our own creativity, vision and ethics.

Many of the key philosophies of Roth were based on enhancing the lives of the people we serve, making our first priority our Ambassadors—the temporary employees who represent our company while on assignment. Don’t get me wrong, we love our customers and want to provide best-in-class solutions, but they don’t come first; our Ambassadors do. This initiative accomplished a broader social responsibility and provided our Ambassadors with greater respect and a more remarkable experience as a temporary employee. We raised the bar in the level of benefits offered to our Ambassadors. We offered benefits that equaled those provided to full-time employees. The bottom line is, we treat our Ambassadors like full-time employees, so they perform with the same passion and engagement in their work as full-time employees. The result is more fulfilled and committed talent and improved quality for our customers.

When we were starting out, our small team constantly discussed being uncompromising in our quality. We wanted to set a new, higher standard of quality and have people rave about the experience we created for them. We never wanted to be the biggest; we just wanted to be the best and to be recognized as a creative industry leader. Surprisingly, the better we became at fulfilling our mission, the faster we grew organically. After our first five years, we were ranked by Inc. magazine as the fastest-growing privately held company in America; we were the only staffing company to ever receive the #1 spot. We also won numerous awards associated with the Malcolm Baldrige criteria. Today, we operate in 22 states and out of 130 branch locations.

How have the mission and values of your company changed throughout the years?

In any business, there is a religion and science. The religion is vision and values, which define the soul of your company. The science is the systems and processes that help you fulfill your vision. As you evolve, you gain an understanding of who you are, why you exist, where you are going, and how to get there.

As Roth evolved, we brought definition to our mission, vision, and values, as well as to the purpose and promise of our company. Our company’s core philosophies are not just rhetoric, and do not simply reside in a statement on our Web site or on a poster in the lobby. Every co-worker at this company champions our philosophies. It all starts with fundamental principles such as our value statement: “Honesty, ethics and integrity guide our behavior and decisions” and “Respect the dignity and worth of every individual and act accordingly.” We work diligently to enliven these shared Values into our company and bring to life the experiences that have become a trademark of our company.

How did you go about formulating the purpose and promise of your company?

Most people reading this interview have read Good to Great by Jim Collins, so they’re familiar with the “three circles of the hedgehog” concept. This concept involves the intersection of three separate “circles” or questions: 1) What are you deeply passionate about? 2) What can you be the best in the world at? 3) What drives your economic engine? The goal is to answer these questions and use the results to guide your efforts.

At Roth, we surveyed our co-workers to determine what they were most passionate about. The resounding response throughout our company was that our co-workers were most passionate about listening to the needs of others, doing good things, always doing the right thing, and cherishing the moments of gratitude. That became the purpose and soul of our company, which is “to make life better for the people we serve®.” Staffing is a wonderful business. We have the opportunity to enhance the lives of all the people we serve – our Ambassadors, candidates for full-time placements, business customers, and our co-workers.

At Roth, we know we can be the very best in the world at creating remarkable experiences for the people we serve. This led to the creation of our brand promise, the Roth Promise, which is “We love to create remarkable experiences…every person, every time.®” We know that we either strengthen or weaken this promise each time we elicit emotions, as measured against our customer’s expectations, at each moment of contact.

Lastly, what drives our economic engine is net income. Without financial success, we cannot fund the impact we make on the lives of the people we serve.

Combine our core values with a company-wide understanding and commitment to our purpose and promise, and you get clarity of focus for our company direction and corresponding efforts that never come into question. The journey of fulfilling the values, purpose and promise is a quest to fill the gaps and create new staffing solutions, like our Ambassador Program™, that make our goals come to life. This is not esoteric, but very basic. When communicated with abundance, it allows an organization to come together and share common values, creating both a meaning behind our work and a consistency of experience for all we serve. For us, it ignites the passion which is the backbone of engagement.

Can you describe your system for measuring employee engagement?

I love this question. We created a full-time department that surveys and measures the engagement of our Ambassadors, co-workers, and customers. When I say engagement, I’m talking about people being passionate and fully-committed in all aspects of their role and responsibility. These engagement scores are leading indicators of how well our company is going to perform in the future. As a customer, you want the people who are rendering your service to be fully engaged, as opposed to not engaged or even disengaged. I am sure most leaders can attest to the difference. We are constantly working to optimize the level of engagement of our co-workers by engaging their hearts and minds, as well as those of the Ambassadors who are assigned to work at our customers’ sites.

How do you bring customers into this larger purpose of enhancing lives?

When a major airline recognized worldwide for its service selected Roth’s commercial staffing division, Ultimate Staffing, as their on-premise supplier of temporary labor, it was obvious why. Both companies shared similar values, contributed greatly to the community and spoke the same language regarding the importance of experiential management. Today, we successfully work together in sharing best practices and accomplishing corporate staffing objectives through a joint effort.

Recently, the CEO of a worldwide relief organization commented on the huge difference he observed following Ultimate Staffing’s replacement of their previous on-premise supplier of contingent labor. He noted that the most obvious difference is how we respect and treat our Ambassadors; it is the same way they treat their employees.

Most CEOs, human resource professionals and hiring managers want to do good things for people and love the fulfillment that comes with doing so. As we introduce our values, Roth Purpose, Promise, and Focus on Social Responsibility, we find that many companies are very similar in desire and intent. It makes it so much easier when both companies embrace similar values, treat people the same way and desire to create like experiences. This is especially important in a service industry as sensitive as staffing in which we assign people to work within another company’s environment and culture.

Most people change staffing providers because the current staffing company can’t provide the quality they desire on a consistent basis. All other concerns are a distant second to quality. The processes we design go beyond rhetoric, allowing the co-workers and Ambassadors of our operating divisions to gain a better understanding of quality and have a roadmap to successfully deliver remarkable experiences. It’s all about becoming one with the companies you serve.

What advice would you give to other companies on how to go about creating a values-based or visionary company?

The most successful companies understand the importance of vision, values, purpose, promise, engagement and what you can be the very best at. It’s a matter of formulating these concepts, communicating effectively, hiring people who share the same passions and aligning the process and technologies to support it. My advice to any business leader is to understand the essence of your company, realize all companies have a soul and define what you want that to be. [Then], cultivate it and nurture it. Business success flows when you create something unique and meaningful that you and all others associated with it are going to be proud of. The other parts always fall into place.

About Roth Staffing

Roth Staffing Companies is one of the nation’s leading staffing companies.  Roth Staffing Companies provides both temporary and temporary-to-hire placements, direct hire placements, and on-site staffing services for thousands of clients in a wide-range of industries. Recognized as a creative industry leader and celebrating 15 years this year, Roth is one of the largest privately-held staffing companies in the United States. For more information on this unique company and its specialized staffing divisions visit www.rothstaffing.com, www.ultimatestaffing.com, www.ledgent.com and www.adamsmartingroup.com.

One in five workers (22 percent) surveyed who were laid off from full-time jobs in the last 12 months landed new jobs with small businesses. Another 59 percent said they are interested in working for a small business. And 29 percent of workers are getting the entrepreneurial bug and considering starting a small business of their own. With those kinds of numbers, it’s not a surprise that small businesses account for most of the nation’s new job creation, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Small businesses will play a critical role in the rebuilding of the U.S. job market,” said Brent
Rasmussen, President of CareerBuilder North America. “As drivers of innovation, small
businesses will help to re-energize the economy and support recovery efforts. In turn, workers
will find that working for a small business can provide a wealth of experience in a variety of
roles, a competitive compensation structure, a flexible work environment and more.

When asked why they wanted to work for a small business (in addition to job growth potential), workers gave the following reasons:

• A family-like work environment –- 56 percent

• More employee recognition –- 49 percent

• A sense that you can make a  difference –- 48 percent

• An absence of corporate red tape –- 46 percent

Small business out there, have you had an influx of formerly laid off workers recently? Do you look to these workers as a valued part of your future organization?