Archive for June, 2010

Job Seekers: Utilize Local Resources

June 30, 2010 · Filed under Uncategorized

Everyone is experiencing the tough employment climate in the region. One benefit you have in East County is the great local resources at your disposal. If you have not already visited these locations seeking career advice, please do so. If you have not had a professional review and help you update your resume these places can help. In the current job market your first impression may be your last. I recommend you use the resources available to you locally to help you make the right first impression!

East County Career Center
924 East Main St.
El Cajon, CA 92021
– They offer a Job Search Workshop Mon-Fr 8am – 12pm (5 sessions lasting the whole week)
– They are open to the public, and free of charge.

Spring Valley Career Center
located in the Spring Valley Library
836 Kempton Street
Spring Valley, CA
– Offering employment advice, interviewing skills, resume review, and career assesment.

Professional Development Academy at your local community college
– offers training in Frontline, Customer Service, Supervision and Leadership.

Online Sources
– Careerlink Inventory – asseses good ideas for your future careers.
– California Career Videos – allows you to see average pay rates, description and video of the job you are thinking of.
– Grossmont College Job Search Resources – offers resume writing packet, tips for interview, writing a cover letter, and application basics.

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Staffing Jobs on the Rise in June

June 28, 2010 · Filed under ASA, WRC

According to ASA’s Staffing Index
Weekly Report:
Jun 7–13, 2010
During the week of June 7–13, 2010, temporary and contract employment increased 1.96%, pushing the index up one point to a value of 90.

At a current index value of 90, U.S. staffing employment is 30% higher than the level reported for the first week of the current year and is 25% higher than the same weekly period in 2009.

The staffing industry jobs have been growing more rapidly than private sector jobs since April. When asking ourselves why, we find that the answer is in our own pitch. For decades we’ve been educating our clients that the use of a temp or contract worker during peak seasons is easier and less expensive then hiring directly.

During the recovery of our economy, it is likely that business will pick up, but not enough to rehire the staff who’ve been layed off. In this situation hiring a short term employee through an agency will help process the additional work load, but not committ you to a long term employment relationship. If things slow down again, you can end the assignment.

Using an agnecy can also help the hiring process when it is time to fill those positions left empty by the recession. When business improves you will be busy, and yet you want to have time spent determining the best person for your staff. Working with a recruiter will give you the peace of mind that the position is being filled with the best available candidate.

When you are ready to re-fill your staff, look to a WRC Certified, ASA Member, staffing company to find the person that will fit with your company and meet your goals. In the San Diego area we hope you’ll cosider XL Staffing.

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Job Seekers: Facebook, why it can hurt your chances

June 24, 2010 · Filed under Facebook, Job Seekers, New York Times, Social Media

I ran across a dated but relevant article this week. I felt compelled to share it with the Job Seekers who are staying tuned to our blogs.

I read “For Some Online Persona Undermines a Resume” written in June 2006 by Alan Finder and published by The New York Times.

At the time of this article web sites like Facebook and MySpace were just getting started. Today the article truer as more users and companies are using social media daily.

When applying for a job remember that recruiters, hiring managers and HR Directors are looking into your job history, education and social media profiles for “red flags”. For us this could be something that shows you left a job for reasons other than what you explained to us or that you show poor judgment in your personal choices.

When searching for a job, you’ll want to make sure that any internet profile has been “cleaned up”. Be sure it’s something you wouldn’t mind showing your grandma. This includes your status message, your photos, pages you are fan of and groups you join. If friends post items that would portray you in a negative light to a future employer, ask them to remove it.

The sad truth is, you may never know why you didn’t get called in for the interview, or why the job was given to some one else. One possibility is that it was your social media profile.

Here are some tips to help you prepare for your job search:

1) Set privacy settings on social media tools, Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, Foursquare and others.
2) Remove all comments, statuses, friends, fan pages and photos that would cause a future employer to have a poor first impression of you.
3) Create and maintain an accurate LinkedIn Profile. Recruiters will compare your resume to this, so be accurate in both places.
4) Use your given name or proper alias in emails and social media. sxygrlsd@xyz.com is not professional.
5) If you are working with a recruiter, ask them to search you and give you pointers on cleaning up your online appearances!

Happy Job Hunting!

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Team XL Thanks It’s Military Employees and Families

June 4, 2010 · Filed under Uncategorized

XL Staffing and Excell Security have always been happy to hire men and women who have served our country. After the attacks on 9/11 we were proud of the more than 30 employees who deployed to help defend our borders.

We were happy to observe the Memorial Day holiday with our own loved ones, and think about the committment that our Armed Forces give. Not only those deployed but thier own loved ones who are left behind. Thank you!

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