Month: June 2011 (Page 3 of 4)

      How to Find $100K+ Staffing Agencies

      June 9, 2011 /

      $100K+ staffing agencies are easy to find if you know where to look and what to look for. The first place to check is with friends, family, and co-workers. Referrals are the absolute best way to locate top agencies. If a friend, family member or co-worker has worked with an agency with good results, chances are the agency is reputable and good at what it does. If you have trouble finding a referral, you can always use your favorite search engine to locate $100K+ staffing agencies. The only issue is, once you locate several agencies, you’ll have to do your homework.

      The first thing to remember is that $100K+ staffing agencies are not always so obvious. Use the search term “executive staffing agencies,” “executive recruitment firms,” or “executive head hunters.” Agencies that handle senior-level clients (and others) are also a safe bet. After locating several firms check their status with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You can find out if they’re BBB accredited, how they rate, and if there are any complaints against them. You can also find out how long the service has been in business, the type of business, licensing information, and other background information,

      After researching the company, give them a call or schedule an appointment to meet with them. Ask about success stories, what the process entails, and the time frame. If they don’t offer a definitive answer, then it might be a good idea to move on to next agency on your list. During your first meeting, it’s also important to make sure you’re clear about any fees that you may be charged. Again, if the answer is vague, try the next agency on your list.

      Besides using your favorite search engine to find $100K+ staffing agencies try directories such as Searchfirm.com or Onlinerecruitersdirectory.com.

      Your Business, Your Career, Your Compensation, Your Network, Your Workplace

      Being a WAHM (work at home mom) is the new black: Tips for Productivity Management

      June 8, 2011 /

      It seems everyone’s doing it – or trying to. A work-at-home mom, or dad, is now the in thing to be! Although many feel that this is the best way to have it all, it can become a difficult juggling act. Between managing the kids’ activities, running a household and doing a million and one favors for people who think you have unlimited time because, after all, you’re at home all day, finding time to actually work can be harder than you think. To become a successful WAHM, try to add a few of these productivity management strategies to minimize the interruptions and actually get a little work done:

      Learn to Say No – and Mean It

      Somehow, the working mom has forgotten how to say this important little word. To others, WAHM status means that you should be able to pick up their packages, let in the repair man, and water their plants. After all, you’re home all day. What else do you have to do besides lounge around watching your soaps? Don’t feel guilty about telling them you just can’t fit it in – or better yet, ask them to do YOU a favor!

      Get Off the Phone!

      This might mean turning the ringer off and shutting down the cell phone, but staying on the phone for non-business purposes is a big time killer. How often does your mom, your sister, your BFF, or your not-so-BFF keep you tied up discussing their drama-of-the-day? If you add it up, this could amount to half your workweek. Let them know you care. Book a lunch date. Just get off the phone!

      Work When it’s Best for You

      By getting out of the 9-to-5 rut, you’ve set yourself free to work at any hour of the day. If you’re an early riser, get up before the kids do and take advantage of your most productive hours. Likewise, there’s nothing wrong with night-owls who stay up and work until the wee hours of the morning. You’ll enjoy your day and get more done when you listen to your body’s natural rhythm.

      Stop Procrastinating

      If you never manage to get certain things done, try a few ways to end the procrastination. Some people get more done if they make a list and check things off as they do it. For others, it works better if they do the hardest things first. Remember that sometimes it’s just a matter of getting started. Once you get on a roll, you’ll be amazed at how much you can actually get done.

      Get Organized

      Have you ever noticed how much better you feel when your home or work area is well organized? Make a habit of straightening up every night and putting everything back in its place. While no one expects a perfectly spotless house all the time, this little habit will keep things under control and let you start your day in the right frame of mind. While you’re organizing, don’t forget to assign a few chores to your kids and partner.

      Before you know it, your WAHM lifestyle will be more productive than ever. What’s your favorite WAHM tip?

      Your Career, Your Workplace

      So What’s the Deal with Life Coaching?

      June 7, 2011 /

      Life coaching may sound like a fad, but this service and profession has actually been around for more than 17 years, and each year its popularity grows. An example of this growth can be seen in the International Coach Federation. Established in 1995, the International Coach Federation (ICF) is the largest organization of its kind. The purpose of the organization is to build, support, and preserve the integrity of the coaching profession, foster the development of the community of coaches worldwide, maintain and enhance the standards and practices of the coaching profession, and support members in creating a successful coaching practice.

      ICF has more than 11,000 members, up from 2,122 its first year. In 2006 alone, membership grew at a rate of 200 new members per month. Today, ICF members live in 80 countries and the organization continues to grow.

      ICF is just one example of how popular life coaching has become. This multi-million dollar industry has welcomed a number of psychiatrists and counselors over the years that coach thousands of clients in the areas of relationships, personal growth, careers, and more. It is important to note, however, that not all life coaches are psychologists. There are no requirements to become a life coach, so beware. More on this later.

      A life coach is an individual that works one-on-one with a client to help him achieve his goals. They do this by helping clients fine tune goals, by encouraging personal growth, and by creating a behavior modification plan. As stated earlier, not all life coaches are counselors or psychiatrists. The ones that are (and are not) do not revisit past events in an attempt to heal the wounds of the past. They do not handle mental health issues. The goal is to help clients improve their relationships, careers or family life.  Simply put, life coaches help mentally stable clients move forward in their lives.

      When searching for a life coach, there are a few things to consider. Life coaches are not regulated. Many life coaches go through a training program, which are available across the country, but no one national standard for certification exists. The International Coach Federation has its own credentialing program and so far, its graduates are considered among the best. In addition to certification by an association such as ICF, you should ask for two to three references, how long the coach has been practicing, how many people they’ve worked with, and ask about success stories.

      It couldn’t hurt to use your favorite search engine to see what you can dig up on the coach or his practice. If it’s an established business, it may be listed with the Better Business Bureau. If so, check the company’s rating and you can also check for consumer complaints.

      Your Career

      How to Locate Light Industrial Staffing Agencies

      June 3, 2011 /

      Light industrial workers are a valuable asset in the manufacturing industry and many others. They work on assembly lines, in inventory control, in shipping and receiving, materials handling, construction, and more. The difference between light industrial and industrial workers is experience, training, and certification. Some light induistrial workers may be working toward a certificate or degree in a specific field or they may use the agency as a way to gain valiable experience. Others may be perfectly happy working temporary or long-term assignments that do not require a degree or certification.

      Light industrial workers of all skill levels can find work by combing the want ads and submitting applications on their own, or they can sign up with a light industrial staffing agency. Light industrial staffing agencies can be found all over the U.S. Some operate locally while others are operate nationwide. These agencies may sign temporary workers only, workers looking for permanent employment or both.

      Some of the most well-know light industrial staffing agencies include Kelly Light Industrial Services, Minute Men Staffing Services, and Link Staffing.

      Kelly Light Industrial Services has been in business since 1946. They have offices across the U.S. and they hire:

      • -Assembly Workers
      • -Food Services Employees
      • -Inventory Technicians
      • -Maintenance Technicians
      • -Materials Handling Technicians
      • -Packaging Employees
      • -Shipping and Receiving Workers
      • -Quality Control Specialists
      • -School Custodians

      Kelly is headquartered in Troy, Michigan and they hire light industrial workers for temporary, long-term, and permanent positions.

      Minute Men Staffing Services has been in the staffing business since 1968. This service places temporary and long-term employees in jobs in manufacturing, construction, sanitation, and more. The Minute Men headquarters is located in Cleveland, Ohio, but it has staffing offices in Michigan, Illinois, and Cincinnati. Minute Men workers work all throughout the Midwest and beyond.

      Link Staffing Services has branches across the U.S., but it’s main iffice is located in Houston, TX.  Since 1980, Link Staffing has provided light industrial workers for all industries from manufacturing to construction. Link hires workers for temporary, long-term, and permanent positions. Locations include California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.

      To locate more staffing agencies, use your favorite search engine. Be sure to review the “About Us” page carefully to learn as much as you can about the company and to make sure the company has been in business for awhile. You can also check with the Better Business Bureau to see how the company rates.

      Your Career, Your Workplace

      New Rules are out for for-profit colleges

      June 2, 2011 /

      We’ve been highlighting some of the troubling news stories about for-profit college scams, and we’ve welcomed the notion of new rules governing the industry.

      The new rules from the Obama administration are out, but they’ve been scaled back a bit from the initial proposed rules.

      The Obama administration on Thursday issued a series of highly anticipated regulations aimed at cracking down on for-profit colleges and other career training programs that leave students saddled with unmanageable debts and contribute to an unequal share of federal student loan defaults.

      The final rules issued by the Department of Education, however, are significantly less stringent than a draft version released last year, giving college programs an additional three years to come in line before possibly losing access to lucrative federal student aid dollars. The changes come after an unprecedented lobbying and campaign finance offensive over the past year by the for-profit college industry, which derives a vast majority of revenues from federal student loan and grant programs and has sought to protect that income by gaining influence in Washington.

      Education Secretary Arne Duncan said the changes came after discussion with “lots and lots of different folks,” not just the industry, and he pointed out that the colleges were not unanimous in their suggestions for changes.

      “What we really wanted to do was give people a chance to reform … this was not about ‘gotcha,'” Duncan said. “We tried to be very thoughtful, very reasonable and give people every opportunity to succeed, but be very clear where we wouldn’t permit ongoing failure.”

      The intense lobbying campaign helped the industry, as the rules are weaker. You can check the article for the details. Lobbyist hacks like Lanny Davis did their job.

      That said, this is a decent first step. It’s appropriate that the schools have a time frame to remedy problems, and this should help weed out the worst abuses.

      Meanwhile, 10 states have opened a joint probe to look into the marketing practices of for-profit colleges, so we might yet see some interesting developments in this area.

      The key here is you have to do your research before enrolling in one of these schools and taking on a mound of student debt.

      Your Education

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