(Editor’s Note: This is the next in a series of guest blog posts about contract staffing, courtesy of Top Echelon Contracting, the recruiter’s back-office solution.  Similar posts will appear in future issues of The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog.)

With unemployment remaining steady around nine percent, the perception is that companies simply aren’t hiring.  But there are, in fact, many companies that say they are interested in hiring, but can’t find workers with the right skills.

How can that be when, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are an average of 4.7 unemployed people for every vacant job?  In a previous blog post, we talked about how employers are asking recruiters for more candidates even after the recruiter presents a great prospect because, with the unemployment rate so high, they don’t just want “great,” they want the “perfect candidate.”  But some experts are saying that this quest for perfection stymies the hiring process way before the interview process.

Specifically, hiring managers are over-emphasizing skills, certifications, and experience in specific roles in their requirements for open positions, according to Lou Adler, CEO and founder of talent management consulting firm The Adler Group.

“So if you’re focused completely on specific skills and experience, you’ll end up with average people and exclude the high potentials, who have a broad mix of skills,” Adler said in the Human Resources Executive Online article, “A Shortage of Talent? Really?”  “A better approach would be to define the work before you define the person you’re looking for, and then look for people who have done comparable work in comparable industries.”

But the problem is that employers don’t want to take the time to train those types of people, Peter Cappelli said in his Wall Street Journal article titled, “Why Companies Aren’t Getting the Employees They Need.”  They want someone who can perform the job immediately without any training.  Cappelli said these employers are creating a “catch-22,” where in order to get a job, candidates must already be doing essentially the same job.

So what’s the solution?  Cappelli said that employers need to give up on finding the “perfect candidate” and instead find someone who could do the job with just a little bit of training.  He advocates extended probationary periods during which the company could pay a little less until the worker is up to speed.

This is similar to the advice we’ve provided in previous articles about employers’ “perfect candidate” mindset.  You might be able to get your clients to give great candidates a chance by allowing them to “try-before-they-buy” with contract-to-direct arrangements.  In this scenario, the worker you place with them is employed by a contracting back-office, such as Top Echelon Contracting, during the trial period.  During that time, the company saves money because they don’t pay for the employer share of taxes, employee benefits contributions, unemployment or Workers’ Compensation premiums, etc.

Better yet, if the candidate is not working out, your client won’t feel like they have to keep investing time to develop them, like they would if the worker was an employee.  They can end the contract assignment and try someone else.  By giving candidates who have potential a chance, your clients might find themselves with a talent surplus rather than a talent shortage!

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888.627.3678
DFledderjohann@TopEchelonContracting.com
Connect with Debbie on LinkedIn.
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(Editor’s Note: This is the next in a series of guest blog posts about contract staffing, courtesy of Top Echelon Contracting, the recruiter’s back-office solution.  Similar posts will appear in future issues of The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog.)

While the recession has supposedly been over for quite some time, many people are still feeling its effects. And it is quite possible that Baby Boomers are having the hardest time bouncing back.

A recent U.S. News & World Report article examines “The Recession’s Impact on Baby Boomer Retirement.”  Here are some of the key take-away points from the article:

• Although the recession affected all age groups, Baby Boomers may not have enough time to rebuild their retirement savings, forcing many to put off retirement.
• On the other side of the coin, some were forced into early retirement because they were unable to find new employment after losing jobs during the recession.
• This has caused household income for those ages 55-64 to fall by 6 percent.

As a result, employers need to be ready for older workers who are either remaining in the workforce longer than expected or who are returning to the workforce on a part-time basis to supplement a less than sufficient retirement income.  A recent Staffing Industry Analysts article listed policy issues that employers will have to re-examine in light of this trend.  At the top of the list?  Offering “more flexible work patterns,” including telecommuting, consulting, and reduced hours.

This all plays into the retiree re-staffing trend we have been reporting on for the past couple of years.  By bringing older workers in a on part-time, consulting, or contract basis, employers can gain or retain these workers’ knowledge, while the workers can supplement their income and remain active on a more flexible basis so they can enjoy other activities and time with their family.

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888.627.3678
DFledderjohann@TopEchelonContracting.com
Connect with Debbie on LinkedIn.
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(Editor’s Note: This is the next in a series of guest blog posts about contract staffing, courtesy of Top Echelon Contracting, the recruiter’s back-office solution.  Similar posts will appear in future issues of The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog.)

Like they often do with unemployed candidates, employers tend to automatically eliminate any candidates deemed to be overqualified.  Employers assume that overqualified candidates will not be satisfied and, as a result, will not stick around long.

But according to a recent Business News Daily article, employers who blindly dismiss all overqualified job candidates could be putting themselves at a competitive disadvantage.  A recent study discussed in the article found that if these candidates are given challenging assignments, they can have a positive impact on a company.

According to the article, overqualified candidates can thrive in complex positions where they:

• Can freely make decisions
• Coordinate or lead others
• Be responsible for the outcomes of their work actions

Hmmm . . . those sound like common attributes of contract assignments.  Contractors are often brought in to take on challenging projects where they are expected to have the knowledge and skills to get the job done without a ton of oversight.  They usually decide the best way to get the job done and are responsible for the successful final outcome of a project.  Sometimes, they are even project team leaders.

Better yet, for overqualified candidates who crave a constant challenge, contracting is the perfect solution because contract assignments are only for a specific period of time.  When the project is done, they can move on to a new assignment, where they can once again put themselves to the test.

If you have candidates you are having trouble placing due to the perception that they are overqualified, you may want to consider offering them as contractors.  What may be considered a weakness in a direct-hire situation could be a great asset in a contractor.

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888.627.3678
DFledderjohann@TopEchelonContracting.com
Connect with Debbie on LinkedIn.
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Let’s face it . . . when it comes to “Crazy Recruiting Stories,” candidates are usually at the center of the pandemonium.  In other words, they’re often the source of it—and whatever stress that it produces for the recruiter (or recruiters) involved.

This week’s installment of “Crazy Recruiting Stories” is no different.

In fact, we have a triple-header of such tales, all courtesy of Preferred Member recruiter Rebecca Kohn of Affinity Executive Search.  Kohn works in the Agriculture, Animal Science, and Food Processing industries, among others, and she’s encountered her fair share of pandemonium in regards to candidates.

She was good enough to share three uber-short stories with us that illustrate the integral role that candidates often play in the unpredictable world of recruiting.

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“I once had a candidate who had an unusual request before agreeing to an interview.  She needed to make sure that she could park her trailer full of livestock for the interview.

“I once had a candidate who was rejected because he referred to somebody as a ‘knucklehead’ and a ‘good ol’ boy.’  That didn’t go well.

“I once had a candidate who had his license taken away for drunk driving.  He then went on a two-hour drive to interview with a company.  He drove there without a license, and then he outright told the company about it.  Needless to say, he didn’t get the job.”

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Remember, there are three ways you can submit your “Craziest Recruiting Story”:

1. You can email your story to marketing@TopEchelon.com.
2. You can post the story by including it in the comments section at the end of this blog.
3. You can give me a call and relay your story to me.

The deadline for submitting your “Craziest Recruiting Story of 2011” is midnight on Saturday, December 31.  We’ll announce the winner during the first part of January in The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog and the Recruiter Training Blog.

Keep those “crazy” stories coming!  (We can never get enough.)

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330.455.1433, Ext. 125
MDeutsch@TopEchelon.com
Connect with Matt on LinkedIn.
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(Editor’s Note: This is the next in a series of guest blog posts about contract staffing, courtesty of Top Echelon Contracting, the recruiter’s back-office solution.  Similar posts will appear in future issues of The Pinnacle Newsletter Blog.)

The tough economy seems to have hit older workers particularly hard, and age discrimination claims are rising as a result.

According to an msnnbc.com article, age discrimination claims have hit record levels.  Citing Equal Employment Opportunity Commission statistics, the article states that claims have risen steadily from 16,000 in 2006 to 23,000 in 2010.

This is not surprising, considering the unemployment statistics regarding older workers.  Those age 55 and over are unemployed for an average length of 52.4 weeks.  The average is just 37.4 weeks for younger workers, according to AARP employment data cited in the article.  Also, more than half of the unemployed older workers are considered “long-term unemployed,” meaning they have been out of work at least 27 weeks.

Older workers are often the first to go in layoffs because they are usually the highest-paid workers.  They are also often overlooked for new jobs because employers (usually incorrectly) assume that older workers are less productive, are harder to train, are frequently absent, and invite higher health insurance costs.

On the flip side, more savvy companies realize that older workers come with a wealth of knowledge and often strong work ethics.  They are tapping into that knowledge base through a trend called retiree re-staffing, where companies retain or bring in older workers on consulting or contract assignments.  These arrangements are good for the workers, too, many who are not able or not willing to retire completely, but want a more flexible work arrangement than traditional full-time employment provides.

Older workers can find companies that will value the knowledge and experience they have to offer, but they may need to think outside the traditional work model to which they’re accustomed.  You can help them do that by providing contract opportunities where they can continue to contribute their expertise.

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888.627.3678
DFledderjohann@TopEchelonContracting.com
Connect with Debbie on LinkedIn.
Follow Debbie on Twitter.