Careers Employment Center - Employment services and jobs

Every employer has this inner desire to have the best work force in the industry. It is so because an up to mark labour force transcends to a better performance of the company. This necessitates every employer to do everything possible in order to recruit the best employees among the many applicants. In every pool of applicants for any advertised job by any company, many potentials employees have similar qualifications and in skills and it become hard for the employer to sieve for the best. Thanks to pre-employment testing program, this has softened and lifted all this hassle from the employer. The employer can execute the programs available through online or physical means.

Pre-employment testing program is a comprehensive tests performed on potential candidates to assess their quality and whether they meet the job requirements. This program has become very prominent in recruiting agents due to its high screening ability. However, due diligence is imperative in executing the program, for better results. The user should base the ultimate choice of the best employee only on merit and not either ethnicity, racial, religious or regional basis. The tests performed encompasses all the individuals dimensions and may include personality tests, medical examinations, background and credit checks, cognitive tests, talent assessment tests, drug tests and physical exams among others.

Drug tests

These are tests performed on the potential employee to check whether the candidate is in drugs, which can harm his or her health, or affect his or her performance. The test includes alcohol testing, urine test, saliva drug and sweat drug screen tests.

Cognitive tests

Cognitive tests measure the level of reasoning accuracy and speed arithmetic skills, candidates reasoning and memory capacity. This will ensure that the employer settles on the right candidates with high cognitive quality, which means that the candidate can perform well in the organisation.

Personality tests

Personality tests assess the conduct of a candidate given certain circumstances and his or her behavioral aspects in different situations. In addition, it assesses a person's disposition or degree of certain traits. This gives the employer an idea about the best management or leadership style to use for different employees.

Medical examinations and background tests

Medical examination gives an overview of the candidate's health. It includes blood screening for various diseases and the metabolic functionality. This enable the employer in planning the medical schemes and in assessing the candidate's likely performance once placed. On the other hand, the background test gives the historical background of the candidate. It may include criminal record checks and conviction account.

Credit checks

It's a check performed to establish the candidates present financial position and his or her past financial record. It shows how well or badly the candidate can manage his finances and hence the company's finances.

Talent assessment tests

Also known as career tests, helps the employer to show how suitable a certain candidate is for certain job in offer. This helps to match the candidate with the jobs description and predict the candidate's retainability and performance.

Before hiring, it is essentially significant to opt for pre-employment testing in order to make the right decision.

Select the right employees for your business with the help of Smart Moves Inc.

View the original article here

When a business needs someone to fill-in for a staff member who is on vacation, or someone for a temporary basis on a short term project, they often turn to a job agency. The agency is able to provide workers with the needed skills, who may be willing and able to work for short periods on contracts. Employers may also use the job agency when the future of projects or plans have not been determined, and workers are hired as ``temp to perm". The positions may initially be temporary, but may turn into full-time positions, if conditions are met. The conditions can include crystallization of plans, and the worker filling specified obligations.

Many job seekers see the job agency as being invaluable in the job search. It can be the ticket to landing that full-time position. The public service is free and offers various resources. Recruiters may have contacts available to assist in opening doors that may be closed or difficult to find. Another big advantage of using a job agency is that you can try work in different industries and companies and industries, and they're also very suitable for people who may be looking for part-time or contract work for shorter periods.

While there is no guarantee that you will find a job, they can be very useful for many other reasons. To make effective use of the resources provided by the job agency, there are a number of tasks that should be completed.

• It`s best to locate and register with multiple agencies that work in your favour
• A current resume must be provided
• Complete all applications
• In some instances, pre-qualifying test is necessary
• Interview with as many agencies as possible
• Training may also be required.

The agency must suit your needs. It will be to your advantage to choose an agency that specializes in your area of work. To find the right agency, you may need to do some research. Look for reviews online and ask for recommendations from those who may have used the agency before. To increase the odds of being placed, you can register with multiple agencies, but it may take some time before you are assigned to a suitable placement. A lot will depend on what you are looking for how well it is matched to your competencies.

To be hired by the agency, you will be required to complete an application, and your current resume will be retained on file. You may also be required to successfully pass an appropriate test or pre-screening that determines your suitability for certain jobs.

When a temporary position is found, you will be notified of the job, and the assignment arranged. Positions may not be readily available, but it would be in your best interest to communicate regularly to demonstrate your interest.

Private job agencies may charge fees, which are usually paid by the hiring company, for their services, but it is also not uncommon for job hunters to pay locaters for finding jobs.

The choice of a job agency is an important decision for job-seekers. There are some important things to consider when choosing a job agency.

View the original article here

Employment agencies are organizations that match job seekers with employers. They can be both public and private. The public agencies are usually funded by some level of the government, while private employment agencies are owned by individuals or corporations.

Formation of public employment agencies dates as far back as 1650, when an "Office of Addresses and Encounters" that would link employers to workers was proposed by British Parliamentarian, Henry Robinson. He actually went on to form his own company when his proposal was rejected.

In 1902 after the establishment of Labour Act, the government oversaw the formation of the first agency in London. The program was then expanded across the nation, with the Labour Exchanges Act, enacted by the Liberals in 1909. Public agencies now exist in all developed countries to assist people in finding employment.

Employment agencies can be temporary as well as permanent. The nomenclature can be semantic, and can lead to be misleading. The agencies themselves may not be temporary, but the jobs that they provide may be temporary, where employers need workers for short term work, such as in contract employment for secretarial, bookkeeping or accounting work, or even in technical areas such as Information Technology. This is also common in many short-lived projects.

Agencies may also focus in specific areas, and provide specific services. The decision to use an employment agency in your job search is a wise one, but with the variety that exists, it is even more important to choose the right one. Important questions are should you use a public or a private agency, or should you pay for assistance in your job search. The answers depend on the type and level of service that you need.

If you are using all free or unpaid services, it may be to your advantage, to have as many agencies as possible working for you, but the process should be carefully handled to avoid conflicts. There appears to be mutual benefits to all involved in the agency area.

Employers constantly complain of the difficulties involved in finding suitable employee. Depending on the level of employment, the process can be exhaustive and at times expensive, especially for companies that may be strapped for cash. Job-seekers, may also realize that finding a job, can even be a full-time job that does not yet offer any reward, until your are employed. The employment agency is intermediary that can bring both together, to alleviate much of the pain involved in the search process.

If your business does not have a human resources department, as is the case with smaller businesses, the job of effectively filling a vacant position, can be handled by the agency. It is estimated that filling a vacant position can take up to 45 days, and cost up to 25% of the salary of the position. So paying for the assistance can be seen as money well-spent.

Employment agencies can save both the job-seeker and the employer both time and money. Competent employment agencies can use a number of different resources to find good employees.

View the original article here

The detailed state employment statistics for July 2012 have been released by the Department of Labor. The State of Minnesota's unemployment rate for the month was published at 5.8%. This is a 0.2% increase over June and breaks the 3-month trend of 5.6% (Apr-Jun). Minnesota's rate has stayed in the upper 5% range since November last year. When compared to June, there are around 6,000 more unemployed workers in Minnesota. The number of people employed in the State dropped by roughly 5,500 and the civilian workforce numbers were relatively flat. The effect of these changes was the July rate increase.

When we compare July 2012 to July 2011 we find that the current rate is still 0.8% lower than the 2011 rate of 6.6%. Comparing the two years, there are roughly 24,000 fewer unemployed individuals in MN in July 2012 vs. July 2011. Also, there are about 18,600 more individuals employed in the state. However, during the past year the overall workforce actually went down by about 5,600. These changes in the employment statistics resulted in the major rate reduction in the past year.

If we look at MN's business sector numbers for July we see the results are mixed. Up for July were the business sectors of Construction, Trade Transportation and Utilities, Financial Activities, and Leisure & Hospitality. Down for the month were Manufacturing, Information (slightly), and Education & Health Services.

Next we'll review the July the employment statistics for the big cities in MN for July 2012. Though most of the changes were small, the majority of the metropolitan areas that were reported on showed increases in their unemployment rates. On the rise in July was the City of Mankato - up to 5.3% from 5.0% in June. The City of St. Cloud rose from 5.7% to 5.8%. Also up in July was Duluth rising from 7.0% to 7.1%. The Twin Cities Metro Area of Minneapolis & St. Paul also saw their rate rise in July from 5.8% to 5.9%. A couple of cities experienced improvements including the City of Rochester (4.9% from 5.0%) and the Fargo Area (3.3% to 3.0%).

We can also see how MN is doing compared to it's neighboring states in the Midwest. States with higher unemployment rates for July include Wisconsin (7.3%), Illinois (8.9%) and Michigan (9.0%). States with lower rates are Iowa (5.3%), North Dakota (3.0%), and South Dakota (4.4%).

Later this Summer the U.S Department of Labor will published the August 2012 employment numbers for MN. When they do we'll once again review the data for the state, it's industries, and it's cities. Please remember that previously published numbers may be adjusted by the Department of Labor.

If you're unemployed in MN and looking for information please visit the MN Unemployment Headquarters.

View the original article here

Law is considered to be a field in which you can get immense intellectual satisfaction. It is considered as a highly yielding profession and there has been a steady increase in the number of youth who pursue a career in this field. Career in this field comes with a lot of advantages that are often left unnoticed by the precursors in this field.

As mentioned earlier, intellectual boost is one of the major advantages. This is because this field always keeps you close to the current affairs as well as technological advances. There will be a demand to seek adept knowledge in legal matters and gain expertise in analyzing legal matters. This will open up various research options as well.

Another important fact associated with this profession is that it has the potential to uplift your social status. As a lawyer you can come in contact with a lot of high officials and companies. With globalization, most companies have started tie ups with a lot of international institutions. The actions that happen between them are managed at one level by many lawyers of great expertise. This field is financially promising as well. We all live in legal frameworks and thus it is difficult to think of a world without lawyers. This job is all about facing fresh challenges every day and solving them to make a successful living.

The law schools prepare you to start off a successful career in this field. But the school that you choose should be the best, the one that provide you with all the court room skills that you require. Your years at one of the best law schools will help you to choose a field in which you can exhibit your potential. The available branches of law include criminal law, civil law, corporate law, family law, labor or employment law, international law etc.

There are a number of law schools across the country and most of these schools conduct tests to select the best candidates. It is difficult to get into top rated law schools. But once you get into these schools they ensure you a successful career ahead. Law school catalogues as well as reference books will help you to find the best law schools. Internet is also a perfect source for your search. Contacting law school pass outs will help you to know about the best law schools across the country as well as know more about the career in the field.

Click here to know more about NY attorney jobs.

View the original article here

A plumbing apprentice has to be aware of a number of factors required to be a good plumber.

Plumbing is a physically challenging job. The apprentice will not be able to sit at a desk all day; the job requires a lot of physical energy in order to successfully complete the given task.The apprentice will be required to work in all sorts of environments including at construction sites or at heights in all sorts of weather.

The plumbing apprentice should therefore be ready to handle any challenge that the job holds in store for him or her.

A plumbing apprentice has to realize that plumbing services are required at domestic installations as well as in the construction industry. A qualified plumber is also involved in the laying of underground drainage pipes and in the installation of sanitation systems. Plumbers also have to get actively involved in the promotion of environmentally friendly technologies such as solar heating and rain water harvesting.

A plumbing apprentice learns many things, the first of which is how to install and maintain plumbing systems and their components. They are taught how to repair and test various plumbing fixtures and appliances. The apprentice is also required to enroll in a course on basic plumbing which will ensure that the apprentice is well versed with the fundamental elements of the plumbing trade including hot and cold water systems, safety, central heating and sanitation.

A plumbing apprenticeship imparts an education on all aspects of plumbing services including the skills needed, the expectations and the daily tasks involved as a plumber. The apprentice receives a combination of structured instruction and on-the-job training working with a licensed plumber. Contractors employ plumbing apprentices for a specified term under the supervision of an experienced plumber. The apprentice usually receives wages for work. Some contractors allow the apprentices other benefits too.

Candidates aspiring to begin a plumbing apprenticeship must be at least 18 years of age. He or she should have completed high school or have an equivalent diploma. Successful completion of an aptitude test may be required before apprenticeship selection. The plumbing apprenticeship involves four or five years of study which include more than 100 hours of classroom instruction and hands-on plumbing work.

As a plumbing apprentice advances and gets more experience, he or she will be required to learn more complicated skills such as working with gas.

After completing a plumbing apprenticeship, a newly certified plumber can choose to offer his services to domestic clients or seek employment with construction companies or home renovators. Alternatively, he or she can choose to enhance their skills further by specializing as steam fitters, pipe fitters, pipe layers or sprinkler fitters.

For more information on plumbing apprenticeship and plumbing courses go to http://www.plumbing-apprenticeships.com/

Rahul likes to devote his time reading and writing on different topics. Most of the times helping others.

View the original article here

The past decade has seen a dramatic change in the way companies must begin handling their hiring practices. Where once candidate sourcing and hiring procedures may have been a simpler matter, now, given the extreme value that has been placed on company time and resources, it has become prudent that these efforts be carried out as frugally as possible, and to this end any number of new strategies and solutions have been put forward designed to enhance the employers' chances of getting the process right the first time, and to do so as quickly and efficiently as possible. Gone are the days of employers winging the candidate search and interview processes because they believe they already know what they are looking for in a new employee? Now, given this new array of techniques for success, executive search firms are taking things back to the basics to help employers discover that in order to achieve success in these processes and avoid wasting precious resources along the way, they will need to start by focusing on and honing those most traditional hiring techniques.

For starters, rather than just diving straight into these procedures without forethought and attempting to ad lib their way through the hiring process, employers will need to stop and take a moment to think ahead in these proceedings. In order to assure that the person who is ultimately hired will be successful within the organization in the long run, the employer must begin by viewing this individual not as an independent factor, but by attempting to envision where they want the company to be in X number of years and then asking how this candidate can help them to achieve these goals over time. As all successful hiring strategies do, this begins with the job description. However, rather than focusing solely on attempting to meet the needs of the present, such a job description should seek to grasp the bigger picture and how the role in question may change over time. Once such a job description has been outlined, not only will it help the employers to find the best possible candidate, but can then also be used down the line to help ensure that the individual hired stays on track.

Many fail to realize the true value of this early stage in the executive search process. However, what these individuals fail to recognize is that in the creation of a thorough job description, not only are they telling potential candidates what is expected of them, but they are also helping themselves to realize what exactly it is they are looking for in the perfect hire. At its most basic a thorough job description should include the title and summary of the position with a list of the duties entailed. Taken a step further, employers can include a list of those positions with which the new employee would be working, as well as compiling a list of minimum qualifications necessary to the role, all of which can be found easily enough by talking to those individuals who work in proximity to the position in question. Ultimately what employers need to remember though, is not to over complicate this process from the start, instead focusing on taking these issues one step at a time and addressing them as simply as possible.

"Maurice Gilbert founded Conselium in 2001 and serves as the Managing Partner. Conselium is an Executive Search Firm that offers a more personalized executive search solution for companies in search of Compliance, Regulatory Counsel and Audit professionals. For more information please email Maurice at mailto:maurice@conselium.com or visit the website at http://www.conselium.com/ "

View the original article here

Online recruitment can be used effectively for finding suitable employees, but it often comes with a heavy price that may outweigh the benefits. The Internet offers the advantage of a wider degree of exposure at minimal costs, but unfortunately, the flip side of the coin offers some serious disadvantages, where a wider degree of exposure can elicit a wider degree of unwanted responses.

Ideally online recruitment, although it offers many advantages should be combined with other available options. These benefits do not only assist hiring personnel, but they can also be of benefit to the applicants.

Employees can be encouraged to refer other employees for available vacancies. It has been noticed that there is less staff turnover with employees who have been referred. Employers can offer rewards, such as cash prizes, bonuses, or even company stock or extra vacation days for referring employees who may eventually get hired, and remain with the company for a specified period.

There is no apparent disadvantage to this procedure, but the program should be enabled with some guidelines and procedures, and the rewards should also be in line with the company policy. Another option that can be used to compliment online recruitment, is hiring from within.

The most suitable candidate for any job may be someone who is already working in the company. This can often be used to motivate other employees, when rewards and accolades are offered in return for effort and dedication. Promoting employees also shortens the training periods and learning curve, because the employee is already familiar with company policy, culture and procedures. He or she may also be familiar with the new duties.

There is a risk involved, where others employees may be negatively affected with feelings of being neglected, unrecognized and can be demoralized. Skillful managers should be trained and able to handle these circumstances where the individual's professional goals are re-aligned and the proper tools and resources are made available to assist in preparation for any foreseeable opportunity.

The working world is undergoing dramatic changes, but employers are still constantly seeking specialized skills in specific areas as the cost of developing the expertise may be prohibitive or the time needed to develop the skill is inadequate. Hiring managers can use a number of different tools for recruitment. Online recruitment utilizes the power provided by the Internet, to gain easy access to potential candidates, who may be anywhere in the world, but it should not be used in isolation.

Almost every industry is involved in recruiting online, and in some industries, the use is growing faster than others. It is used effectively to lower the budget for recruitment, and to streamline the operation of many businesses. Although there may be downsides, these disadvantages can be overcome, the process can be used in collaboration with other recruitment programs.

The process includes not only listing on job sites, but other forms of advertising such as media buying, and the entire process, can be fully automated, up to the point where the candidate is selected.

Not only is the world of work changing, but, the way in which employees are found is changing as more companies use online recruitment. Online recruitment is now also used to manage costs.

View the original article here

The job agency performs a number of different functions:
• They recruit employees for employers.
• They help job seekers to find work.
• They can evaluate the skills of job seekers by administering specific tests.
• They can also screen prospective employees.

A reliable job agency will not guarantee that you will get a job, but they can work to help you find suitable employment. In the U.K. Agencies are regulated by the Employment Agencies Act of 1973, that governs the conduct of over 17000 agencies.

The law is meant to prohibit the majority of the agencies from charging upfront fees, and it makes it an offence to publish misleading advertising for non-existent jobs. There are also some guidelines that must be followed when the experience and ability of the prospective employee is assessed. The regulations were introduced after similar regulations were passed in Germany and France.

There are also some supporting regulations that govern the conduct of the job agency. They are prohibited from withholding pay or demanding fees from workers. They are also required to give workers a written statement of the expected pay and hours of work, and a statement of the status of the contractual obligations. Agencies can be international or international in scope, and they can be of tremendous benefit to help employers in saving money.

Employers readily acknowledge that the cost of finding good new employees can be very expensive. In a volatile market, retaining skilled and valued employees, becomes very competitive, and can cost up to 30% of the first year salary.

There are a few fees that the job agency is allowed to charge. They are allowed to charge the employers for services. They may also be allowed to charge individuals for some services that are not included as recruitment-related. In some case the employee may be charged for job skills training or resume preparation. This should be stipulated in separate agreements.

Both employers and job-seeker must recognize that all agencies are not the same, and operate under different conditions. Jobs seekers are continually entering the job market, which increases the competition, as the economy continues to struggle from the recent economic downturn.

Employers can use agencies effectively when needing employees. There are three steps that the agencies employ in the recruitment process.

• The agency may already have employees on record that may be suitable for the vacancy, or they may post the vacancy to make it available to a larger audience.
• Applicants are interviewed and screened with appropriate tests such as background checks and drug testing to determine employment suitability.
• The successful candidate is hired by the agency, not the employer, except in the case of a direct hire. The salary and applicable benefits are issued from the agency while the employer determines the length and conditions of your employment.

There are advantages to the use of agencies for employers who are freed from the sometimes onerous tasks of sorting through hundreds of applicant, many of whom may be unsuitable. The agencies can ensure that only the best candidates are sent to the employer.

For job seekers, it is important to know whether, the job agency has your interests at heart. Employers should also be assured that the job agency is concerned with sending the right candidates.

View the original article here

Companies spend large, myriad sums in the hiring of new employees every year. The tally for these expenses will range across everything from the small investments that can be required in the executive search and candidate sourcing stage of the process, to the long hours spent pouring over resumes, screening potential candidates, interviewing, and finally training once an individual has been selected an brought on board. However, as good as it can be to bring new blood into the organization sometimes, more often than not employers are forced to conduct their hiring practices because an individual has left them for one reason or another. Given just a little bit of help though, companies can begin working to drastically cut their employee turnaround by applying a few simple techniques to help drive employee morale by keeping them involved in the company and making them feel inspired to strive for success.

Here, executive search firms have outlined three simple strategies for doing just that, with the ultimate goal being that by boosting morale companies can improve employee retention.

First, companies will need to work on building and sharing their own story. Most employers have little idea how much it can mean to their employees that they understand what it is that they are a part of and how they are helping to move that story forward. This has long been a strategy used by various organizations and movements to enhance the morale of their followers and members, to make them feel like they are becoming part of the story and have the desire to do their best to keep that story growing. However, now is the time for companies to begin adopting this technique as well? This can be done simply enough by weaving the company's story into their corporate culture and by feeding the story to new hires early on. Make that every employee knows the background of the company so they know who it is they are working for and why they want to help their company meet with success. Through this, you can improve executive search firms employee morale

Second, employers need to begin outlining their goals and defining their company's mission and this begins by asking what problem is it that the company needs to solve and how other might have addressed the same matters before. In order to really feel that their work is accomplishing something and that it serves a purpose in moving the company forward, first they need to be able to understand what it is the company is headed for. Understand, this is not a profits goal; say, we want to reach $X by this time next year. No, in order to motivate employees a company's goal needs to be something a bit larger and meaningful.

Finally, while we are all familiar with entrepreneurs, far too few have heard and understand the meaning of the term entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs are those special few whose vision and works can help to begin changing a company from the inside, pushing for progress and driving the company forward. Such individuals can be few and far between so it is the duty of the employer to ensure that their company's environment is conducive to allowing these employees to flourish and do what they do best in order to help uplift the whole organization through their enthusiasm and dedication.

Maurice Gilbert founded Conselium in 2001 and serves as the Managing Partner. Conselium Executive Search Firm offers a more personalized executive search solution for companies in search of Compliance, Regulatory Counsel and Audit professionals. For questions please contacnt Maurice at maurice@conselium.com or visit the site http://www.conselium.com/

View the original article here

To acquire your Alabama electrician permit and become a journeyman electrician in the state, you must satisfy a number of requirements:

1. Have four years of work experience
2. Send in the electrical accreditation form
3. Take and successfully pass the electrical certification examination

Obtaining the mandatory experience is not a challenge, and may be carried out with any number of apprenticeship programs. It is important to be aware that the AECB will offer you credit for the electrical certifications that you have from any trade college or tertiary level training course.

For one year of instruction you've gotten from an electrician program, you can attain credit for one thousand hours of work experience up to a maximum of 2,000 hours. Simply put, it is possible to do away with one year off the on-the-job experience criteria in the event that you've finished an electrician training course which lasted two years or more.

Doing The Alabama Electrician Certificate Assessment

If you want to undergo the journeyman accreditation examination, you need to complete the electrical certification application which can be found on the Alabama Electrical Contractors Board site. You are going to be required to include a Work Affidavit together with your application as confirmation of your on-the-job experience. Needless to say, you cannot sign your own Work Affidavit.

Here are the individuals who are able to fill in your Work Affidavit:

- HR Department
- CEO
- Qualified Electrician Contractor
- Electrical Engineer

The moment you've done the application and also the Work Affidavit, you can mail them in along with a check or money order for $115.00 to the Alabama Electrical Contractors Board (AECB). You will need to submit the application prior to the due date in the quarter which you will be wanting to take the examination in. Once your application is okayed, you are going to be sent an authorization letter informing you the instructions to set up the certification test.

You will have just ninety days from the day you acquire the notification to schedule your exam, which is why it is really vital for you to be all set for the examination before you submit the application. In the event that you fail to schedule your test during the 90 day interval, then you are going to be required to fill out a "re-take form" and pay out a further fee to receive a new authorization notice.

The Alabama electrical certification test is based around the 2011 NEC and also the relevant local and state codes. The examination has 110 questions and it's five hours long, and you'll need to achieve no less than 75% on your exam to pass.

Get the latest information about electrical license requirements by state, including how to get an Alaska electrical license, at ElectricianTrainingPro.com. It's the ultimate resource for electrical training and apprenticeships.

View the original article here

I will let you in on a little secret.

Like many bloggers, when I go to compose a new article that I intend to syndicate and share across the web in article directories, on forums, and through various social media outlets, I start first with a Google Keyword search. I want to know what job-seekers are after on the web.

My intentions in writing this article are to talk about ways to boost your employable skills and marketability to potential employers even before you need to find a job. In other words, a "skills upgrade." But here is the scary part.

According to Google Keywords, there are just over 22,000 global monthly Google searches for the phrase "employable skills." That is compared to 1,500,000 global monthly Google searches for the phrase "find a job." To put that into perspective with two examples, the unemployment rate in the United States is just over 8%. In Canada, it is just over 7%. That means that in both markets, there is an employment rate greater than 90%. Yet people looking for a job outnumber those looking to stay employable by roughly 68:1.

I know these numbers are approximate at best, but they serve to illustrate a scary reality - most people who have a job do not stop to think about staying employable. And why should they? It is human nature to be lulled into a false sense of security while we are working. That is why so many people live pay check to pay check, never stopping to consider what would happen if they were to suddenly lose their job. According to the last statistic I heard, less than 5% of Canadians (I live in Canada) will save any money whatsoever this year. That is an alarming statistic.

We all know of a middle-aged person who has suddenly lost his or her job, found him or herself unemployable in their particular industry, and forced to restart a career from the ground up. I watched this happen to my father as I was growing up. After working in the same position for more than 20 years, he suddenly found himself out of work one day and needing to restart his career well into his forties. Needless to say, it wasn't easy. As the expression goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Regardless of how confident you may be in your current position, I am going to outline three important and simple ideas to help you remain marketable.

I personally know a woman who was laid off from her position in graphic design. Although she was devastated, it did not come as a big surprise to me. She completed her education in graphic design in the 1970's, and I think it goes without saying that a lot has changed in that industry over the past 40 years. Perhaps the more obvious concern was despite a nice salary and decades to do it, she did not engage in any external upgrading or re-certification aside from what her employer was prepared to pay for.

One thing I would like to make clear, as I have in other posts, is that an employer gives you a job - but is it up to you to build a career. Do not wait for your employer to pay for you to get more technical training behind you, or to advance your skills. Take an evening course at a community college. Take a course through correspondence. Learn a new skill through an apprenticeship, a mentor program, etc. Volunteer to do an internship part-time elsewhere to acquire new skills. Heck, even read a book on your own. It is better than nothing! Constantly keep learning. The last thing you want to do is find yourself out of work one day with your most recent set of skills acquired decades ago. If this happens, despite your vast levels of experience, you will find yourself competing with new graduates for entry level positions.

Constantly keep up-to-date on the job market.

Do you have your resume up-to-date? I should hope so. Be prepared.

Even if you are content in your current position and you have no intention of leaving, always be aware of what jobs are in high demand and who is hiring. Check out classifieds, both print and online services like Craigslist. When a friend tells you about what he or she is doing for work, ask if their company is hiring. Attend local career fairs. See what programs are filling up at colleges and universities in your area.

Two of the easiest ways to stay job-market-ready are by creating profiles on LinkedIn and Monster. Keeping a copy of your resume online and publicly searchable is an easy way to acquire contacts and learn who is after the skills that you have. There is nothing wrong with doing this. Some people seem to feel that if their current employer found out, it could somehow compromise their well-being in their current position. Not at all. It is in fact quite the opposite. It indicates to your current employer that you are in fact marketable, have options, and that you are a commodity to them.

I am not trying to encourage you to job hop, but I do not think it is in poor taste to attend an interview or two while currently employed. Always keep your options open. Plus, imagine the confidence you would have going into an interview for a job you really don't need! This leads to my third point.

Have you ever heard that it's not what you know but who you know?

This isn't true in all cases, but it certainly can be with job-hunting. I have been hired by more companies because someone I knew was aware of my skills than by submitting a resume. After all, why would a hiring manager sift through 1000 resumes when they could just pick up the phone and call you in for an interview?

There are a variety of ways to make contacts in your particular industry. It can be as simple as going out for drinks with friends who work with a competitor, attending a local Chamber of Commerce meeting to mingle, or making connections through online forums or job sites pertaining to your industry.

Another great place to start is by staying in constant communication with references from your past jobs or other endeavors. Having been a reference for others numerous times, I can't tell you how often I would hear from a past employee asking for a reference and at no other time. This doesn't foster a very personal relationship. Pick up the phone and call your references at least once every three months. Ask them how they are doing, how business is going, what new information they have heard in your industry, who is hiring, etc. These former employers can be a vast wealth of information for you.

The more important thing to take away from this article can be summed up with a quote from Jim Collins who says, "Good is the enemy of great." It is not good enough to simply be employed right now. You need to be ready for anything. Maybe it is time you ask yourself if you are due for a skills upgrade.

__
Brent Jones lives in Toronto, Canada and spent the majority of his professional career in recruiting and sales. He currently offers job-seekers advice through his blog.

He is also the author of the successful report '7 Fatal Mistakes Made by Most Job Applicants.' It is available for free download by clicking here.

View the original article here

A certified project management professional, or PMP, is trained in all aspects of completing a task on-time, and on-budget. Sometimes, a manager is charged with overseeing multiple projects, and becomes a manger of managers. The same skills are still needed, but there is an elevated need for communication, both incoming and outgoing, to stay successful at this level.

Incoming communication can best be summed up as reporting. The lead manager must be able to gather information from each job to stay aware of their progress. Further, the professional overseeing all the projects must know the capabilities of each of the other managers, because each will have their own strengths and weaknesses.

Reports are a summary of feedback. The feedback can be technical data, or it can involve interaction with personnel. Technical data is sometimes easier to set up and track. This is usually accomplished with machinery or software. The desired data can be gathered and reported on in a variety of different forms. Usually some kind of visual data is preferred, which is backed up with actual numeric data.

Getting feedback from people can be very valuable, but somewhat more difficult to obtain. Regular meetings are one means of getting this type of feedback.
Electronic devices can also assist in getting communication. Although the feedback is immediate, it can be difficult to capture this type of data and record it. It is only as useful as the person's memory, at that point. Written communication should therefore be preferred, and a plan be put in place for correspondence to be done in this manner. Emails, text messaging, and instant messaging are examples of immediate, written forms of communication.

Outgoing communication originates from the lead manager, and is used as a management tool to achieve the on-time and on-budget goal. Effective outgoing communication should be written whenever possible for the same reasons as the incoming communications. A record of communication can be crucial when problems arise. They can serve as a means of solving the problem, and as a means of preventing future issues from occurring.

Setting benchmarks and measuring achievement toward those standards are important pieces of content to include in outgoing communication. Problem solving and conflict resolution are other important tasks the lead person must be good at. Each project starts off with a certain amount of identifiable unknown events. During the course of each project, an unknown amount of unknown events will also occur. The latter fact is treated as known quantity, and can be planned for by an experienced professional.

One of the most important tasks of a project management professional is communication.

How can this benefit my career? Consider the possibility of pmp certification and receive project management professional training online. You will discover the advantages of working in this growing industry. Find out more today!

View the original article here

You wonder what you are doing wrong but just can't seem to figure it out. The chances are that you are so desperate for work that you have become a robot and quickly zap your CV off to every job that you see adding no personality to your application. See it from the point of view of the recruiter. They post a job and receive a substantial amount of applicants. A lot of those applicants are going to have a great CV, application letter and their online resume is completely filled out and up to date. Now imagine receiving an application from someone who doesn't send their CV, a one lined sentence as their application or from what I have received before, simply -"job" - in the email body (No CV attached!). Would you hire that guy?

Job seeker competition has risen substantially over the last few years and at the same time there are still a lot of jobs out there. If you want to stay ahead of the pack and really want that job you will need to put in a lot more effort.

Due to social networking a new trend is starting where job seekers will reply to a wall post by submitting their email address or saying -"I'm interested"- in reply to a recruiter sharing a job post onto their group. Many times you will notice that these wall posts go uncommented by the original poster. If the job seeker can't click though on the job link how computer literate can they be?

When you submit your CV to a job board always ensure that you fill out as much as possible. The less you fill out the less likely you are to be found. Most job boards use some type of search functionality and the more you fill out, the bigger the chance you have of coming up in search results. Most job boards will require that you upload your CV and just because you are given this option it should not deter you from filling out your online application. Your CV attachment will be there for when a recruiter is satisfied with your online profile and they want to take it to the next step.

Having everything filled out beforehand saves a lot of time and frustration from emails being sent back and forth. Recruiters don't want and a lot of the times don't have time to be requesting CV's, requesting that you give more information on yourself etc. Remember that if you are one of 400 people that have applied to a job and even if qualified you will be dropped from the short list. You also stand a chance of not even receiving a confirmation that your application is being processed.

If you are specialised in your field or have picked up certain skills due to your job it will be worth mentioning them rather than giving them your general bullet list. If you have gained experience on certain machinery mention it in full and mention the make. You might be familiar with what you did but the person who screens your CV won't be. Recruiters won't have all the knowledge of your field and during screening your CV will be searched for particular mentions of skills. If you don't mention it in full, you will be skipped.

Specialized job board's can often have greater results than a big general one. For example, if you are specialized in oil and gas engineering your job search will bring you across a number of oil and gas job boards. Select a few and fill out your CV details as much as possible. Always have a look at the employers who are advertising on the website and especially which recruiters are posting adverts. Always read the job vacancy description. If a degree is required, no amount of desperation will get you the job. If you don't have a degree you won't get the position and probably not even a response to tell you that you don't have a degree.

To sum it up when applying to work remember the golden rule, "It's not about quantity it's about quality." You will then find you are called for more interviews and reduce your time spent on job hunting.

This article was written by David Kimberley who manages an online oil and gas job board. The advice mentioned is so job seekers can be better informed about applying for work online.

View the original article here

Businesses owners realize that one of the biggest challenges they face is finding and keeping good employees. They also know that finding good employee is not a cheap proposition. Corporation are going to great lengths to retain the most talented people the y can find. One of the newer twists to help reduce the costs involved in finding good works is to use a flat fee recruitment agency.

The flat fee recruitment differs from others forms of recruiting, in that a fixed nominal fee is set for finding the right candidates. Usual arrangements with traditional recruiters consist of the placement agencies being paid a percentage of the employees' first year salary. The flat fee can supersede this arrangement and may be more economical. The fee charged may still be based on the salary, with no additional charges, or it may be a flat fee that is applied all across the board, regardless of employment levels.

Knowing exactly what the costs are for finding new employees, can help any business departments with budgeting and planning. The fee encompasses the entire process of finding the right candidates, and it may even be more economical to hire a flat fee recruitment agency that to have your own in house recruiters.

The flat fee recruitment process is not very much different from other recruitment processes, although the agencies may operate differently. The agencies offer a comprehensive solution can help to solve employment requirements. Although it appears not to matter to the job-seeker the process consists of the employer describing his needs, and creating a job specification.

Recruitment agencies will likely have an extensive network of contacts in specific industries. They may be able to easily reach out to potential candidates, who can fill your requirements. The broad network of contacts includes professional networks t where they are kept aware of industry news, and specifically the movement of people. The knowledge gives them opportunity to find prospective candidates at a much quicker pace.

The recruitment agency is responsible for gathering contacts from applicants, after broadcasting the vacancy in relevant places, such as job boards, and appropriate industry publications. The employer can choose to receive all resumes, or the recruitment agency can filter them for the most suitable candidates. With available technology, Resumes can be sorted and ranked online, and even interviews can be arranged online. The suitable candidate, or if multiple candidates are needed, can be selected for one flat fee.

The employer saves both time and money in the process, as resources can be directed to areas where they are needed. Vacancies are filled faster, with a better control of fixed expenses in a more streamlined process. Hiring manager are now unencumbered of the task of having to sort through hundreds or perhaps thousands of resumes.

There may be variations in the process, and not all the agencies under the flat free umbrella operate in the same manner. When considering whether to use a flat fee service, employer should compare all the fees and services offered by several agencies, to ensure that there are in-line with their own objectives.

Flat fee recruitment can help employers find new employees at pre-determined costs. The use of flat fee recruitment agencies will help in controlling costs while new employees are added.

View the original article here

Secured jobs are what most applicants are in search for today. Employment agencies are here to help you find solutions to your employment problem.

As we grow older, we are drawn more into the reality that more than our job idealism, it is more important to have something to feed your family's hungry mouths everyday. So much for the much coveted idealism that we must bask ourselves in the slavery of productivity without so much regard for the amount of compensation. At the end of the day, we succumb to the harsh, cold, and biting reality that we have to provide for our families.

The difficulties and challenges posed by the need to survive moved some of our fellow working class to be involved in high-paying illicit jobs. They get good pay but they compromise their moralities. This, I think is an extreme and radical reaction to the realization that we must provide for our families. On my end, we can find alternatives which would enable us to earn big but never to compromise your moral standard.

Online employment agencies are one of the fast answers to this dilemma. Most employers are now searching for prospective employees online via online outsourcing firms. They believe that through this, they will get access to a wider pool of skilled people who can deliver results for their businesses and organizations. This is actually true since online outsourcing links the employer to a wider population of willing and skilled applicants. Because of the vastness and homogeneity of the pool, the need to compete and to put one's best foot forward to get hired is given heavy premium. These benefits all the parties involved in the outsourcing process - the employee searching client, the linking employment agency, and the competing applicant.

The searching client gets to help in this kind of set-up in such a way that the competition allows him to demand a higher standard of qualification of the people he will put into position. He is actually given the upper hand to choose who, among the pool, best suits the position. The linking employment agency benefits in such a way that it gets the best pool of people for any job that will be made available. The neutral and steady competition ensures the same that the applicants will push themselves to emerge as cuts above the rest. Lastly, the applicant also benefits in this set-up as he is forced to improve himself. The competition stretches his capacity to its greatest. Even if he don't get the job, the pressure he had to go through for one job assures him that he is a far better person and employee now than he is before.

Looking for  employment agencies in Ireland that are cost-effective? We can be of service to your recruitment needs in any location across UK and Ireland. More info can be found about recruitment agencies.

View the original article here

If you run a small business that has a setup of more than 40 - 50 people, you may need professional payroll services to ensure that your employees are paid effectively on time, while easing your work process. Payroll services are third party, outsourced companies that has a whole setup for helping you deal with payroll complexities. There are different companies providing you with a variety of services; from sending checks to conduction calculations and managing updates. Being the owner of a small business, here are a few important benefits that you could receive if you employ professionals to deal with the process for you.

1. Saves Valuable Company Time

Being a small business, you have to greatly focus on your tasks and business processes, such as marketing, acquiring customers, delivering services and much more. During such critical tasks, handling processes is a headache altogether. You would have to take out considerable time to frame the amount for every employee and figuring out how to make sure all of them gets the pay in due time. With outsourced services, you don't need to worry about spending extra time in taking care of processes, as all you got to do is hire them and let them take care of the rest. The time saved can be used on important company processes.

2. Saves on Costs

If you can't handle the financial process, you should hire a finance accountant and spend extra amount on getting checks printed, drafted and posted in banks or organizing online transactions. With professional services, you don't have to give a monthly salary as they offer all kinds of payroll services in a packaged price which is always less than the salary paid to an experienced accountant.

3. Saves from Errors

How many times it has happened when paychecks written by you have had error mistakes that have proved to be costly for your company? With professional services, you won't have to face any kind of error or mistakes as they would handle it all effectively for you with their IT technology that would help prevent any forms of serious mistakes.

4. Help Manage Company's Financial Resource

You have to keep a strong guard on all financial resources that are being utilized for the company. These services help you manage all your financial resources in an effective way, helping you organize expenditure and understanding the flow of finance. It would also be better than hiring anyone from within the company who could be prone to making errors or laundering hard earned money.

5. Help Manage Manpower

The manpower a company would waste in having financial resource managed could be effectively dealt with when professionals are hired. The people you would send to run around paying checks, delivering and posting them can be utilized for other company tasks efficiently. This way, there is more man power that can divert to other important areas of the business.

With payroll services you get excellent services all under an affordable price range. You get extra time to focus on business; save on costs as well as manpower. Perfect for a small business!

View the original article here

Being self-employed can offer you greater choice over when and where you work as well as giving you the opportunity to enjoy more flexible working hours. However, self-employment also comes with its own set of worries and drawbacks. One of these drawbacks is that you have to look after your own tax obligations, and IR35 legislation doesn't make life any easier.

If you fall within the boundaries of IR35 legislation joining an Umbrella Company may be the most tax efficient way to carry out your work as a contractor.

What is IR35?

Intermediaries legislation, better known as IR35, was first introduced in April 2000. The legislation was put in place in order to curb tax and national insurance avoidance through contractors setting themselves up as a limited company when they are in fact working as an "employee" of the company to which they are contracted. If you fall into this category you will be taxed as if you were an employee rather than enjoying the tax benefits of a limited company

When working out whether IR35 affects you, you will need to first determine your employment status, i.e. whether you are deemed "employed" rather than "self-employed" by HMRC.

How can an Umbrella Company help?

An Umbrella Company can remove the problems and increased level of taxation associated with falling under IR35 legislation.

When you join an Umbrella Company as a contractor you become a flexible employee of that company, maintaining the autonomy of a contractor. An Umbrella Company will allow you to enjoy all the benefits of operating as a limited company without the threat of falling foul of IR35.

Such companies can fulfill other contractor accountant and administration roles too, chasing payments, ensuring your taxes and national insurance are paid on time. These services will remove some of the most time-consuming factors of operating as a contractor or limited company, leaving you free to get on with your job and what you do best.

In order to join an Umbrella Company you will normally have to pay a regular fee during periods of work. How much this is will vary from company to company. Joining an Umbrella Company may not be the right option for all contractors and you may choose to set up as a limited company instead. Finding the right option for you will depend on the nature of your employment and your own individual circumstances.

An Umbrella Company can provide employment and payroll services giving you a helping hand with some of the more taxing elements of self-employment.

View the original article here

The very first issue perhaps for folks who opted to proceed on limited company contracting is the right way how to set up a limited company itself. For the contractor accountant's position, the principle factor is not truly on registration approach since it can be easily done online. The focal point is just after the limited company has already been set up due to the fact there are lots of matters that should be procured to keep to IR35, the intermediary legislation enforced to deal with tax avoidance apart from the accounting itself. The two points contractor will have to take into account is his company title and company address. The rest will be passed to his contractor accountant just because he doesn't possess the expertise of accounting.

The many advantages of having a good company name will finally help in the marketing of the business soon starting to be a household term. Company name needs to be short and catchy, attracting visual factor, encouraging connotation and relation towards the character of the business.

Relating to IR35, your accountant will, in any case, be capable to evaluate the contract involving you and the client. The way IR35 dictates the contract is this: you must not gravitate in direction of becoming the employee of the company. Also, the contract should be in behalf of your limited company and the client end-user. Not simply you may have the confidence if the HM Revenue and Customs checks your company for IR35 compliance, but yet abiding business processes will pass the appraisal with flying colours. If you don't, you will be subjected to large lump sum charges of taxes going back most likely to cover six years.

Concurrently, the important things to undertaking during the application will incorporate the Memorandum of Association, Articles of Association and IN01 Form. Memorandum of Association is composed of names and addresses of the individuals forming the limited company. Article of Association provides the power of the director and the legal rights of the shareholders and the like. While IN01 is the application form for registering the company, which includes details for the director, company secretary if relevant, shareholders and capital share if for limited company by shares. These are submitted to the Companies House.

After your limited company is registered to the Companies House, there are still several prerequisites you will need to get done. One is the annual accounts. This is likewise submitted to the Companies House and handed down to shareholders. Elements of of the annual accounts are the financial statement and balance sheet. Another will be the yearly corporation tax return. These are typically areas of the principal responsibilities of your accountant, which, in case not submitted on time, would be tantamount to criminal offense. The directors will confront the chances of lawsuit. And on conviction, they will come with a criminal record plus penalty of up to £5,000 every offence, that is distinct from the civil fines imposed on the enterprise for delayed filing.

From the very beginning towards the end, your contractor accountant would participate in a serious character for your limited company given that a big percentage of the business aspects count on accounting. Whether you prefer it or not, you should address it. Purely make it or break it.

How to Set up a limited company

Boox provides a business accounting package that includes an accountant, bookkeeping software, an account manager.

View the original article here

Payroll management is not a simple task. If you run a large company, you would have to employ dedicated staffs to manage the payroll particulars of the large number of employees working in your organization. And if you run a small business, the cost of employing dedicated staffs to manage your payroll could be too much of an overhead. In such cases, it would be wiser to outsource the payroll management chores to a service that is more proficient in the job.

You can choose a firm that has years of experience in dealing with each and every aspect of managing a payroll system. Outsourcing your payroll management tasks to services that do that job as their sole business activity will ensure that the job is done professionally and correctly.

Your company will benefit from the expertise, resources and experience of the service that has been in the payroll management business for several years. With their many years of experience, they would now be able to handle every conceivable payroll detail with accuracy and speed.

They will be able to handle everything from your time sheets to producing the year-end payroll report. Whether your payment frequency is monthly, fortnightly or weekly, they would be able to include all the statutory payments, additions, deductions and other particulars. You can focus on running your business while they deal with the task of preparing your payroll efficiently.

Employees are the main asset of any organization, and paying them promptly and accurately is essential to keeping them motivated. Any delays or errors in payment can cause a number of problems. Therefore, it is very important to let professionals handle the job of payroll management for you.

Since you know that professionals are handling your payroll, you will have peace of mind that your employees will be paid correctly. You would also have more free time which you can use towards managing your business. Moreover, you do not need to invest in any costly software to manage your payroll or train your staff to use the software applications.

Most jurisdictions are very particular on the legalities of financial particulars. When you allow a professional service to handle all these for you, you can rest assured that all the legalities are taken care of adequately.

Especially if you run a small business, you need to outsource your payroll jobs so that you can off load your work to professionals and get the job done without major overheads.

View the original article here

Knowing the law is critical for employers when determining employment status. Today many companies and workers prefer contract employment to permanent, traditional employment. While this system has advantages for both employers and workers, it also opens the door for potential abuses. This can cause conflict on both sides. Understanding the rules upfront can save valuable resources including time and money.

There are three areas of criteria to consider when determining whether a worker is an independent contractor or an employee. The three areas are 1) Financial, 2) Behavioral, and 3) Type of Relationship. While these criteria provide guidelines, it is important to evaluate each situation and ensure that each worker's status is appropriate for the work performed. Here we will take a look at the financial factors to consider when evaluating a worker's classification.

Financial control refers to facts that show whether the business has the right to control the economic aspects of the worker's job. Asking the right questions about financial control can help in differentiating between contractors and employees. Contractors and employers should ask: Has there been a significant investment by the worker? There are no exact amounts that determine significant investment, but a contractor often invests in equipment and supplies. However, some occupations, such as construction, require workers to spend thousands of dollars on equipment and still classify them as employees.

Expense reimbursement is another factor that helps determine contractor versus employee status. Contractors are more likely to have unreimbursed expenses than employees. Ongoing costs that are fixed and are incurred whether work is currently being performed or not, are especially important. However some regular employees have unreimbursed costs.

The opportunity for profit or loss is another important factor. Workers that have significant investment in tools or equipment are at greater risk for losing money. If expenses exceed income, they incur losses. The possibility of incurring a loss indicates that a worker is possibly and independent contractor.

An independent contractor is generally free to seek out business opportunities. Contractors often advertise, maintain a visible business location and are available to work in the relevant market. This is generally not the case for employees, who may have agreements with employers not to be otherwise employed.

Finally, the method of payment is generally an indicator of employment classification status. An employee is usually earning a regular wage for an hourly, weekly or other time period. An independent contractor is usually paid by flat fee per project. However, it is not uncommon for some professions to pay contractors hourly.

Contractors must file a 1099 form with each of their clients. This form is for anyone who is self-employed and it is necessary when the contractor earns at least $600 from a client. The form reports the contractor's earnings for each client. According to the Internal Revenue Service, contractors are responsible for paying taxes on their profits, not the clients that hired them.

According to Inc Magazine, the IRS suspects 15 percent of workers are misclassified. Microsoft lost a classification case because they treated temporary contractors as regular, full-time employees. Because the workers were told to work on-site, under supervision, at regular times, Microsoft paid penalties for misclassification.

Both contract work and regular employment offer benefits. Learn the rules for financial, behavioral and type of relationship when classifying and paying workers or when taking work. Learning the rules and making prudent decisions now can save time, effort and money later.

Kelli Horne is a freelance writer with Horizon Business Solutions. If you need assistance with any financial concerns, either business or personal, visit here or call 1-614-577-1700 today.

View the original article here