Adams & Garth Blog

It’s hard to believe that 2011 is coming to a close and that 2012 is just around the corner. It’s really no wonder, though, considering that the days seem to fly by in our Central Virginia staffing agency. From filling last-minute temporary jobs, to searching high and low for just the right professionals for full-time openings, to matching candidates with rewarding opportunities, we’ve certainly kept busy this year.

But while our clients needs change, and our candidates come and go, one thing remains the same – how grateful we are for the opportunity to do what we love. In today’s world and challenging economy, many people are working just to get by and don’t necessarily enjoy what they do.

Fortunately, for us, that’s not the case.

Every day, many valued clients entrust us with one of their most important responsibilities – finding and hiring good employees. Likewise, our job candidates come to us in search of help locating just the right job opportunity. These are challenges we embrace and enjoy. And we’re thrilled when our clients tell us what a great match a candidate was, or a candidate comes back to tell us how much they love their new job.

So even though the economy is still uncertain and we don’t know what’s to come in 2012, right now, we’re so thankful that our clients and our candidates have given our Central Virginia staffing agency the opportunity to do what we do best – help them find people and help them find work.

Thank you again! And Happy Thanksgiving!

The recession has certainly presented a struggle for businesses throughout Central Virginia. And, as a result, many company owners and managers have been forced to operate on a lean budget, trimming staff and putting plans for expansion on hold in order to stay afloat. But now that the economy is regaining some life, it’s time to assess your company’s health and plan ahead for future growth. Here are some questions you should be asking:

1. How is the company doing compared to competitors?

Try to find out what your top three competitors are doing regarding new markets, products, hiring, and pricing. It’s imperative that you have a handle on what your competitors are doing so you’re not blindsided by any moves.

2. Should the company be offering new services or products?

Innovation is paramount to the success of any business. However, due to the unstable economy, you may have put off any expansion plans for your product lines or services. But if you don’t develop new offerings soon, your competitors will.

3. How did the company’s sales in the last year compare to those in previous years?

While flat sales are certainly better than declining sales, now’s the time to pick up the pace and aim to improve in 2011.

4. What percentage of the company’s sales come from repeat business?

As you know, it’s much easier to retain existing customers than it is to win new ones. So you should strive to improve the percentage of repeat customers in 2011.

5. What can the company do to better serve existing customers?

Without customers, you’re out of business. So it’s critical that you make sure their needs are met and that they’re satisfied with your products and services. Make a plan for you or your sales reps to touch base with every customer to check in. Ask questions about what you’re doing right – and what areas could use some improvement.

6. Does the company need to update any equipment or technology?

If you’ve put costly IT maintenance or updates on hold, it’s time to reconsider. Even if you still can’t afford your entire wish list, start making some small and steady updates.

7. How is the company protecting against turnover?

As the economy recovers, more and more employees are starting to voluntarily leave positions and move on to greener pastures. So what are you doing to ensure you retain your star performers?

8. Does the company need to hire new employees?

Now could be the time when you should be bringing on new employees so you can get more done and take on new opportunities. If you’re not ready to hire full-time, then consider supplementing your core staff with temporary workers.

And if hiring is on your list for 2011, please contact Adams & Garth. As one of Central Virginia’s leading staffing agencies, we can give you access to the talent you need, when you need it.

Thanksgiving is a great holiday here in Central Virginia. It has all the festivity of Christmas or Hanukkah, without all the pressure and expense of shopping and gift giving. Plus, let’s face it, the food is second to none.

But Thanksgiving is about more than just spending time with loved ones and eating too much turkey and stuffing. It’s also about reflecting on the countless blessings we’ve likely enjoyed over the past year – and giving thanks for them. So, without further ado, Adams & Garth would like to take a moment to give thanks to all our clients, candidates, employees, and friends that have supported us over the past year.

To our clients, we are truly grateful for each and every one of you. Simply put, without you we wouldn’t exist. We are so thankful for your continued loyalty to our Central Virginia staffing agency and we value the relationships we’ve developed with you. We pledge to continue delivering the level of quality candidates and the creative staffing services you’ve come to rely on over the years.

Likewise, we’d also like to thank our job candidates. We know that searching for a job in Central Virgina can be a frustrating experience, especially in today’s market. And we are truly honored that you selected our staffing agency to help you along the way. Please know that we always have your best interest in mind and we will continue to work diligently to find job opportunities that are a terrific match for you.

Last, but certainly not least, we’d like to thank our internal team. Your dedication and commitment to excellence has never wavered, even during a difficult recession. As a result, you’ve helped us to not only meet – but exceed – the demands of our valued clients. We are grateful to count each of you as a part of our team and, thanks to you, we see a bright future ahead.

And of course, we’d like to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving. Whether you’re celebrating with family, or just spending a quiet afternoon at home, enjoy the day and be sure to take some time to give some thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving!

As a Central Virginia staffing agency, we know that many employers are doing more with less in a tight economy. While this approach may help you avoid layoffs, it can also lead to employees who are overworked and stressed out.

So what can you do to avoid employee burnout? Here are some tips:

Tip #1. Celebrate milestones.

When your company has completed an important project or increased sales, have a little celebration to let your employees know that they’re appreciated. Besides giving them some time to blow off steam and relax, it will also motivate them to keep up the good work.

Tip #2. Support your staff.

When you’re asking your employees to take on more tasks, make sure they have the necessary training and support to be successful in their new roles. Otherwise, you may be setting them up for failure.

Tip #3. Keep those lines of communication open.

Be clear about your expectations for each employee and address any concerns they may have. Not only will you build trust and loyalty this way, but you’ll also create a more positive culture at work.

Tip #4. Be realistic about expectations.

It’s only natural to expect more from each employee. But make sure you are being realistic and reasonable about your expectations. For instance, giving an employee an impossibly short deadline to complete a project will only frustrate and stress that employee out even further.

Tip #5. Encourage the use of vacation days.

In a tight economy, many employees don’t want to take any time off out of fear of getting laid off. But a day or two vacation can work wonders. So let your employee take vacations in two- or three-day increments, rather than a full week.

Tip #6. Hire star performers.

Now more than ever, good hiring decisions are critically important to the success of your company. Any new hires will need to hit the ground running. Bad hires, on the other hand, could seriously damage morale and productivity.

If you need help hiring star performers, or retaining existing ones, please contact Adams & Garth. As one of the top staffing agencies in Central Virginia, we can help you find, hire and retain the people you need to get the job done.

Have too much overhead? Looking to enhance your workforce flexibility? Can’t find employees with the right skills? Experiencing a high rate of turnover?

These problems sound familiar to most experienced managers. But there is a solution – and it comes in the form of working with a reputable Central Virginia staffing agency. Here’s how:

Problem #1: Too much overhead.
Solution: Consider using temporary employees.

Temporary employees allow you to convert fixed expenses to variable expenses since you only pay for temporary employees on an as-needed basis. In addition to helping you cover seasonal peaks and high demand periods, temporary workers can also help you to eliminate overtime – saving you money in the process. Plus, with a temporary workforce, you don’t have to worry about paying out benefits, such as health insurance and vacation time, since temporary employees work for the staffing company, not for you.

Problem #2: Need more flexibility.
Solution: Flexible staffing can help you meet fluctuating demands.

There are probably many times during the year when you feel either overstaffed or understaffed. When demand fluctuates, your workforce should too. With flexible staffing, you can use temporary employees to help you complete big projects, handle a peak in demand, or cover sick leaves, all without having to hire full-time staff. Then, once your need is filled, you can simply release the temporary employees.

Problem #3: Can’t find the right fit employees.
Solution: Develop a better network.

Many temporary staffing agencies like Adams & Garth have developed a network of professionals who are top performers. As a result, a staffing firm like ours can give you access to a pool of talent that has the skills and experience you’re looking for.

Problem #4: Experiencing too much turnover.
Solution: Work with a staffing agency to search deeper.

Hiring the wrong person is a painful mistake to make. But when you work with a reputable staffing agency, one that knows how to properly source and screen high quality candidates, you’ll end up with a skilled and dependable employee. In addition, you’ll also have more time and energy to focus on your core competencies, rather than posting job advertisements, screening resumes, and interviewing candidates.

Problem #5: Too small to hire an HR person, too big to do it yourself.
Solution: Outsource your HR function to a staffing agency.

Human Resources is an increasingly complex and critical function, but many companies don’t have a need for a full-time HR manager or HR department. The good news is that many staffing agencies, like Adams & Garth, provide an extensive range of HR services. As a result, you can get the HR support and expertise you need – when you need it – without having to hire a full-time HR professional.

By working with an experienced Central Virginia staffing agency, you can overcome these common business problems, as well as a host of others. Learn more today about our staffing and HR services and how we can help you.

Most Harrisonburg job seekers spend the majority of their time combing through classified ads and the Internet looking for good job opportunities. However, statistics show that more people land jobs through networking than through reading the classifieds.

So how can you leverage the power of networking to land that job and get ahead? Here are some tips:

Get connected.
With today’s social media tools, such as Facebook, it’s so easy to get in touch and remain connected with former co-workers, college classmates, and other colleagues. They may be working for a company who’s hiring, or may know someone who’s looking for someone just like you.

Talk to everyone, wherever you go.
It doesn’t matter if you’re at a cocktail party, wedding, business seminar, or on a plane, you never know who you’re going to meet if you just put in a little effort to talk to people.

Ask lots of questions.
Most everyone likes to talk about themselves. So when you’re networking, ask lots of questions. Not only will you build stronger relationships with your network of connections, but you might uncover a nugget of information that could help you land your next job.

Be a good listener.
Don’t you hate it when someone asks you a question and then starts looking around the room, not paying any attention to your answer? Well…guess what? Other people hate it when you do the same to them. So be a good listener. Ask pointed questions and listen with interest (whether authentic or not) as someone responds.

Create an elevator speech.
Create and practice a little 30-60 second overview of who you are and what you do for a living. So when someone asks that inevitable question – “what do you do?” – you have a strong and clear response.

Hand out business cards.
Make sure you always have a stack of business cards with you wherever you go. Also, get comfortable with handing them out.

Join a club.
Getting involved in a club or volunteering with an organization is a great way to network. It’s best if you join an association connected with your job interests, but not necessary.

If you’re searching for a new job opportunity in Harrisonburg, or anywhere in Central Virginia, please contact Adams & Garth. As a staffing agency serving Harrisonburg and Central Virginia, we know many of the top employers in the area and can give you access to job opportunities you won’t read about on the classified pages.

When you’re busy focusing on the many responsibilities of running a busy organization, it’s easy to let certain tasks fall by the wayside, like staffing and hiring. But did you know that you could be costing your company money every day that you leave certain positions unfilled? It makes sense when you think about the fact that vacant apartments and open airline seats cost those companies money. Likewise, an unfilled position at your company translates into a similar lost revenue situation.

It’s not easy to assign a specific cost to an open position. However, there are formulas for estimating what an open position is costing your company. Here’s one:

R = Annual Company Revenue
E = Number of Employees

Calculate Revenue Per Employee
R / E = Revenue Per Employee

Calculate Daily Revenue Per Employee
Revenue per Employee/365 = Daily Revenue Per Employee

It’s important to keep in mind that some positions are going to cost you more than others. If you have a position that’s open at your company, and you’re uncertain whether you should fill it or not, ask yourself two questions:

1) Which positions should I be recruiting for now? (i.e., which unfilled positions are costing you the most based on the estimates you calculated?)

2) What will it cost to recruit for these positions?

If recruiting costs are less than the cost to leave the position open, you need fill that position fast. Even if the costs are close, or recruiting costs more, you still may want to consider filling the position. Recruiting costs are temporary, while the cost of the open position is a daily expense.

If you need help hiring for your company’s job openings, please contact Adams & Garth. As a leading staffing agency serving Central Virginia, we can help you hire highly qualified candidates and reduce the impact of an open position on your company’s bottom line.

Some people seem to be able to make more money, get promoted faster, and become the “go to” person at their company regardless of the economy. Why is that? And what can you do to consistently achieve success? Here’s some insight:

Add value.
This is the most powerful trait an employee can possess. This means that instead of fixing that filing error, you will actually create a new filing system that helps to avoid future mistakes.

You also need to become the person that your boss knows they can hand a task off to and that you will complete that task accurately and on time, with no loose ends.

Become an expert.
Whether it’s reading an industry journal every week, or going to school to earn an MBA, it’s important to always be learning. So, ask yourself, what subject can you become an expert in for your employer?

Also, make sure your boss knows about your endeavors so that you’re rewarded appropriately at your next performance review.

Be consistent.
Be on time to work everyday. Be consistent in your performance. Be there for your employer. He or she will take notice.

Maintain a positive attitude.
A successful person sees an opportunity where someone else might see a problem. A negative attitude can be limiting, so try to maintain a positive attitude at work, no matter how tough things get. Positive words can be very powerful when communicating with your boss and co-workers.

The bottom line is that by following these tips, you can make yourself more valuable to your employer – which could lead to a bigger raise or faster promotions at your job.

If you’re currently looking for work, we want to know! As a Central Virginia staffing agency, we help candidates from Culpeper and Staunton to Harrisonburg and Lynchburg find rewarding job opportunities. And we’d like to help you.

Take a look at our current openings or contact us today to learn more.

Could your business benefit from a more flexible workforce? For many Central Virginia companies, the answer is a resounding “yes.”

The fact of the matter is that using temporary employees is a great way to improve productivity, manage increases in workload, and cover for any sick or vacation time that your full-time employees may take – all without increasing your fixed expenses.

So how can you maximize the efficiency and productivity of your temporary employees? The following tips can help:

Tip #1: Determine the required skills.
Meet with managers and those who will be working with the temporary employee to determine which skills are ideal for the position you are trying to fill. You’ll also want to develop a list of duties and responsibilities for the temporary employee. This information will help your staffing agency find the best possible person for you.

Tip #2: Work with a staffing agency that has experience in your industry.
Not only will an experienced staffing agency know where to look to find the right person, but they will also be able to help you determine things like an appropriate pay rate for a particular position.

Tip #3: Prepare an orientation guide.
Include information such as working hours, breaks and lunch schedules, any safety regulations or company rules, and contact information for direct supervisors. You may also want to assign a core staff member or supervisor to help orient the temporary employee.

Tip #4: Use any orientation information provided by your staffing agency.
Many staffing agencies can offer some insightful guidance on how to best bring temporary employees up to speed so they can hit the ground running.

Tip #5: Open the lines of communication.
Encourage the temporary employee to ask questions and make sure they know who to direct those questions to – whether it’s you or one of your managers.

Tip #6: Monitor progress regularly.
Be sure to monitor the progress of your temporary employee frequently to ensure they’re on top of the job.

Bringing a temporary employee on board at your company can offer a host of benefits – as long as that employee is managed properly. And you never know. They may even become a great candidate for a full-time opening.

If you’re interested in hiring temporary employees or just want to learn more about how temporary employees can help your company, contact Adams & Garth. As Central Virginia’s leading staffing agency, we can deliver the flexible staff you need without increasing your permanent workforce. You can learn more about our temporary staffing services here.

With competition for jobs at an all time high, the prospect of landing a terrific position in a reasonable time frame can seem daunting. While no one can tell you when your job search will end, you can certainly speed up the process by avoiding some of these common mistakes.

Mistake #1: Forgetting to put the basics on your resume.
Make sure your resume includes your name, address, phone number, email address, education, and work history.

Mistake #2: Using an informal email address.
Don’t put an email address like ilovefootball86@aol.com on your resume. Consider creating a professional email account especially for your job search with your first and last name.

Mistake #3: Having an unprofessional greeting on your voicemail.
If your voicemail greeting starts with, “Yo, what’s up?,” then you need to change it to something more professional, such as “Hi, You’ve reached Matt Smith. I can’t take your call right now, but if you leave a message I will get back to you as soon as possible.”

Mistake #4: Submitting a resume with typos.
Carefully proofread your resume each time you send it out. Don’t rely on your computer’s spell check program either because it will ignore mistakes like using “form” instead of “from.”

Mistake #5: Having inappropriate photos online.
Be aware that prospective employers can easily find those drunken pictures from New Year’s Eve on your Facebook page. How can you avoid this? Either set your profile to private or – even better – don’t post those pictures at all.

Mistake #6: Using only big name online job search sites.
These websites are a great tool in your job search, but don’t depend solely on them. Why? Because it can be expensive for some smaller employers to post jobs on them, so you may be missing out on many opportunities. Be sure to check out the smaller, niche job search sites; attend job fairs and networking events; and contact a staffing agency, like Adams & Garth, who can connect you with a variety of great employers.

Mistake #7: Submitting your resume to every recruiter, employer, and job site.
Don’t set yourself up for failure by blasting your resume to everyone under the sun. Instead, tailor both your cover letter and resume to opportunities for which you are qualified. Sending fewer resumes to more targeted leads will also make it easier to keep track of jobs you’ve applied for.

Mistake #8: Not following up after an interview.
Be sure to send a thank you note or email after an interview – even if you think the position is not right for you or the interview didn’t go well. You never know what could happen in the future. There could be a different position opening up at the company shortly that you’d be well suited for, so you always want to make a good impression.

Whether you’ve just started your job search, or you’ve been at it for a while, the employment specialists at Adams & Garth can help. Our staffing agency works with some of the leading companies in Staunton, Harrisonburg, and throughout Central Virginia, and can give you access to a variety of exciting opportunities. Best of all, our job search service is free for candidates.

Contact Adams & Garth today to learn more or search our current job openings now.