Champion Personnel System

Champion Personnel HIRING for our OWN STAFF (Sales and Staffing)

Robert Schepens — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:51:48 +0000

Our two new offices in Mentor and Strongsville are just about ready to go. Nick Rini will be our Branch Manager in Strongsville and Cheri Breen will guide our Mentor facility.

These expansion offices are the first of FIVE new offices to be opened in 2012. That is our plan, and we’re sticking to it. Business is good, the economy is cooperating, and we have the vision to capitalize on all these positive paths.

To achieve our goals, Champion is seeking 4 ADDITIONAL Sales Representatives (Business Development) AND 4 ADDITIONAL Staffing professionals (Recruiters), NOW.

The candidates we seek:

Business Development:

Our Sales reps function both over-the-phone and in-person. You will need to be highly productive over the phone, exceptional in your communications, creative, and possess the ability to “spin on a dime”. Not pushy, just persuasive. You will know that asking great questions, listening closely for answers and clues is the path to success. In-person, you will look and act the role of a solid, successful business person, who is seeking issues that your company can address and solve. You know when to close, and when to walk away for future opportunities. But on each call you are looking to be a winner. We don’t go through-the-motions. Results are critical. We want customers forever, not short-term and your attitude must be to create long-term trust.

You are intelligent, intuitive, curious and DRIVEN to win. You are persuasive and have excessive energy. You are also very trainable and will act on your accumulated knowledge … taking it to the next level.

Compensation is solid with base, commissions, bonuses and excellent benefits.

Staffing/ Recruiting:

It is okay to come from our profession, but not critical. We have found that most people who have previous staffing experience from a service have been poorly trained in what Champion accomplishes. We are seeking people who will ENGAGE with candidates, clients and our Staff Team. You are naturally able to get to know someone quickly, have great insight into people, understand “employment” and how people get and excel in their jobs and careers. We work in the Manufacturing, Technical and Office arenas, and you will be comfortable with terminology associated with those career fields and able to do a “Deep Dive” into learning more.

Most importantly, you are able to engage with and understand what people do in jobs, why they are good or not, and can “Manage” people to get hired, succeed in their jobs. You are “Street Smart”. And when you walk into a room, people notice your energy, alertness. You are a magnet.

Experience? Successful people in our company and industry have had ACTIVE jobs where there are problems to solve. They have been PROACTIVE, persuasive and decisive. Their drive, motivation and confidence have led the way. They simply NEED to get something done, goals are achieved and they work very well in a TEAM. Most have been in sales or management. None have been in fast-food, retail sales, not for profit or in some other field where they fill out forms.

EXCEPTIONAL compensation, bonuses, raises, benefits and POTENTIAL.

If you are with or have been with another staffing firm, we do things different than you. We dive deeper, are more precise, and expect you to be an “Owner” of your results. Our in-depth ongoing training will floor you. Make sure you do not have a restrictive contract. We staff Industry.

Experienced Executive Search:

In addition to expanding our “Staffing Services” we are also seeking TWO experienced “Headhunters/ Search Pros”. You know Technical, Engineering, Purchasing and Management. No need to know $125K plus positions, that is not Champion. We leave that for the guys who came from AIM Executive, the best guys in the business.

One of our first two hires will manage and direct and build a division for search (we do this now, but one of guys is retiring after 30+ years).

Contact: ras@thegreatworkplace.com

The Champion Advantage:

Champion Personnel System has been serving the Northeast Ohio employment-seeking community since 1964. We have matched over 60,000 people with “permanent” positions, filled over 2.5 million Interim and interim to Direct positions, with over 7,000 Hiring organizations. We have probably found positions for your Grandparents, Parents, Family members and Friends.

This legacy has been based in Trust.

Champion operates multiple offices for your convenience. And those locations will be expanding in 2012 and beyond.

When you apply with Champion it is our objective to match you with a position that will challenge you, and with your good efforts and our advice, provide you and your family a solid well-paying future. If that position is not available today, Champion will diligently seek the best match for you especially if you have accepted a position elsewhere that does not meet your future vision.

Your recruiter will give you job interview advice, career advice and success advice you will not find at any other service. This free service alone can help you to be successful in your own job search, in any position you accept, and in your life.

For Interim and Interim to Direct positions we pay weekly, offer direct-deposit pay for your convenience and when qualified we offer holiday and vacation pay, referral bonuses, and credit union services. With some of our larger clients, we deliver checks to the workplace.

Our goal is to help you profit by being the most productive employee possible.

Not everyone will qualify to become a Champion. We will tell you how.

When you come to see us, bring a qualified friend.

The word “Champion” means: “One who fights for another’s Honor” and that is our objective for you: To support you for The Best short and long-term job and career paths, even if those are not through Champion.

To learn about Champion, find our current locations, read and print articles that will positively help you in job interviews, on the job, and in your work life go to:

www.championpersonnel.com

To learn about the attributes of the best Workplaces, read content from our CEO’s book: The Great Workplace 2.0:

www.thegreatworkplace.com

To read articles specifically for the Blue Collar and New Blue Collar workplace:

www.bluecollarworkplace.com

Champion Personnel is EXPANDING to Strongsville and Mentor (And Beyond)

Robert Schepens — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:46:20 +0000

The demand for qualified Industrial, Manufacturing, Technical and Office Personnel is strong in North East Ohio.

To exceed the expectations of clients and our highly-qualified job-seekers, Champion Personnel is opening new offices in Mentor and Strongsville, Ohio and in the third quarter of 2012, Champion will be opening TWO ADDITIONAL offices in the Greater Cleveland area. A FIFTH ADDITIONAL office will be opening in October-November of 2012.

These new facilities in Mentor and Strongsville, staffed by professionals with over 30 years combined recruiting expertise will be networked in real-time with our four existing North East Ohio offices.

We will post exact location maps, when we get the keys. Until then, you can call any of our existing facilities or corporate headquarters at 216.823.5900.

In 1964 your Great Grandfather hired an outstanding worker through Champion Personnel. That same year, we probably placed your Grandmother and Grandfather.

Since 1964, over 7,000 organizations have hired over 60,000 people into Direct Hire positions and over 2.5 million temporary assignments (and Temp To Perm) have been completed through Champion in Industrial, Manufacturing, Technical and Office positions.

Now … it’s your turn.

The Champion Advantage:

This legacy has been based in Trust.

Champion operates multiple offices for your convenience. And those locations will be expanding in 2012 and beyond.

Our goal is to help you profit by being the most productive employee possible.

Not everyone will qualify to become a Champion. We will tell you how.

When you come to see us, bring a qualified friend.

To learn about Champion, find our current locations, read and print articles that will positively help you in job interviews, on the job, and in your work life go to:

www.championpersonnel.com

To learn about the attributes of the best Workplaces, read content from our CEO’s book: The Great Workplace 2.0:

www.thegreatworkplace.com

To read articles specifically for the Blue Collar and New Blue Collar workplace:

www.bluecollarworkplace.com

Champion is the recipient of the following awards and recognitions:

Weatherhead 100 Fastest Growing Companies in North East Ohio

North Coast 99: Best Companies to work for in North East Ohio

Ohio Workers Failing Drug Tests: News Herald 2.1.12. Featuring Champion’s Angela Amistadi

Robert Schepens — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:25:34 +0000

Reprint from The News Herald:

By Max Reinhart
MReinhart@News-Herald.com
@mreinhartnh

Click to enlarge

With Ohio’s unemployment numbers still high, more often than not, employers with job openings have their pick of numerous qualified candidates.

But according to a state study, some of an increasing number of job candidates take themselves out of the race by failing employer-issued drug screenings.

The trend was spelled out in the Ohio House of Representatives’ Legislative Study Committee on Workforce Development Chairman’s Report.

In the report, the committee’s chairman state Rep. Tim Derickson, R-Oxford, called the correlation of unemployment to substance abuse “distressing” and a “real issue” facing Ohio’s workforce.

“The committee heard that many employers cannot find workers able to pass a drug test,” Derickson wrote. “Some witnesses suggested that staying on unemployment or in a treatment program is often preferable to an out-of-work individual over finding gainful employment.”

The trend makes sense to Angela Amistadi, staffing manager for Garfield Heights-based Champion Personnel System, which also has offices in Mentor and Middlefield Village.

Amistadi said although she invariably comes across job seekers who cannot pass a drug test, those people shouldn’t be surprised that they’ll likely have to take one.

“I’ve been (with Champion) nine years and we’ve always done drug testing,” Amistadi said. “Even if a client doesn’t request it, we do it anyway.”

In her experience, about 5 percent of all job hunters will admit to the staffing company that they would not pass a drug screening. Another 5 percent will say they can, and fail.

However, Amistadi said those figures aren’t anything new. What has changed, she said, is the technology of drug testing and the number of substances those tests can detect.

“Back in the day there were things you could use to pass (a drug test),” Amistadi said. “Now they test for that, too.”

Also contributing to the effect is the sheer volume of tests that a job seeker may have to take.

“A lot of people think they’re in the clear once they pass our test,” Amistadi said. “Then the employer will do their own drug screening when they’re ready to take them on their payroll, and they’ll fail that.”

Dave DiBiase, a career development specialist at the Lake County Job and Family Service Department’s Lake1Stop, said the issue actually goes beyond just drugs.

“(Companies) are definitely screening more — but drugs is just one part,” DiBiase said.

Besides checking for illegal drug use, DiBiase said employers are doing more frequent and pervasive background and criminal history checks.

He says the rationale is simple: in this economic climate, employers can afford to be as picky as they want.

“The short answer is there are plenty of people who have never committed a crime who are seeking jobs and they’re going to get them over an ex-offender almost every time,” DiBiase said.

As of November, Ohio’s unemployment rate stood at 8.5 percent or 495,676 unemployed workers.

Even job hunters who fail a drug or background test have a tried and true recourse: state financial assistance.

However, multiple states, including Ohio, have taken or have begun to take steps to stop drug users who can exploit the system.

Last year, Florida’s legislature passed a law requiring welfare recipients to pass a drug test to remain eligible for those benefits.

While a federal judge later blocked the rule, which detractors contend is unconstitutional, other states have looked into similar mandates.

Lawmakers in Pennsylvania look into applying the law only for recipients with drug-related convictions. Indiana’s House of Representatives passed a bill that would require drug screenings for both welfare beneficiaries and elected officials.

Last year, former state Sen. Tim Grendell introduced Senate Bill 69, a measure similar to Florida’s.

While Grendell has since moved on to the Geauga County Court of Common Pleas, his replacement in the Ohio Senate, John Eklund, R-Russell Township, agrees in principle to the drug-test-for-welfare idea.

“Although I was not in the Senate to hear whatever testimony, if any, was offered on this bill, it strikes me initially as a reasonable effort to establish a very limited pilot program, the results of which might help to engage in a more detailed cost-benefit analysis of the use of assessments and drug testing to enhance the delivery of state aid to those in need,” Eklund said.

The concept has local support in the Ohio House as well. State Rep. Ron Young, R-Leroy Township, said the state should be able to make sure it’s not giving handouts to illegal drug users.

“If people are drawing unemployment, they’re supposed to be seeking a job,” Young said. “If instead they are doing illegal drugs then the state should have every right to withdraw that support.”

According to a 2010 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ report, 20.3 million illicit drug users ages 18 and older reside in the country, 6.9 million of whom are unemployed.

DiBiase said from where he’s sitting, these out-of-work users will continue to have increasing difficultly finding work screenings for drugs, and other red flags, that become cheaper and more accessible for even the smallest business.

“Even when the job market levels out again, I don’t think these screenings are going anywhere,” he said. “Employers are going to check because it’s low cost and cuts down on their liability.”

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QED’s Dr. Hiroyuki Fujita Honorary Guest at State of the Union Address

Champion Staff — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:10:20 +0000

One of Champion Personnel System’s exclusive hiring clients has been invited to sit with First Lady Michelle Obama for the 2012 State of the Union address, as an honored guest.

The Official State of the Union guest list has been released. Here is the section, as it appears in the release:

Dr. Hiroyuki Fujita
Founder, President and CEO Quality Electrodynamics
Cleveland, Ohio

Dr. Hiroyuki Fujita is founder, president and chief executive officer of Quality Electrodynamics (QED), in Cleveland, Ohio. Coming to America from Japan in 1988 and after receiving his Ph.D. in physics from Case Western Reserve University in 1998, Dr. Fujita chose to continue his professional training in America. In 2006 he started his own company, QED, which is a developer and manufacturer of highly proprietary state-of-the-art MRI radio frequency antennas. QED is now one of the world’s largest suppliers of these products and ships throughout the globe. In 2010, Dr. Fujita founded his second company, eQED, a solar energy-related electronics development and manufacturing company. With the founding of both QED and eQED, today Dr. Fujita is creating high tech, advanced manufacturing jobs in the health-care and energy sectors in the United States.

Direct link to original story: Fox 8 Cleveland News Report

Credits: Image of Hiroyuki Fujita originally taken by Gus Chan, The Plain Dealer (2010)

Champion Personnel “GETS” Manufacturing: International Manufacturing Expo.

Robert Schepens — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:02:13 +0000

We are excited about our partnership with the Cleveland Manufacturing Mart, host to the 2012 “International Manufacturing Conference and Expo: Putting A Face On Manufacturing”. This is a two-day conference and Expo (Exhibits, exchanges of information, Buying and Sourcing opportunities) held February 14th and 15th at the Downtown Cleveland Galleria Facility located at 9th and Lakeside Avenues.

The purpose of the event is to bring together manufacturers, vendors, knowledge providers in what many people truly believe is the center of Manufacturing Expertise: North East Ohio.

Champion is proud to support this GREAT effort for our local economy and we are excited to share our expertise in helping NE Ohio manufacturers become Great Workplaces. Come visit us and let’s talk about helping your organization hire the right people.

Our purpose is to: “Provide the Right People, Doing The Right Things, Right. And in doing so: enhance our clients’ profitability through increased workforce productivity.”

If you are a manufacturer, a vendor or a manufacturing expert seeking knowledge, vendors, expertise, or even a new career position … this is THE place to be.

For more information and complete details on the event, please go to:

http://www.mfgtradeshow.com/

The Hesitation to Implement Onboarding

Robert Schepens — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:44:17 +0000

Onboarding is defined as a system that “decreases the time to productivity and increases the level of Engagement” for new participants to the organization’s success”. This includes new hires, vendors, contractors, board and the community. Tangentially, Onboarding, when merged with your marketing and sales initiatives, can create an attractive component to finding and securing new customers. It tells the prospect that your employees are connected and engaged to their needs. Powerful. A true point of differentiation.

Onboarding content is geared toward answering the questions: “Why should I join you, why should I become invested in your organization, and on a higher plane; why are you in business (how does that concern or motivate me)? How is what I am going to do for you going to affect your customers? How can I feel that I am engaged with our customers’ reason for choosing our company?

The process is not expensive, it is profitable. It doesn’t steal time. It invests time for short and long term payback. It creates a productive culture. “Culture” is defined as “Values, in action”.

Immersion (Onboarding) answers the question “Why”, and provides a clear vision of a person’s (or organization’s) function, goals, expectations, opportunities, challenges and future. It defines values, purposes, rules, and engages an individual (or organization) in the “Vision” that pushes the organization forward. It defines each individual or vendor’s impact on the ultimate customer. It focuses productivity. It focuses effort.

Many small to medium size company executives and managers hesitate to implement a formal Onboarding process after reading how “Big” companies do it. (For the purposes of this article and in future mentions in the book, “The Great Workplace 2.0”, we will use “Onboarding” and “Immersion” interchangeably.)

Here are a few of the common reasons why small to medium sized organizations have not yet implemented a system:

1) “We don’t have the money the big guys have””

2) “We’re hiring people to do jobs NOW, not in six months”

3) “Our Line Managers won’t understand it ”

4) “Our HR department doesn’t have time to do it”

5) “We do a pretty good job of training new people to do their jobs”

6) And the most prevalent reason:

“I am not confident we have the right things in place on a daily basis. Not yet.”

The compelling reason for conducting Onboarding to the absolute best of your ability is simple: The “Social Contract” between an organization and its Participants (Stakeholders) has changed dramatically, and forever. To increase productivity (Contributions) and therefore profitability (Growth), the organization needs to Engage all participants at higher intellectual, emotional and practical levels than before.

A Participant to the success of an organization who is engaged and feels a true connection to that organization will be more positive, more productive and be more predictable than those who feel little or no connection to the outcome of their work.

Onboarding or Immersion is (simply) reducing the time to productivity, increasing the desire to be successful with an organization, and creating a “Bond” that makes high contributions easier.

It answers the question: “Why”

Why should I work here? Why should we be your vendor, other than one transaction? How does working with or for you enhance our personal or organization goals?

In talking with CEO’s, HR Managers and Line Managers about not having implemented true Immersion processes for new hires, vendors and contractors, one factor holds true on a company to company basis: Lack of Confidence in their own organization’s structure, values, and “Why work with Us”. They do not believe they can compete with other “highly attractive” organizations as seen in business magazines, award ceremonies and in investment circles: “Well of course they can get the best talent/vendors/board members. They are big, successful and can pay more”.

There are great vendors and talent out there who want the challenge of getting you to where you want to be, not just riding the train someone else has already set in motion.

The facts are, that you can, and you need to implement an Immersion process … if you want to grow, if you want to sustain.

Oh … and when you show your potential customers how your own staff and vendors have been engaged for The Customer’s ultimate benefit, you may just close that deal. It will differentiate you from a competitor. Customers like vendors who are totally engaged in pleasing them.

Next: How to create a simple, yet effective base Onboarding/Immersion program, that will get visible results. And, how to merge it into your sales presentations.

Champion is Hiring a “Recruiter In Training”

Robert Schepens — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:39:07 +0000

Champion Personnel System, Inc. is embarking on an aggressive growth path.

A component of that path is creating a new “Recruiter In Training” function that will support all Champion’s offices, from our corporate headquarters in Garfield Heights. This function will work directly with new candidates, our new database, recruiting campaigns and helping recruiters add valuable candidates to our system. And there is much more, as a person grows. This position will expand as you do, and will have a goal of becoming a full recruiter within one year. We will train you.

The individual we are seeking will fulfill all of the following profile criteria: A two or 4-Year Degree. The degree could be in Human Resources, Business or even Liberal Arts. You received this degree with purpose and are looking forward to a proactive career: you do not want a “job” or a function where you are simply processing data, information or customer service requests. You want to make a difference, want to be aggressive. You may have thought about Sales, Marketing, Management or another career path where the strength of your personality will help you differentiate yourself from people who are being more “casual”.

Your personality is assertive. You are “Type A” in that you have no problem talking to strangers, meeting new people and feeling confident about your ability to hold your own.

You are CURIOUS, and can never learn enough about something new. You look for knowledge, you don’t wait for it.

You are good with computer information, but it is not your life.

You have listened to Mentors and Parents and have developed into a future success.

You are quick on your feet and mentally are very “present”.

You will need to learn (quickly) to have an unusually accurate view of what companies do to make money, what people do in jobs, and what people do to be successful, or not, in their careers. If you have been by choice or by circumstance insulated from the business world, this is not a job for you. You will learn a ton on top of what you already know.

Unfortunately, these are backgrounds that will not qualify: Fast Food. Not For Profit. Most retail clerk positions. Retail management is good, if you have been involved in stafiing and shift assignments. Unemployed and seeking a complete career change due to your old career being under-water.

We find the best candidates for this position have a positive attitude, can evidence the ability to learn quickly and “probe to get understanding” (you need to find answers and to get at the “Root” of a situation).

The position is full time, but for a college Senior, we may be flexible.

Full benefits, workout facility in-house, Highly Awarded Organization in business since 1964, aggressive associates and a great career path.

Solid income. Performance raises, bonuses, full benefits including 401K + in-house workout facility with showers and lockers (it is used everyday).

Potential to full recruiter, then branch management … or, you could take a path into sales/ account management.

Do your research on us and The Great Workplace.com, bluecollarworkplace.com before you apply.

ras@thegreatworkplace.com (copy and paste please)

The Champion Advantage:

This legacy has been based in Trust.

Champion operates multiple offices for your convenience. And those locations will be expanding in 2012 and beyond.

Our goal is to help you profit by being the most productive employee possible.

Not everyone will qualify to become a Champion. We will tell you how.

When you come to see us, bring a qualified friend.

To learn about Champion, find our current locations, read and print articles that will positively help you in job interviews, on the job, and in your work life go to:

www.championpersonnel.com (copy and paste please)

To learn about the attributes of the best Workplaces, read content from our CEO’s book: The Great Workplace 2.0:

www.thegreatworkplace.com (copy and paste please)

To read articles specifically for the Blue Collar and New Blue Collar workplace:

www.bluecollarworkplace.com (copy and paste please)

Champion is the recipient of the following awards and recognitions:

Weatherhead 100 Fastest Growing Companies in North East Ohio

North Coast 99: Best Companies to work for in North East Ohio

ISO 9001:2000 Registration for Quality Systems

First DFWP Level II In OHIO

North East Ohio Business Success Award

Top Ten Most Dependable Staffing Firms in Central USA

Ohio and National Awards for Ethics: Our Founder

*** Temporary Phone, Fax numbers for North Olmsted Office

Robert Schepens — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:20:33 +0000

Until 12.15 or other posted date, Our North Olmsted office can be reached at:

Phone: 440-617-6391

Fax: 440-617-6397

Email is working just fine.

We sincerely apologize for ANY inconvenience this has caused. We won’t play the victim game or blame game. The buck stops with us.

RAS, President

Champion’s Purpose, Values, Culture

Robert Schepens — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 21:44:28 +0000

Champion’s Purpose:

To Enhance Our Client’s Profitability Through Increased Workforce Productivity

Champion’s Culture is a product of “Values In Action”. Our values are sacred to our ability to perform above all others in our profession and to be recognized as a valued advisor to our clients and candidates. Each staff member is an integral part of that Culture, not an observer to it. We expect that our actions, in all we do, create our ability to achieve our Corporate Purpose.

Welcome Home All Veterans

Robert Schepens — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:22:32 +0000

Thank you, Welcome Home.

And thank you to those who have not returned.

Robots Run an Entire Warehouse

Robert Schepens — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 21:59:24 +0000

Learn how to fix ‘em, program ‘em and work with them.

Jobs of the future. Robots don’t call off, go out for a smoke or slack off.

A MUST SEE video.

http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2011/11/08/ts_kiva_robotics_robot.cnnmoney/?source=cnn_bin

Career Positions: Project-Oriented Customer Service, Management, Analyst, Account Mangement

Robert Schepens — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:33:29 +0000

These positions are open NOW, due to tremendous expansion of our exclusive client located NE suburb of Cleveland. All are direct hire, not temp, all are with a superior organization that is truly a Great Workplace:

National Account Executive (Account Manager)

This is a vital and critical role for our client, putting you directly in the spotlight as a person “who makes things happen”. Large clients will call on you when something needs to be re-arranged, issues solved, dates moved and …. They need someone with authority and an “ownership” attitude to talk with. Your goal is simply to make the customer happy, not just in the “Executive” way you handle yourself, but in the things that you get done. You will coordinate with all outside vendors, internal departments and the customer. Know Excel, be able to travel on 1-3 day trips to vendors and customer locations in the US, and maintain a high level of confidence in the customer, vendors and internal departments. You will need a HIGH LEVEL customer SERVICE/ Sales and Account Management experience. This is not “fill out a form”. Account Mangement. Degree a plus, but not essential. $35-$43,000 to start.

Service/Project Supervisor

The perfect experience will be having supervised and developed a staff of project-oriented coordinators/ customer service pros. Each person in your department has project cases they are accountable for bringing to fruition. Each case utilizes multiple vendors, internal departments and ever-changing plans. The staff needs to have you help to assure all processes are being taken care of in the right order with the right “rules”. Each project is different, and very much not the standard “commodity”. You will need to be goal oriented and contract-rules oriented, but at the same encouraging and helpful. Prior supervision highly desired. Project, not commodity service orientation, by contracts or agreements. Degree desired, not required. $41-$46,000.

Proposal and contract analyst

Very unique position. You will analyze the major components in all proposals, prepare pricing strategies and work with internal management on negotiations, substitutions, pricing guidelines for Sales and Service. Work with Account Execs, service execs and the Analysis Manager. Great math skills, supply chain/ purchasing contract analysis skills. Degree desired. $35-$44,000 to start.

Project Coordinator (4)

You will handle all proposals to assure on-time and on-quality delivery of the final project. This will entail direct customer work, negotiations with vendors, coordination of all internal departments and juggling many projects at once. You have done this before, been very proactive and detailed. You love being the center of activity. Construction, HVAC, Equipment, and any hard-goods related services that entail multiple activities that need to be coordinated in an ever-changing environment. Make them smooth. Degree not required. $32-$38,000 to begin.

Apply online on this site or email resume to: ras@championjobs.com

The Dip: Win, Lose, Recover — the Book by Seth Godin

Robert Schepens — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:53:18 +0000

I haven’t read this book yet. But, I like the concept. We all get bored, tired and then avoid the heavy-lifting. If we all had a “Purpose” to our jobs, careers, tasks, the uphill battle would not be so bad because it then comes down to your character: Do you have it or are you a wanna-be? Achievers MAKE something “fun” (the challenge). Losers wait until the task makes them feel “fun” (pitcher/ catcher). Too many people today want something to turn them on, as long as it fits the person they envision themselves to be (above digging holes). Winners get excited about the challenge, any challenge. Then you graduate to picking your challenge.

The Dip is a little book about quitting. This lens tells you what you need to know before you buy a few dozen copies for everyone you know.

It’s a mind grenade, a little bit of insight that will help you see what’s causing your organization (or you) to get stuck. Here’s the official description:

The old saying is wrong-winners do quit, and quitters do win. [PS The Dip just hit #5 on the New York Times bestseller list.]

Every new project, job, hobby, or company, starts out exciting and fun. Then it gets harder and less fun, until it hits a low point-really hard, and not much fun at all.

And then you find yourself asking if the goal is even worth the hassle. Maybe you’re in a Dip-a temporary setback that will get better if you keep pushing. But maybe it’s really a Cul-de-Sac, which will never get better, no matter how hard you try.

What really sets superstars apart from everyone else is the ability to escape dead ends quickly, while staying focused and motivated when it really counts.

Winners quit fast, quit often, and quit without guilt-until they commit to beating the right Dip for the right reasons. In fact, winners seek out the Dip. They realize that the bigger the barrier, the bigger the reward for getting past it. If you can become number one in your niche, you’ll get more than your fair share of profits, glory, and long-term security.

Losers, on the other hand, fall into two basic traps. Either they fail to stick out the Dip-they get to the moment of truth and then give up-or they never even find the right Dip to conquer.

Whether you’re a graphic designer, a sales rep, an athlete, or an aspiring CEO, this fun little book will help you figure out if you’re in a Dip that’s worthy of your time, effort, and talents. If you are, The Dip will inspire you to hang tough. If not, it will help you find the courage to quit-so you can be number one at something else.

Taking “Ownership” of Your Job

Robert Schepens — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:34:53 +0000

Taking “Ownership” of your job:

This topic can be met by every negative comment imaginable: “They’re just trying to get more out of me, and there is nothing in it for me”, “So, if I ‘own’ my job, does that mean I can work shorter hours, work from home, play golf Wednesday afternoon, and make a huge salary?”

Those remarks essentially mean: “I’m going to do just enough to get by, because there is nothing as a reward in it for me.”

Not correct.

The “nothing in it for me” is a myth. It is self-fulfilling (if you act it, it will come true) and it is one reason so many people get into a RUT, get bored to the point where complaining about the work, career, income and general happiness is dictated by that thought.

The number one trait employers are seeking today is “A person who will take ownership of their job.” They are looking for Pitchers, not Catchers, do-ers not waiters and people whose positive attitude and positive actions will show the way for others.

Want to have the BEST ODDS of being promoted? Take ownership of your job/ career. Be known as the “Go To” person.

Don’t think your mediocre references will follow you due to all the Laws? Think again. Social media, peer references and career patterns will tell the truth, even if HR is mute.

Want to move up, make more money, and have a more accomplishment-filled life (feel better about yourself)? Take ownership of your job.

So what does “ownership of your job really mean, to the people who hire, promote, give salary increases?

It is almost a “negative comparison” where those in power compare one who is a performer to one who is not. It is EASY to spot the average “cruise through the day” person who gets by (or not) in their job. They are deemed okay, but if the discussion turns to “who are your best people?” those folks are never mentioned until their average performance turns out to be poor (a natural end for people who are just getting by. Their average naturally turns worse over time).

The best people in jobs are the ones who expect the most out of themselves, spend time on personal and skill improvement, and act as though everything they do is critical. They typically give more than 100%, have a positive, contagious attitude about their work and company, and are the least present person in rumor mills and negative water-cooler discussions. They are simply too busy and too focused to participate. They view their actions as an example of their character. They don’t want to be pulled into the negativity pool.

When asked to hit a goal, they do, and before the deadline. When asked to do something beyond their job description, they do it and without the need for immediate rewards.

They get angry at themselves for messing something up. No one else is to blame.

They are positive, about everything. Playing the “Victim” is never part of their routine.

They get results to the point when they are handed an assignment, the assigner KNOWS the task will be done. No questions.

No excuses. “Winners go home and kiss the prom Queen. Losers complain about the referee.”

“How can I do this better?” It is a constant internal question. The other 95% of people spend time thinking how they can do just enough to get to the time clock.

Ownership is an attitude of excellence, in all your results. It is being ACCOUNTABLE for what you do and how you do it.

Don’t confuse business ownership for job ownership. Most people have no clue what kinds of alligators there are under the floor for a business owner each day. People who don’t take ownership of their jobs are one of those, just waiting to have the owner of the business for lunch.

Taking ownership of your job, career, life and results will lead to making more money, being happier and being seen as a productive member of a team. NOT taking ownership will simply get you old and grumpy, fast.

“Just do it,” a great phrase for Tee Shirts. I wish all people who are that top 5% could get one, free. Everyone else would have to pay $1,000 to get one. It would separate the poseurs from the winners.

How To Get A Job with A Small Company: Seth Godin

Robert Schepens — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:10:41 +0000

How to get a job with a small company

Most advice about job seeking is oriented around big companies. The notion of a standard resume, of mass mailings, of dealing with the HR department–even the idea of interviews–is all built around the Fortune 500.

Alas, the Fortune 500 has been responsible for a net loss in jobs over the last twenty years. All the growth (and your best chance to get hired) is from companies you’ve probably never heard of. And when the hirer is also the owner, the rules are very different.

1. Learn to sell. Everyone has sold something, some time, even if it’s just selling your mom on the need for a nap when you were three years old. A lot of people have decided that they don’t want to sell, can’t sell, won’t sell, but those same people need to understand that they’re probably not going to get a job doing anything but selling.

Small businesses always need people who can sell, because selling pays for itself. It’s not an expense, it’s a profit center.

2. Learn to write. Writing is a form of selling, one step removed. There’s more writing in business today than ever before, and if you can become a persuasive copywriter, you’re practically a salesperson, and even better, your work scales.

3. Learn to produce extraordinary video and multimedia. This is just like writing, but for people who don’t like to read. Even better, be sure to mix this skill with significant tech skills. Yes, you can learn to code. The fact that you don’t feel like it is one reason it’s a scarce skill.

Now that you’ve mastered these skills (all of which take time and guts but no money), understand the next thing about small businesses–they aren’t hiring to fill a slot. Unlike a big company with an org chart and pay levels, the very small business is an organism, not a grid. The owner is far more likely to bring in a freelancer or someone working on spec than she is to go run a classified help wanted ad.

And many small businesses are extremely bad at taking initiative that feels like risk. They’d rather fill orders than take a chance and go out prospecting for a person who represents a risk. And that’s your opportunity.

When you show up and offer to go prospecting on spec, offer to contribute a website or a sales letter or some sales calls–with no money on the table–many small business people will take you up on it, particularly if they are cash-strapped, profit-oriented and know you by reputation. (Please don’t overlook that last one).

Hint: don’t merely show up and expect a yes. It’s something you earn over time…

The rest is easy. Once you demonstrate that you contribute far more than you cost, now it’s merely a matter of figuring out a payment schedule.

This is probably far more uncertainty and personal branding than most job seekers are comfortable with. Which is precisely why it works.

From Set’s blog, 10.31.11

Are you a Machine Builder? Meet Nick Rini

Robert Schepens — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 14:55:20 +0000

Nick Rini proudly carries over 10 solid years of professional recruiting experience. Nick is one of the few Honest and straight-forward recruiters to have graduated from the depths of an “area” temporary firm and went on to flourish in the professional environment of Champion Personnel.

Nick is an expert in the Machine Building industry and is an exclusive agent for several first-rate organizations currently doing expansions in the Cleveland area.

If you are a qualified machine builder, or expert in manufacturing, you need to meet Nick.

n.rini@championjobs.com

440-925-0154

Are you an Electronics Technician or in Assembly: Meet Sarah Sakal

Robert Schepens — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 14:45:04 +0000

First, Champion does NOT represent Aclara or Libra. We have chosen to work with organizations who collaborate with Expert Vendors and appreciate their Workforce.

Meet Sarah Sakal: Sarah has successfully placed over 400 experienced and eager Electronic Technicians, Assembly experts and Technology Machine Operators.

Should you wish to work for World-Class organizations like eQED or QED, she is their gateway. Sarah also works with many first-class Electronics organizations in the Greater Cleveland area.

Ms. Sakal is the Branch Manger of our Twinsburg, Ohio office, but works within the Electronics Industry throughout ALL locations of NE Ohio.

Get to know her NOW, even if you are thinking of changing positions in the future.

s.sakal@championjobs.com

330.405.5627

Are You a Machinist? Meet Paul Beckrest

Robert Schepens — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:57:59 +0000

Are You a Machinist? Meet Paul Beckrest:

Paul is an expert in Manufacturing Technology and has over 10 years successful recruiting experience in NE Ohio.

What makes Paul special? He has been chosen by over 40 Champion clients as their exclusive recruiting agent, specifically for Machining, Fabrication, and Engineering opportunities where Champion clients are looking for The Best of The Best.

Paul works on “Open Positions” every day, but at the same time he has been asked by the best organizations in the area “To be on the lookout” for excellent talent to add to their staff.

Paul speaks Manufacturing.

Be proactive. Call Paul at 216.823.5900 or email: p.beckrest@championjobs.com

Cleveland’s Own, QED, Proves “Made in America” Alive and Well, Nods to Champion

Robert Schepens — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:19:51 +0000

Cleveland-based, Quality Electrodynamics, and Champion client, expands its medical imaging and green technologies operations, gets international attention and congratulatory visit from U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor, Seth Harris.

Innovating technology has allowed QED to rapidly expand into its newly acquired 27,000-square-foot manufacturing facility. “Despite the economic challenges, we have been growing very steadily, adding jobs,” said its founder, Hiroyuki Fujita.

QED has requested of The Plain Dealer, where the story had been originally reported, that they refer all interested applicants to Champion Personnel System. Champion is humbled to be of service, and proud of QED’s ongoing successes.

Engineers, chemists and assembly workers needed.
Candidates should contact Greg Hall (Champion System Personnel) as soon as possible.

greg@ajobnearhome.com
216-823-5900

Original article source: The Plain Dealer

Change Your Prospects in 5 Minutes

Robert Schepens — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:54:55 +0000

Read this, change your job prospects:

20, 30, 100 Interviews and no job offer?

Without knowing you, we can identify several simple solutions:

Evaluate your resume as if you were the person with whom you will be interviewing. Chances are it repels, not attracts. It is poorly done, poorly organized. It is your first impression. Have someone of substance look at it and make suggestions. Download an article on the net that has templates. Use one. Print it on good paper. The file should be in WORD format. PDF will also do.
How do you present yourself? Articles on the net will tell you the right way. Get your clothes in order. Shave, wake up, be alert. Comb your hair. Take a shower. Walk with purpose.
You are making a presentation, not having a coffee. Be crisp, enthusiastic, focused. If you are an hourly worker, don’t dress as though you are going to a construction job, or the club. Don’t act or talk like you are hanging with friends. The people who are interviewing you are responsible adults who have worked hard to get where they are. Show respect for their hard work, even if they are not as “hip” as your friends think you are. Lose the attitude.
Organize a verbal presentation: The interviewer has one thing in mind: Can this person do the work and be a productive, issue-free employee? Know what you can do, your accomplishments and support those statements with fact. Having a verbal response to direct or indirect questions that runs around in circles will kill your chances. “I’m a good worker” or “I can learn” or “I can do a lot of things” may work in social circles, it will kill your interview chances.
Listen to the questions: What are they really looking for in you? How will that answer sound? Does your answer show you are productive or does it show a lack of focus? Employers want to hire people who want to perform, not just get a check.
Interview as if it is your last chance to be employed: Get your game on. Focus on the results you will get for the company. Be a good listener, pay attention, be earnest. Being “casual” about an interview is a killer. Sit up, look people in the eyes. Engage. Practice with someone who is a hiring authority, not a friend, not a relative who has never been there.

When NOT to Change Jobs!

Robert Schepens — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:28:23 +0000

It is really amusing to read all the articles on HOW to change jobs. 95% of them seem to encourage a person to go ahead and change jobs as long as you do X on your resume and Y in interviewing. Everyone seems to be an expert in job search (recruiters, unemployed HR, unemployed Managers, Consultants, Media, etc). Few articles are written on WHY NOT to change. Here is one:

Don’t look to change jobs because you have a personal issue with a boss or coworker. Most of the time the personal issue is fleeting. Figure out how to fix the problem. That is what you will say in an interview isn’t it? You are a problem-solver?

Beginning on the path to having personal issues direct your career is a first step to having your personal issues become your career problems. Are your personal issues with coworkers their fault or yours?

Don’t look to change jobs because you are NOT DOING YOUR JOB WELL. Perhaps you have slacked off, or made mistakes, or been a personal issue to other people. Running away will not help your career at all. Someone in the future will discover your bad performance, and potentially be a real block when you are doing a good job (references when you are looking to change jobs). SOLVE THE PROBLEM FIRST. Perform. Then if there are other true issues, make a career move.

Don’t look to change jobs because the grass looks greener. Emotional reactions to “greener grass” can lead to buyer’s remorse somewhere in the future. Career and job changes are not weekend dates. Careers and jobs are your livelihood and how yourself will judge you.

Don’t look to change jobs because you need more money. Money should be a reward for performance. It is simply asinine to voluntarily increase your monthly expenses (New car, house, children) and then to think: “I’m worth more now because I need more”. The USA may be a semi-welfare state, but you should not get caught up in that foolishness. Increase your expenses AFTER you are sure you can afford them. Don’t expect to use “I need” as a justification past your 5^th birthday. It will never stop.

Don’t change jobs just because friends have. It is amazing to me as a recruiter how many YOUNG people do this. In a crowd of 10 “friends”, one changes jobs, then two, then six. This is your life man, not a spring break hotel.

Don’t change jobs because you are bored (for a brief time). Being bored (duties that are not challenging) is part of working. Try to make the job more challenging by asking for more difficult work, more challenging assignments, or by simply trying to be a 12 on a 10-scale in your job performance (you may get noticed for a promotion).

Last for today: DON’T change jobs on a rainy day. I have it on great authority that the gloom will stick to your pants like gum to a shoe.

BEFORE you change jobs, sit with a trusted friend and objectively analyze the causes of your motivations. Make sure that those are positive motivations rather than emotional or soap opera based.

How To Kill A Blue Collar Interview

Robert Schepens — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:21:59 +0000

Blue Collar Interview Killers

1) Dress like you don’t care, or are going fishing/hunting. Make sure the baseball cap you wear is dirty, or has “Bud Light” on it (Patch or smell), or even worse: “New York Yankees”. Don’t shave, makes you look macho.

2) Pour that new AXE cologne on yourself, freely. If your girlfriend gets hot over it, it is a given that the tight-ass HR lady will.

3) Make sure your resume is old, has typos on it and looks like it was done on a typewriter. It’s only an interview after all, not the actual job itself. If the person wants a copy of your resume, ask them to make one, after all the company has a copy machine and you don’t. It shows you are conserving (your own) paper.

4) Make sure to wear an earring or skin or eyebrow ring. It looked good at the bar, and hell “It’s you Man-boy! Show your stuff!”

5) Don’t shower, or shower 5 minutes before you leave the house and show up with wet hair and wet collar. Shows you care about hygiene.

6) When asked why you left your last job, be honest. Tell them that the “stupid ass Plant Manager complained way too much about your work quality after lunch”.

7) Be late for the interview. Shows you are important. Heck, Stars do that at Red Carpet events! Show them who the BOSS is Mandrake!

8) Answer all open-ended questions with: “Yea, I’ve done that”. Make sure you tell them you have experience doing something at a company that isn’t on your resume. When they ask you about that company, tell them you couldn’t fit all the companies you worked for on two pages, so you left 5 or 6 out, and also didn’t include the temp jobs.

9) During the interview, ask the interviewer if you can use the bathroom. Ask where the reading material is or if you can take a company brochure to read with you. If nothing is available, ask for your resume back so you can review it while you “take care of business”.

10) Make sure, before the interview is over, that you completely understand the “Point System” for attendance, absences, lateness and afternoons off. Clarify if you can use vacation time this year for “those mornings… when, ya know”. Ask “What If I…” questions. Then ask about the possibility of getting a union, just for the great benefits. Don’t forget to ask about the company picnic and what bar they all meet at after work.

11) Last: Make sure you ask: “How many chances do I get to pass the drug test?”

Now you might think that this article is anti-blue collar or something like that. Nah. I love blue collar. Worked at a mill (shoveled slag) and a plastics company (injection mold ops), pulled beers, served burgers and mowed lawns myself.

The above killer mistakes are real. Robert Ripley couldn’t do any better.

Standing out from the Crowd

Robert Schepens — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:21:22 +0000

You’ve been hard at work this week scheduling appointments. Good work. Take a break this afternoon and go shopping. What for you ask?

Well do you want to stand out from the crowded applicant pool when there are over two hundred applicants who need to be weeded? Care to make an even greater impression? Take the time to send a thank you note after your interview. Few do. So if you choose to do this, you will be remembered.

Add this to your to-do list:

Purchase a box of thank you notes…usually ten in a pack. Purchase a book of stamps.

Write your return address on the top left hand corner of your envelope and stash this all away for later with the same pen you used to write your return address.

You finally got the interview. Don’t forget to get their business card. Ask for it. And if they ask you why tell them it’s for a thank you note that you plan to send. If they have no business card ask them for the information as you write it down.

There is always small talk at the beginning of most interviews .You need to remember bits and pieces of it so you can draw on this information in your note. Helping one remember events that they participated in with you will help them remember you. So before you leave the parking lot, jot down what you’ve learned about the person. If they like dogs, write it down. If they mentioned sports, jot it down. Whatever the two of you discussed that was non-business, write it down after the interview.

Your note will be short and sweet: Thank you for taking extra time with me yesterday during our interview. I’ll keep my eyes out for Newfoundland dogs so I can see one first hand (subject you talked about)! I look forward to our next meeting. Sincerely, Joe Great (your name)

You get the point. Write a short and sweet message that’s a tad bit personal with a courteous close. It will give them the impression that you know how valuable their time is, that you valued the opportunity they gave you, and that you think enough about them and their company to go the extra mile.

Hand address the thank you envelope using the information you gathered and the original pen you used for the return address and send it by the end of the day. They will more than likely receive it within a day, two at the most when you and your conversation will be freshest in their minds.

If you choose a colorful enough thank you note, it might end up sitting on their desk.

Do you think you’ll be forgotten? No, you’ll stand out from the crowd.

Prepare for the Interview and Get the Job You Want

Robert Schepens — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:54:40 +0000

Most people applying for a position are very poorly prepared for “selling themselves”, or knowing what to expect when they get there. An interview should be viewed like a Hollywood ‘screen test’: in a very short ‘audition’ you and the company have to decide whether or not you should get ‘married’. Realize that you will have NO CHOICE about the job … if you don’t get an offer. Also, if you haven’t any idea WHY you would make a good employee other than “I can do the work, I think”, few employers will be interested.  Before you go in to the interview…Get pumped!!! Get psyched!!! Employers want someone who is excited about the prospects of working there, and are excited about themselves. Excitement will show energy. Energy gets hired! Wallflowers don’t! A chip on your shoulder won’t. Here we will break down the components of preparing for the interview that will increase your odds of doing well rather dramatically:
1) Find out about the company before the meeting. Know what they do, how long they have been in business, how large or small they are, what their products or services actually do, who their customers are and their general ‘history’. At Champion, we call a client’s history their ‘company story’….what makes them unique, how the company achieved their success, and where they are going. Knowing these components of the company’s story shows first that you have done your homework, and second…gives you the opportunity to show how your talents can contribute to the company. This last item, when you can verbalize it in an interview, can separate you from the rest of the applicants. MANY hiring authorities start off an interview with the question: “What do you know about our company?” If you can respond with accurate info, you are miles ahead of those who cannot. Some authorities say that a positive or negative hiring decision is made by the interviewer in the first 5 minutes of the meeting…and the rest of the interview is to confirm or deny that ‘gut’ decision. Along with dress, posture, and outward attitude, how you respond to questions can make or break the meeting!
2) Find out everything you can about the job functions and expectations before the interview: Consider these components as your “Targets”. Selling yourself is as simple, and as complicated, as showing how your skills, background, talents and experience can “hit” these targets. If you are working with a good staffing service, your consultant should be able to explain these targets to you, and how to sell yourself to hit the targets. If you are interviewing without the help of a third party or inside source, ask for this information when you arrange an appointment over the phone. When you arrive for the interview, arrive early. Ask the receptionist what his/her knowledge of the job may be. Combine that with what you have learned so far. Remember though, that person may NOT be totally accurate, so take the info as a guideline, not fact. For the real ‘gutsy’ person, you can call into the company before the interview, ask to be connected to a person in the department where you would be working, and try to get insight from that person.
3) Know what you have done, accomplished, and are now capable of doing: Sounds simple. Try to succinctly explain to a friend everything you have done, in chronological order, since your first job…and make it sound interesting. It takes practice, some coaching, and thought. Most people get lost, repeat themselves, or say stuff for the sake of talking, without making it interesting or saleable. Focus on accomplishments and things you know you do well enough to make an impact on your company(s). Be ready to show how what you did helped your boss, department, or company. Explain how you can do it again for this employer (now you know why you need info on the job BEFORE you interview!). Remember, people get hired for what they can contribute now. Not just for their skills.
4) Dress properly for an interview: What you would like to wear and what you should wear are sometimes two different things. Dress “conservatively business”. This essentially means to look your best, but not as though you’re going to a dance or on a date. Guys: conservative suit, white long sleeve shirt, all clean and pressed, tie that is not ‘gaudy’ and goes with the suit (tie should reach to your belt). POLISH your shoes before the interview. This is one of the first things noticed, as is your tie. Comb your hair, better yet…get a haircut before you go. Leave the earring at home. Ladies: conservative business outfit, clean and pressed. Use cologne sparingly, if at all. Conservative nail polish, no runs in the hose. Shoes…no high heels, polished. If you have ultra-long nails, even if you can type with them, they aren’t going to win points. The point here is to look “business”. You can adjust your ‘look’ once you have been with the company for awhile, and get to know what ‘fits in’. For people applying for blue collar positions: dress up. No hoodie, no grunge. What you wear at work won’t necessarily cut it in an interview. Loose the earring, lose the tee shirts with your favorite evening beverage on it, and cover the tats. Dress like you are going to a dinner with the boss, at a restaurant with a table cloth.
5) Interview posture: One has to sit like a “lady” or a “man”. Slouching or leaning back in your chair is a turnoff. Both feet on the floor, knees together. Eye contact: Don’t stare at the interviewer, but don’t lose eye contact for long. When a person “looks away” answering a question, they come across as lying. Don’t bring a notebook and NOT take notes. Bring a note case for clean copies of your resume only. Prepare to answer the standard interview questions (not in order):
• Why are you leaving your present position (or why left last one)?….DON”T say anything negative about your previous company or Boss (this may be difficult). Tell it like it is, with tact. • What are your strengths? (tailor to the job). • What are your weaknesses? (be honest, but turn a weakness into a future strength by acknowledging it and showing how you are consciously addressing it.) • Why should we hire you? (see prepare for the interview). • Where do you want to be in 3 or 5 years (don’t you just hate this one?). Advice: Too big or too small (or no ideas) goals will kill you, as will inane answers: (I want to be happy). Remember the job’s potential, and ‘play’ to that. This is definitely a ‘trick’ question. Be honest, but remember your audience. See our “questions you may be asked” above to further prepare for your meeting.
6) Be your own “closer”: Here is where you can attempt to eliminate the competition, or at least try to know where you stand, or at the worst…have an opportunity to clarify/strengthen your “rememberability” with the employer. EVERY interview has a moment of ‘wind-down’. The awkward time when there are no more questions, but the interview is about to end. More often or not you as the candidate have NO idea (truly) where you stand. Try this at that moment: “Mr./Ms.X, I want to thank you for your time and insight today. I truly feel that I can contribute to XYZ company in this position with my skills in ______, my work ethic, and attitude. I would like to work here. What can I do to clarify any questions you may have, and to receive an offer?” Gutsy? Yes. Does it work? You will have a better idea of where you stand than if you don’t ask, AND yes, it does work.
7) The BIG BAD ‘question of money’. How do you answer it? Unfortunately there is no ‘foolproof’ way. Some interviewers are better at this game than you will ever be. Some will play along, seemed pleased at your idea of e-worth, and you’ll never hear from them again.
Here is a “no answer-answer”, that allows the opportunity to re-sell yourself and play a simple gambit of “it’s your hot potato…I don’t want it” tactfully: “Mr./Ms.X, my salary history has been____, but most importantly, I feel that my experience/skills in_____ (be specific and relate this to the job) and my accomplishments of_________, will lend themselves beautifully to handling this assignment for you. But quite frankly, I do not know what I may be worth to your company. I am sure that your offer will be fair and we will not have a problem, by the way…what is the FIRST thing you will want a person to ‘tackle’ in this position?”
IF the person answers this question, more often than not they have already made a positive decision in your favor…a major decision. The MINOR decision now is salary…… If they do come back to salary… you may still reiterate your strengths, then ask…”do you feel that I am a person who can do what you need done?” If the answer is ‘yes’, then go back to the “But quite frankly I do not know…” and hand the potato back. If the person still presses (verbally, or looks a little irritated), you can either defer to your Staffing Consultant, or name a “Ballpark” figure. ADVICE: giant pay raises are for people you read about. You may very well cost yourself a great job by being emotionally ‘greedy’. Be realistic. Jobs don’t “pay” anything…people get paid for what they seem to be worth to a company.
8) FOCUS ON: · The GOALS the person/company has for a person in this position (their expectations). Your SKILLS and ABILITIES that are applicable to those goals. Your ACCOMPLISHMENTS that apply. Your INTEREST in being successful with this organization. MOST IMPORTANTLY: Show that you have confidence to overcome adversity…personally and in the work environment. Show that you have the intelligence and resiliency to work through issues. Show you are aware that the talents you have, coupled with your understanding of the job, goals and company…will benefit this organization. Attempt to build a ‘relationship’ with the interviewer(s). People hire People with whom they feel comfortable. Just don’t get too friendly.
LAST: (and finally)… Don’t ‘cop’ an attitude that may be taken as YOU are trying to see if the job/company are “good enough” for you…but DO prepare a list of good questions (not: ‘whaddya guys do here?’) that show you are interested in understanding what you will be expected to achieve, and what the company can offer to a person who is doing well.

Is Job Security a Thing of the Past?

Robert Schepens — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:53:43 +0000

Some say “only if you are or are about to be unemployed.” Times they are a changin’…remember bell bottoms? Well, the traditional “job security” thing is not gone completely…but it sure is fading fast! Even Unions can’t ‘guarantee’ job security like in the past. Companies now, in our global economy, need to be able to ‘spin on a dime’. Competition is hotter. Someone out there has a product that might be better, cheaper, last longer, higher or lower tech, has better customer service….etc, etc, etc. Product ‘life cycles’ are shorter (amount of time a product is popular/best/saleable). Product development cycles are shorter (time it takes to produce the product after the ‘idea’ stage’). Blame technology, blame the ‘Pacific Rim’, blame the overall attitude of business executives….you know the ones who make BIG BUCKS, and then close plants/offices/laying people off (they do that ONLY because they don’t care about people?). Not really. The ‘new’ focus in business (it is actually as old as business) is profitability. “Whatever it takes to be competitive/best/faster/better/grow”. “There are no points for second-place”. Part of what has driven this is something called “Strategic Business Planning” and a pressing economy. The vast majority of companies do this now…from a single-person operation, up to Wal Mart. Basically (very basically), what this amounts to is ‘thinking through’ EXACTLY what and how you are going to do….for the next several years…to get to where you want to be. Then putting it on paper, putting time frames to it, and holding people accountable for reaching those goals.
The plan looks at competition, economy, cash, technology, people, ups and downs of normal business cycles…all the things that make a company go. Then ‘maps out’ exactly WHAT HAS TO BE DONE (details….not hopes/wishes and dreams) to get to the goal. People Should Do the Same for Their Careers! Yep! and ooooops! Run myself like a ‘big-bad’ business? That doesn’t sound like fun! But it will help with: Employment Security Versus’Job Security’ How? Why? What???
EMPLOYMENT SECURITY. This is not the new PC term for job security. It IS what we as individuals need to think about to assure our livings, careers, and ability to achieve our personal goals. “Employment Security” simply defined is: your ability to be employed at your will. Reading between the lines it says: “My skills, ability to produce expected results, my learning ability, and ‘total package’ are sought-after in TODAY’S job-market.” You’re on top of things today. You have the proven talents to be BENEFICIAL to other employers, and your talents (or quality of talent) are in demand. Let’s face it, only being able to say “you want fries with that?” doesn’t cut it today. Having been an ‘average’ producing employee, as good as you may think you are, doesn’t mean that lots of other employers will stand in line to hire you. Having a reputation of ‘doing enough to get by’, or having the same skills today as you did 5 years ago…well ‘employment security’ is something your next door neighbor may have. Get the picture? Skills, training, effort, results, reputation, all ‘up to date’.
It starts with attitude. It won’t happen to you. Make it happen! How? Assess yourself, and make a plan: This is what the best companies do. OK, go back to the top of this article and re-read the ‘strategic business plan’ stuff. You know, where a company decides how it is going to be successful, constantly improving, constantly working to achieve a goal, and constantly ‘checking itself’. Treat yourself as an ‘employment asset’. How attractive are you? How can you correct deficiencies? Training? If you need it, don’t wait for it to come to you? Attitude? Would you hire you? Results? Would you hire you to get them? Value? Check with an expert. The people who are the best prepared will always be employable. That is “employment security”…not having to depend on a company…depending on yourself.

How to Excel on Your Job and Make More Money

Robert Schepens — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:52:39 +0000

This may sound like it is coming from one of your parents, and the following advice actually comes from a parent…with over 30 years in Staffing and Corporate life;
First, show up to work early, stay late when you can, and look for work to do. If you haven’t done all this before, give it your best effort for at least 6 months (one or two days/weeks won’t work). Your odds of being treated as a valued worker will go up, therefore your satisfaction with your job. If you do put out this effort, and see no change in your value, either ‘grin and bear it’ (if you like where you are) or consider leaving. Next, take your job seriously. Don’t treat it as a place to go in between paychecks. See how good you can be. Frankly, when we do things that take effort, and we are good at them…we enjoy them more.
What every employer is looking for today that seems to have been lost: Work Ethic. If you have it or can develop it, and show it, your chances of success go up by about 5,000 %. I am not joking. Employers are desperately trying to find good, hard workers. Not to take advantage of them, but to count on them and promote them. In the 1950’s through the 1980’s, one out of 20 workers had great work ethics. Tough competition. Today, about one out of one hundred have a work ethic. It is much easier to excel when the competition is staying home, coming in late or working at 50%. Be the “GO TO” guy or lady. Develop that reputation and you will achieve security, and great references should you need them.
Try to “make an impact”. Improve something. Make something better, faster, easier. Use ‘downtime’ to figure a way to help the company or your Boss, not to call your friends. Or use ‘downtime’ to improve your skills…like learn a new software package or use the TUTORIALS that come with every application to improve your skills on it. But when you HAVE improved, don’t forget to point it out to your Boss.
Steer clear of Office “Politics”. Do NOT become part of the “Whiners” (NOT WINNER) club. It may feel comfortable to complain in a group, but nothing good EVER comes from it. Shakespeare once wrote “Nothing is good or bad, only thinking makes it so”. If you think more about the positives, you’ll be more positive, and the right people WILL notice (believe me they REALLY notice the bad ones).
ASK your Boss for an evaluation every six months, even if it is not formal. Know where you stand. You’ll feel better about your work. The “fun” part of work (besides doing well) is having good relationships with others, customers, and of course…the Boss. Get involved in any company activities. Fun of course is what you define it as. The best ‘fun’ can be in knowing and hearing about how well you are doing.
Help Out! Help a co-worker when they get loaded down or are having a ‘down’ day….as long as you can get your own work done. They will appreciate the help, and, may give you some help when you need it…or even when you don’t. For anyone in business…try to become the absolute best you can be. MOST execs know when someone is really trying, and will treat that person with respect and dignity.
Now… the “more money” part. Besides winning the lottery, the only way to get more money is to EARN it. All the things mentioned at the beginning of this section will get you the opportunity to earn more money, if you do them regularly. Changing jobs can help, but only if you have really tried where you are. Performance will equate to short and long term rewards.

Going Back to Work

Robert Schepens — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:50:28 +0000

(as if raising a family isn’t work enough).
First, give yourself a lot of credit. If you stayed home to raise the fam’…you’ve probably worked harder than most people do on their jobs! But you haven’t used your skills in years? You can’t remember where all the letters are on the keyboard? Windows? HTML? Machine sequencing? Supply Chain?
OK, here are some real-life tips: Get ready for a few ‘no’s’ (maybe more than a few). If you do not retain a key skill (something very specific), you are going to have to practice for awhile. PRACTICE first. If your career is not accessible at home (Machinery, coding, negotiating) then start looking on the Internet, books and perhaps at your previous employer.
Most jobs today are not ‘trainee’ jobs. Don’t expect to get top $ the first job back. Employers will pay what you are worth to them…not what you think you “need” to go back to work. Don’t stress that you are nervous about going back to work. If you don’t have confidence in yourself, others will not. Get your ‘work energy’ and ‘sharp edge’ back. We have seen too many people approach going back to work and re-learning skills as though they are arranging a tea party…casual, chatty, and less-than-urgent. If you aren’t ready, don’t start.
Part-time? Sure. But don’t expect to ‘have your cake’. Try to find a job-share situation (2 people doing the same job on different days). Be at home when the kids get there? OK, but don’t expect to get too much. Typical business hours are 8-5 or 9-5, blue collar is 7-3, but overtime is going to be required. Jobs with hours that are 9:30-3:30 are rare. It is not fair, but that’s business, especially in a global economy melt-down.
You may want (or need) to temp first. It can be a great way to get back to the ol’ routine. Resume? How to handle the last X years ‘gap’? PUT IT ON THE RESUME! But add this to your “Career Summary Statement”(see our resume advice): ‘A back-to-worker who has taken the time before seeking interviews to regain and exceed my previous skills’. That should take care of a few unspoken questions! If this is true (skills), you WILL get interviews. This is a perfect time to get a career coach!
Discrimination against back to workers? You betcha. But not the way you think. Employers who are hiring are looking for immediate productivity, not re-training. If your skills are rusty, you are immediately second tier.
If you have been used to a day that includes a lot of downtime (in between chaos) your general “outward edge” may have been lost. Your “Business Energy” (urgency) may have been forgotten. Practice.

Find a Job in Your Own Backyard

Robert Schepens — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:49:52 +0000

This will take just a little effort, planning and extra time on your part…but it works. There may be quite a few great companies near where you live, and you don’t know it. On a weekend, drive around in areas near your home, possibly industrial parks or office complex areas. Write down the names and addresses of companies that look like they may be interesting to work for…at least from the outside or by the name of the firm. Keep this list. Next, go to your local library or use the internet for information on the company. Ask the Librarian for any ‘geographical listings’ or guides they may have (like the Ohio Industrial Directory, Local Community Chamber of Commerce directories). Find the listings of those businesses you picked (and any others that look interesting in your area), find the name of the company’s President or “Chief”, write them on an organized list, including what the company does. Take the list home. Get your word processing program ‘fired up’. Write to each one of the companies (include a clean, up to date resume) with a cover letter that goes something like this: “Dear Mr. /Ms. X, I am a career-oriented (secretary, accounting assistant, etc.), with excellent skills in X. As I live right in your area and therefore would be a dependable employee regardless of weather conditions or hours, I am inquiring into current or future openings where I might make a contribution. I can be reached at the home address or phone number listed on my resume. Please allow me to follow this letter with a phone call in about a week. Thank you for your consideration.”
As with any other self-marketing effort, don’t expect miracles. Make the follow-up calls religiously, even if you have to do it from a pay phone during an early or late lunch.
By the way: Why send letters? Email gets caught in spam filters and gets deleted. I hit the “delete” button about 50 times per day from people who thought fast-food was a good career choice.

Find a Career Coach

Robert Schepens — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:48:47 +0000

What is a “Career Coach”? Some are called “Mentors”. The purpose of a career coach is to guide and assist you in your career development. This person could be a relative. But most relatives are ‘too close’ to be objective, and typically not schooled in career advice. If you have a relative who qualifies for career coach, you are probably already successful with some help from that person. Whether you are a seasoned career person or someone newer to a career, find someone to be your coach.
Think about the people you know. Who has been successful in their career and knows quite a lot about jobs, careers, and business in general? Someone already successful in the career field you want? Approach them with honesty and an open mind. Tell them that you are looking for a coach or mentor. Ask if they would be willing to give some time and effort to your cause. If a friend or relative knows someone powerful, ask to be introduced. A trait of many successful people is the desire to help others succeed. Your coach does not have to be a friend, and maybe should not be.
When you ask for help, give that person ALL the facts. Prepare for your meeting. Plan what you want to say, what advice you need. Show that you have given thought to your career, or at least your career issues. Consider your coach or mentor to be a “member of your board of directors”. Listen. Reflect. You do not HAVE to follow every suggestion. Offer to do something for that person in turn…not as a bribe, but as a token ‘thank you’. Dinner, some free typing, or at the least a thank you note. Stay in touch with your progress reports.
A Career Coach is a tool for your success. Listen carefully and act on their advice. If you don’t use their advice or you don’t improve, don’t be surprised if they begin to ignore you. Successful people like to hang with other potential successful people, and tend to ignore those people who don’t listen … and act.

Applying for Blue-collar Jobs

Robert Schepens — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:48:02 +0000

Hey, nothing negative is implied here by having a separate section for this job category. It’s simply that the process of applying for and getting hired on any Technical, Labor, White Collar Labor, General Labor job is in fact different than say…if you were applying to be an Executive Administrative Assistant, Accountant or well, you know…the kind of jobs that take people who don’t have blisters and calluses on their hands. (yeh, THOSE kinda folks). Anyhow, here are some things to prep for: If you are a skilled machinist, be prepared to be asked technical ‘how would you?’ type questions, perhaps only in conversation, perhaps in looking at blueprints, or a part, or a piece of raw material. Now here’s a little advice: DON’T try to blow sunshine into someone’s ear by making up an answer, BUT…don’t simply say “I don’t know” if you could figure it out. Tell the interviewer what you DO know, and preface your ‘guesses’ with “although I have not done that exactly, let me tell you what I think may be the right way, and if YOU know a better way, I’m willing to learn from you!”.
Your job in an interview is to CONVINCE the interviewer that you are very solid in what you know, but that you will learn their specific techniques once you are there. Take pride in what you do know, but DON’T let your pride stand in your way of getting a good job. In my humble opinion being a skilled machinist is like being an artist. It is a learned craft where one never stops learning. If you are applying for a General Labor job, one that does NOT take a learned skill, but DOES take certain abilities, the interview will more than likely concentrate on what kind of EMPLOYEE will you make.
What does that mean? Simply: Can they count on you? Turnover in General Labor comes mainly from people LOSING opportunities they already have. It is rare that a person cannot do the job, or learn to do it. Here’s how you LOSE the opportunity: Show up late. Show up hung over. Don’t show up, don’t call. Be sick often. Be lazy on the job. Argue with the supervisor or give him a ‘tude (attitude). Make a lot of silly mistakes that show you are not using your head. Leave before quitting time. Get in a fight with someone on the job. Swear a lot. And the list goes on. So…you are going to be asked about your work habits, why you quit or were fired from jobs, why you work, how many days have you taken off in the past, and you probably WILL be asked “what would you do if?” type questions. Most of these will be related to how you will react on the job to difficult tasks, people, situations, and issues.
The way to assure that you do NOT get hired is to blame other people for tough employment situations, blame your previous boss for being stupid, have a non-energetic attitude in the interview, don’t fill out the application, ask about time off and benefits before they want to hire you, dress in dirty or torn clothes, and laugh a lot. (oh, swearing in an interview doesn’t help either, even if the interviewer does).
Be prepared to be articulate, sit up, and take the damn interview SERIOUSLY. Being “cool” may impress your girlfriend or boyfriend (or both), but it ain’t gunna impress the interviewer. Don’t chew gum or a toothpick, and for goodness sakes…make sure your hands are clean and you didn’t just come out of Joe’s Bar. TAKE THE BALLCAP OFF! Anyhow….be prepared for a DRUG TEST. If you are dumb enough to do drugs, quit a month before you start interviewing (it may help you stop completely). It takes that long to clean your system. Drugs and booze may seem cool, but…you’ll get ‘stuck’ in go-nowhere jobs, spend your life complaining about life and cut what life you have short. Life is more pleasant looking through clear eyes and a clear brain. If you do them because your friends do, get new friends. Life is a kick. Stay high on life.
HOW TO KEEP THE JOB: The NUMBER ONE reason Blue Collar folks get fired: NO SHOW for work. Go to work everyday. If you are sick, they will send you home. Fix your car before it dies. Get a new battery. DON’T party on Sunday. Your track record WILL FOLLOW you.
The ONLY way to get ahead is to work hard, show up ALL the time, and don’t be a pain. People who are financial and job failures typically chose to be that way…by things they did that they KNEW they shouldn’t do (not showing up, being lazy, being sloppy). It may seem the ‘easy way’ at the time, but it only creates more problems later.
This advice is for ANYONE. Your first 30 days on the job…IS THE INTERVIEW! MOST companies have a 30 day ‘trial period’ where you can get let go for any reason, or be kept because you work well. During that first 30 days you must be perfect…no missed or late days, good attitude, no arguments, no screw-ups. If you don’t like the job…quit by giving 1-2 week’s NOTICE.
Don’t just not show up.
THAT WILL follow you. You do not know who knows other people at other companies. GOD BLESS AMERICA! Unlike any other country anywhere on earth we give opportunities to people, and it is up to them to KEEP the opportunity. In no other country can you work hard, have a good attitude and know that the odds are that you will earn more money and keep employed….by what YOU do.
Do USA employers screw up? Sure. They are just people. Are all bosses perfect? Hell no. Some should be pelted with small stones for weeks! It doesn’t take a genius to know a bad boss. It does take a hero to work for one….until you find a better boss. Don’t complain, work.
Working hard with a good attitude and track record will ALWAYS get you ahead. Not doing that will always leave you behind. Period. You never know…the boss’s boss may be looking to get rid of him. BE the replacement.
Want more?
HYPERLINK “http://www.bluecollarworkplace.com” www.bluecollarworkplace.com
Experts who have shoveled slag, operated equipment in dark factories, ridden the bikes and hunted down bad guys in the jungles of SE Asia.

Resume Tips

Robert Schepens — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:47:19 +0000

Every person connected to the Human Resource Profession has a different “preferred format” for resumes. If you go to a decent bookstore, you can find 30 to 40 different books that will help you write your resume countless different ways. There is some advantage in a specialized format if your background is different than ‘average’…ie; back to work after a lengthy absence, attempting a total career change, having been self employed, having been in academia, or taking a purposeful ‘step back’ in your career. As time goes on, Champion will address these special resume considerations, but not just yet. What we will address is a standard, useful, readable, and attractive format that the vast majority of interviewing professionals agree is good. This is the “reverse chronological” format (taking present job first and working your way back). We will change things ever so slightly from the “book” version. The basics are simple:
• Don’t use anything but Bond Cotton Paper. Very White. Watermarked. • Don’t use graphics or anything your friend thinks will ‘jazz’ up your resume. Don’t use fancy or custom fonts. The computer software won’t read it, and if a human does first, they will likely think you won’t fit into their environment. • Don’t forget to use key words. • Do take your resume to a copy-shop IF you do not have access to a good printer. • Do have someone (or two) PROOFREAD your work. The copy-shop won’t. Do not rely on ‘spell-check’. Grammar and syntax errors will not get picked up 100% of the time. • Do think about what you are writing, from the ‘reader’s’ point of view. • Do several drafts. Keep the ‘final’ to one page. (there are some exceptions for a person with more or complicated experience…such as mid-management, or varied experience). There are several components to the ‘standard’ resume: 1) Name, address, phone, internet address. 2) “Career Summary” or “Job (career) Objective”. (Here is where we differ from most, as we prefer “Career Summary”). More on this later. 3) Positions listed in reverse chronological order./ Accomplishments. 4) Education 5) Skills/ Software. 6) Hobbies, activities, awards.
LAYOUT EXAMPLE: Your Name Address, Apt # City, State, Zip (area) #Number Email Address
Career Summary: *here is where you tell someone what you want them to think about you in 1-3 concise sentences: “A highly motivated Accounts Payable professional, experienced in a wide variety of accounting, with a proven track record of increasing efficiencies:. (or something like that). OR: Position Objective: *this is OK to use for entry-level, career change, or someone ready to ‘gamble’ on taking a major step up from where they are (no where in your resume will a reader see that you have done the job for which you are applying). Month/Date/Year-to-present: Company Name, Your title:(*see below) There are many different ways to handle this area. Using the ‘prose’ method, you can simply tell what your functions have been, with statements about your accomplishments, or..you can use some ‘prose’ and then “bullet” your accomplishments in single-sentence format below your basic ‘functions’ explanation. The ‘bullet’ format of accomplishments is simply a ‘tab over’ from the alignment of your functions. **Use this format if your accomplishments are noteworthy enough to grab attention. Use a ‘block’ format (justified both sides) for all text. Include ALL your jobs. Give more space to the most recent, or more space to the most significant. If your background is long, keep the majority of the detailed content to the last 10 years. What you did in 1975 won’t really help get you an interview today. For positions a long time ago, several may be combined using (example): “2/82- 4/87: Administrative Assistant to…. with two manufacturing companies”.If you spent time temping, indicate the staffing firm as your employer, and if temping for a significant employer highlight those under an ‘accomplishment’ type format. Any skill that was learned should be included as it shows your ability to pick things up in a new environment. Skills: Include all software, machines, technologies and applications in which you are proficient. Don’t lie.
List the skills that are relevant to the career you are seeking. Education: High School graduation and date. Significant curriculum, grade point if 3.0 or better. Education beyond high school should be listed first, including any continuing education or work-related courses. Activities/Interests: If you are ‘younger’, and high school activities are not just a fond memory, list those that show “joining” or “action”. Current interests, if you feel the need to list them, may be volunteer activities, athletic endeavors. “Knitting” is a solitary activity and may not be a ‘plus’ if you are applying for a customer service position. Include awards that show you care about what you do. Give your resume a good try. If you have any questions or need a little help (we are not a professional resume service) give one of our staff a call. We will advise you putting together a resume that suits your career.

Interview Questions You May Be Asked

Robert Schepens — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 06:39:21 +0000

Here are some questions you may be asked by company and staffing firm hiring authorities. Every authority has his or her own favorite interview questions that they feel will give them insight into the interviewee. We’ve compiled a list of 15 that you may want to prepare to answer:
• What are your long, short range goals. How, when and why did you come up with these? How do you plan to achieve them? • What are your goals outside of work? • How would a good friend, teacher and non-friend describe you? • Describe yourself. • What motivates you to do your best work? • Tell me about your top 3 accomplishments. • Define success. • If you could change anything in your life, what would it be? Why? • Describe a “good boss”. • Describe a good manager/subordinate relationship. • What benefits have you received from your extracurricular activities? • If you were me, what would you look for in hiring for this position? • What fundamental qualifications do you have that make you successful? • Why should we hire you?

How to Lose Your Job

Robert Schepens — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 06:38:24 +0000

Losing a job, getting fired, not being able to find another job is a sure way to financial and personal ruin. Once you start losing jobs or walking off jobs, it becomes a habit that is hard to break.

If you have not had someone tell you about, or listened to, “Work Advice” in the past, here is a quick refresher course on how people lose jobs/ get fired or “laid off” when no one else does:

Show up late, for any reason. Especially when you are new! A company will simply find someone who is more responsible, quickly. Do what it takes to be there on time/ early, all the time.
DON’T Call-Off. Everyone gets sick or has something happen, once in a long while. If you are ill, go in to work and let the supervisor send you home. Or, very simply, they will always doubt that you were sincere. If something happened that was impossible to foresee, tell the real story. Sometimes the ghastly truth will do better for you than a made-up line of Bull. Even if you are in jail, or your kid is throwing up all over the kitchen.

Help, I just Got Fired!

Robert Schepens — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 06:37:25 +0000

Well, that happens. Now what? Sue? Contact the government? An attorney? Unless the termination was ‘way’ off-base, don’t bother. If you truly feel that the termination (not a layoff) was totally unfair, go ahead and contact someone. Most of the time the termination was probably ‘fair’ (objectively speaking) even if you are reacting emotionally to it.
First…COOL OFF. DON’T REACT, or do/say anything you may regret later. Next: here are some things to do and think about… 1) Was it your performance? Think as though you were your Boss (ex). Many people will say “I don’t know…they never really told me”. OK, understand why: you may have been told directly or indirectly BEFORE the termination…you just didn’t get the message. And many times at the “exit interview” (time of termination) the company just wants you gone, wants to keep you from reacting or arguing (or getting litigious) so they tell you something a little different than reality. Also, some people DO have empathy and want you to be OK after.
Review in your mind what ‘warnings’ you had. If you can’t think of a ‘two by four’ you were hit with, perhaps you need to really think about the “signs” you were given. Be totally honest with yourself! If you blew it…admit it. 2) Try to get the real reason why you were released: All the laws, rules, regs and ethics aside…this may take some sincere effort and honesty on your part. Approach the ex wanting to be told exactly what you did or did not do…so you won’t make the same mistake in another job. DON”T DEMAND, ask. Ask for an evaluation. If you want this info for any other reason than to improve…forget it. Not that we are siding with possible bad companies or people….if you are a good person, learn from it and get on with your life. In many cases, if you learn from your mistakes, you and your career will be miles ahead of where you would have been without the termination and the opportunity to face and admit your mistakes. 3) Make a plan: To overcome your ‘lack ofs’ (mistakes). Stick with your plan. Understand where and why this all happened, understand the causes.
What could you have done differently? Talk it over with an objective listener or career coach. Take their advice. 4) Don’t think that the world is bad, or that you are a bad person. Don’t get into a ‘funk’. It was probably your BEHAVIOR that got you in trouble. A negative or spiteful attitude will do you no good at all. Admit to your reasons for being released to future employers: They will find out; If not before your hire, possibly after.
If you lie on your next application or in the interview, it can be a reason for dismissal. “Coming clean” will do your spirit and your prospects good. “Fess up” in an adult manner, show that you have learned, and how you will not allow yourself to sink back to that behavior.
What if your previous employer will “lie” for you? Re-read the sentences above. It is possible you were in a job ‘over your head’. OK, learn from it. Start over again at a little lower level, make sure you can handle the assignment.
What if you REALLY messed up? You know…the bad stuff. If you did something that is darn bad (theft, etc), see your mentor.
TOP REASONS PEOPLE GET RELEASED: 1) Poor attendance or tardiness, 2) Poor ‘work attitude’. About doing the job, 3) Mistakes from not checking their work, 4) Poor ‘attitude’…in general, with co-workers, 5) Poor attitude with Boss, 6) Doing just enough to ‘get by’ then falling short, 7) Not making an effort to improve after ‘warnings’, 8) Not able to ‘change’ with a changing environment, 9) “Its not in my job description”, I don’t want to do it, 10) Always waiting to be told what to do, 11) Knowingly breaking company policy.

Champion Personnel System, Inc. Available Career Opportunities. (Over 300). HIRING NOW!

Robert Schepens — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:52:23 +0000

Fill out your basic credentials at our online application, or submit a resume to ras@championjobs.com A Professional Recruiter will contact you to schedule an interview with the closest Champion office to your home. Or feel free to call any of our offices to speak directly with a recruiter.

CHAMPION‘s HOT job opportunities today are:

Champion is being selected by more hiring authorities as their chosen and exclusive hiring service, in Industrial, Manufacturing, Technical, Skilled, White Collar and Administrative disciplines. We are VERY busy looking for The BEST people who can enjoy opportunities to show what they can do, and become Direct Hire employees of our clients. Register today for the openings are flowing in steadily. The market is indeed moving in Northeast Ohio!

HIRING Up To 100 People: Ashtabula, Painesville, Cleveland, Lorain, Youngstown, Port Clinton, Toledo. Hiring will begin in 2 weeks. These are Technician opportunities (General Labor) where you will be trained for the various jobs, be thoroughly trained in SAFETY procedures and assigned to locations based upon your home location. This is physical work. You must be able to wear a lite respirator for many jobs, so no big side burns and no beards. 40 hours per week, but sometimes 55+ hours with paid OT. Like the Marines: we don’t take everyone. Just people who can cut it, probably are tired of working a stupid inside factory job, and are not able to find a skilled job (maybe you have not achieved skills yet). The future with this company can be union membership, great benefits. A MAJOR Long Term contract offers these opportunities. Champion is of course, the exclusive contracted workforce supplier on a regional basis. Call ANY of our offices, or call Toni at 216-823-5900. t.stewart@championjobs.com

Champion Is Expanding: Hiring Recruiter/ interviewer TRAINEES: College degree, “Coach”, insightful, demanding, able to figure people out and work within a precise system. Positive attitude essential. West, East, Central locations. ras@championjobs.com. Salary, bonuses, benefits, full professional training, superior environment.

120 People NEEDED for 4-6 week interim assignments in The Lorain County Area, beginning December! Great Xmas money, school money or extra money. Shipping, Scanning, Processing, Verifying. Fast-paced work in AWESOME facility. 2 shifts. Safety training provided. Contact Nick at: n.rini@championjobs.com

Mig Welder +

If you are one of the talented, but frustrated in finding a real “home” job-seekers, this company is for YOU. This East Suburb organization does everything it can possibly do to NOT lay people off during difficult times and has created a true “family” atmosphere for everyone in the organization. They are seeking a quality Mig welder who will be very open to accomplishing other tasks (run machines, do assembly, do maintenance) if there is a lull in welding. They boast a retention bonus, excellent benefits. You need to have experience working in a precise way from Blue Prints, being able to weld aluminum without creating puddles and have a team orientation. First shift. $13.50 to start.

Dock Worker:

Cleveland. Cold storage. Stand up forklift. Move materials in/out of corporate warehouse. Use computer to do tracking and inventory. Experience in this. Drug test, no felonies (will do national criminal search). To $12hr. EXPANDING with build-outs. Long term company with superior reputation.

2-CNC Lathe Setup/ Operate. Mayfield Hts. Train on 1^st then go to 2^nd or 3^rd shift. Our client is expanding with long-term business and is looking for people who take machining work very seriously. Short and long runs, larger parts. Excellent benefits including profit sharing. $15-$17 to start

CNC Lathe Setup, 3^rd shift, four days X 10 hours per day. Multiple machines to work on. PRECISION work, prototypes, proto-production of 10-1,000 pieces. Be excellent with shop math, offsets. Drug Free Workplace. Lake County. $16-$22 per hour. Very Stable, growing.

SWISS MACHINES. Champion has been contracted by 3 exceptional companies to help them locate and hire EXCELLENT Swiss Machine setup/ operators. East and west. Exceptional work environments, respect and solid pay: $18-$27 per hour to start. Overtime, excellent benefits, stability.

Project Coordinator: Coordinate all activities for new customers inside and with outside contractors. Involves up to 7 levels of “do-ers” working on a project, including the customer. Work independently, but closely with other corporate executives. This is start to finish work, related to construction …but NOT construction. You will need project management skills, customer service skills, ability to juggle but keep detailed documentation. MS Office knowledge is critical. This position carries defined goals and defined ability to be promoted. $32-$38,000

QA Engineer: Degree preferred, but ability to understand the big picture in quality. Solid company looking to put their international business into controlled quality processes. Learn on the floor for 6-9 months, then jump into updating systems and procedures. Hands-on Mechanical quality control experience with tools and benchmark systems. $45K to start. Exceptional opportunity.

WEB Developers: 4. EXCEPTIONAL company with intriguing software is looking for 4 people, on staff, to develop existing and new sites for their customers that will utilize their proprietary systems for tracking and working directly with customers and ordering. Front and Back end skills: PHP, My SQL, Oracle,Java, HTML, Graphics. Linux environement. $55-$70,000.

CNC Turn Mill (Live tooling). If you want to work for the BEST shop in the area where you are treated as a professional, will be developed beyond your current skills, this is the company you have wanted to work with. EXPANDING. Precision work, where you will function as a “Manufacturing Engineer” beyond the normal. Exceptional environment, training, pay system (unique), exceptional products. Experience in Live Tooling/ Turn Mill. $13-$19 per hour to start. More later. Exceptional stability.

CNC Setup. Medina County. Precision work. Horizontal, Verticle Lathes/ Turrets. Plus operate other mechanical fabrication equipment. New management, new directions. Exceptional opportunities for solid people. Retention bonuses start at 90 days, and will pay out handsomely: Attendance critical. $18-$22 per hour plus OT to start.

Acme Setup/ Operate and Operators. Lorain County. Very stable and growing organization. Acme experience. $13-$17 per hour to start.

Machinists: CNC Mill, CNC Lathe, Hydromat. 7 positions available in expanding shop. Products. Challenging work, professional environment. Much OT available. Do quality testing. Exceptional future. $13-$17 per hour.

Machine Builders. Mechanical and electrical. Sheet metal, mechanical, hydraulic and electrical. All work done custom from Blue Prints. Wiring from schematics. Extremely busy shop with LONG term contracts. Not short term assignments. Experienced. $13-$14 per hour to start. N.rini@championjobs.com

Inside Sales/ Customer Service. Twinsburg. This is an interim assignment for 3 months that could go longer. Incoming calls from existing industrial customers, plus email. Know Call Center environment. Solid DB and computer skills needed. This is a Fortune 100 Organization. $14hr

Manual Lathe Machinist: Twinsburg. Specialty parts made in a precise way from “Kits” that include instructions, parts, BPrints. Interesting work. Expanding company. 1^st shift. Experience on Manual Lathe. $14-$16 to start.

Project Coordinator: Exciting! Coordinate Crews, Customer, internal staff and end results of projects throughout the USA (this position is based in MENTOR). Expanding company. You will need to have EXCELLENT skills in coordinating multiple initiatives, be highly organized and MS Office proficient. Promotion opportunities at 6 months and one year! To $33K to start. Terri: 216.823.5900

CNC Mill operator. Large parts. Bedford area. Very family-oriented. $14-$16, $18 with setups experience. Paul: 216.823.5900

Acme Operators (20). Mentor area. LOTS of OT! To $15 per hour. Paul: 216.823.5900

QA Engineer: Stow: Degree + 1-2 years of machining quality. You will spend your first 6-9 months on the floor learning the exact processes, then move into a critical role for International Quality. Exceptional company. Paul: 216.823.5900

Panel Wiring and Fabrication: Sheet metal cabinets, plus wire the board. All work from prints. Toni: 216.823.5900

NEW BLUE COLLAR: Turn Mill (Live Tooling), and SCREW Machines: This is THE BEST shop in the area. They have hired 5 TOP people from us as they are expanding, and looking to continue to find great talent. Top $, Top TRAINING, but you have to know Turn Mill or Screw Machines. Paul: 216.823.5900

Electronic Assembly: THE BEST company of its kind in the area. All hiring done through Champion. Soldering. Sarah : 330-405-5627

Electronic Technicians: THE BEST company of its kind in the area. All hiring done through Champion. Testing, rework, some development. Experienced. Sarah: 330-405-5627

IX Center Ticket-Takers, Greeters, Coat Check, Data Entry. All IX Center shows handled by Champion. Fun jobs, good pay. Need to look and act well for visitors. Angela: 440.925.0154

Hydromat Setup/ Operate. G&M codes. High pay. Nick: 440-925-0154

CNC Lathe operators. Job Shop. Huge. Great workplace. Prints: Nick: 440-925-0154

Mechanical and Electrical Machine builders. VERY busy. Have hired 9 people, and need more. Experienced. Great pay, great people: Nick: 440-925-0154

Machine Operators, Assembly: West side. Expanding and looking for good people with mechanical skills and a great work ethic. Interim to direct. GREAT place to work: Angela: 440-925-0154

CNC Setup/ Operations. Precision work. Stow area. To $22hr to start. OT. Sarah: 330-405-5627

Bilingual Customer Service: Spanish/English. Experience, responsible. Solon area. Sarah: 330-405-5627

General Labor/ Machine operations. SUPER CLEAN. You will need to pass thorough background and financial check. Lots of OT. Sarah: 330-405-5627.

Customer Service. Middlefield. Manufacturing. Know CRM. Don: 440-632-0666

Saw Operator: Cut bar stock for international leader in their field. Must have industrial saw experience. Toni at 216-823-5900. t.stewart@championjobs.com

Sales Representative: Champion is expanding. Experience in service sales, B2B. Degree, trainable, but have had formal sales training (non-retail) where the sales experience is BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (you go after the potential customer). We are looking for assertive, high energy people who are trainable, comfortable on the phone and look like a business person for in-person visitation. Six Figure future, but not in the first year. College degree a must. Your EFFORTS produce results. Sell our company, and the relationship. ras@championjobs.com

Mill Setup/ Operator: BEDFORD. 2nd shift lead. Large parts. Setup/ operate from prints. Experience. p.beckrest@championjobs.com 216-823-5900

Mill Operator: Maple Hts. 1st shift. Operate. No sets. Experience with large parts. p.beckrest@championjobs.com 216-823-5900

AUTOCAD Designer: Mechanical, some electrical. Experience or schooling. Hiring now. Central location. High Pay. p.beckrest@championjobs.com

Electronics assembly. 1st and 2nd shifts. Solon area. Experience. Hiring NOW. Solid company, expanding. Solid pay. s.sakal@championjobs.com. Sarah at 330-405-5627.

Part Time Telemarketing, MENTOR: No Pressure selling. 20-25 hours per week: 9AM-1:00PM and 3PM-7:00PM. Experience in customer service, or outbound calls. FRIENDLY. Articulate. Expanding service company. With performance bonuses you can double your hourly rate. Pleasant atmosphere. Toni@ 216-823-5900, t.stewart@championjobs.com permanent jobs.

New Britain Machine Operator: Mentor. If you have exposure to New Britain screw machines, our company will train you to be a PRO. t.stewart@championjobs.com 216.823.5900

Quality Inspector: Twinsburg area. Aerospace Hydraulics. HIGH pay, precision environment. Experience. Sarah: 330-405-5657 s.sakal@championjobs.com

BANDER Operator: Highly efficient and organized steel slitting operation. Banding machine experience helpful but NOT NECESSARY. You WILL have operated factory equipment, multiple jobs simultaneously, have solid math skills and be FOCUSED. This is a serious operation doing GREAT work and they are EXPANDING. Monthly bonuses, 1st shift 50+ hours. GREAT MONEY. Military experience helpful for being able to be trained, following instructions and being precise. GREAT, planned career, with scheduled raises, scheduled cross-training and superior management. Exceptional career opportunity! Nick: 440-925-0154. n.rini@championjobs.com

Geauga/ Lake County Opportunities: ANOTHER contracted Champion client is in need of 4 CNC Operators and 3 Mechanical assembly people for first and second shift opportunities. MUCH OT available. Make BIG Bucks! BIG!!!. Experience with CNC loading or mechanical hand tool assembly If you fix your care, you can handle this. Don at 440-632-0666. d.burkley@championjobs.com

Electronics Assembly (No this isn’t Libra or Aclara). Expanding, growing, high tech company needs 3 qualified Electronics assembly pros. Solder, assemble, test. Great environment. To $12.50 to start. Exclusive. Sarah: 33-405-5657

Quality Inspection Professional: Hydraulics. Solon area. Any AutoCad or CMM or Digital Imaging a plus! Very high hourly rate, plus overtime, plus direct hire. NEW organization, growing!!! Sarah: 33-405-5627. Now.

100 Openings for General Labor: Madison Ohio Area and Sandusky Ohio area. GREAT general labor jobs for 6 months. Full training. Champion exclusive contracts. Toni: 216-823-5900. We will be interviewing and hiring in your area in 2 weeks.

CNC Setup/ Operator: “Junior Level” (Company will take a semi-experienced CNC person and DEVELOP that person). East side. No felonies or violence. CNC operator with some setups. To $16 per hour. Paul: 216.823-5900. p.beckrest@championjobs.com

CAD Designer: Both Mechanical layout and electrical schematics. Full cycle panel work, custom. Experience in CAD design of solid course work. $20 hr. Greg: 216-823-5900, g.hall@championjobs.com

Quality Inspector. Mechanical Products. Good working understanding of Quality tools including gauges. Solid math. DETAIL and an attitude that says” I’m not letting anything go through that could come back”. Military and Aero. Paul: 216-823-5900.

Want to learn THREAD ROLLING? It is a VALUABLE machining profession. Our client will take a competent machinist with good inspections skills and train that person in this specialty area. to $16hr. Nick: 440-925-0154

Machinists: Operate, Setup, Setup/operate or programming. Champion has a large number of first-class companies (Production, job shop, internal job shop) who are looking for highly skilled and collaborative “Machinists” to join their staffs. Negotiated high pay rates, benefits, direct hires and solid futures. We also have shorter-term Interim assignments, but prefer people who are looking for stable employment on a long term basis. East, West, Central locations. Base rates range from $13-$26 per hour. MOST of our clients are working healthy overtime and you will be paid 1.5X for the OT. This is a great time to look for a more productive environment with perhaps a better future and things to learn. We also have hiring schedules for more clients. Paul@championjobs.com , 216-823-5900

CNC Mill Setup/ Operator: MILLS. Work on larger parts using OH Crane to move them into place. Small, solid shop in the Bedford area with stable customers and rewarding work. Paul@championjobs.com 216.823.5900

Electronics: Champion has 7 hiring client organizations who are looking for experienced technicians, SMT operators, Experienced assemblers, Wave machine operators, Quality Technicians and Soldering Pros. We also have openings for people who have completed vocational traing where they have picked up the skills to take a step into a great career. Sarah 330-405-5627, Toni: 216-823-5900. These positions are not with Aclara or Libra.

8-Customer Service inbound call, Fluent Spanish/ English. SOLON. Handle questions, calm some nerves and make people feel good about things that are neither their fault nor yours. Consumer products that deal with TV/ Cable/Home Theater (CABLE). Must be able to work 12:00 NOON to 9:00PM M-Fri and OT is available. DIRECT HIRE, BENEFITS, Clean, beautiful offices. Not like the call center you may be used to. $ to $11.50.-$13.50 EXCLUSIVE. Sarah: 330-405-5627

Sales “Engineer” (applications): Opportunity to make a substantial living. KNOW Mechanical or Hydraulic “systems” (Those are close to this product line). Be able to discuss machine systems with potential customers. Have taken a CAD course and are able to use CAD software to speed up time between customers and design. Interesting opportunity for a tech sales person. greg@ajobnearhome.com

Experienced Technical Recruiter or…. Champion is swamped and we just had a valuable recruiter take unforeseen medical leave. We are seeking an experienced, stable, aggressive technical or industrial recruiter or a person (Trainee) with a college degree, proven competitive attitude (you must show unusual achievements under adversity), jobs and activities that were proactive and involved sales, persuasion, management of people or solutions. Wall Flowers don’t cut it in this highly aggressive business. Were you an athlete? Were you able to overcome adversity? Are you considered the “Go To” person in your circle? Someone who is given a hard task, who ALWAYS comes through? We want you to apply. Salary and Bonuses. Garfield Heights location, train in North Olmsted. Apply to ras@thegreatworkplace.com

Marketing Manager: This is a DREAM job! Hi-Tech software firm sold to BUSINESSES, with a business purpose is looking for a Marketing Degree, and 2-4 years of creative experience with an ad agency. You need to consider yourself 3-G in your approach to marketing, understanding all the newest tools available. Work with the President. greg@ajobnearhome.com

Human Resource Manager: OUTSTANDING Manufacturing company with about 200 people, privately owned. Report to the CEO. Handle all Generalist Duties, create and move the HR strategy forward. You will also create and do “Onboarding”, work with Champion (Exclusive Recruiting and Staffing). 5 years solid manufacturing HR. Able to appreciate an entrepreneurial environment and CEO. $50′s. ras@thegreatworkplace.com

BOLTMAKING PRO: Second shift will be built around you and your expertise. Be the “One and only” for awhile. 1 month on first to get into their systems. $20hr: Paul: 216-823-5900.

Wave Soldering Machine Operator: Toni: 216-823-5900

Assembly, Electronics: 1st and 2nd shifts. Some experience. will train if you have schooling. Sarah: 330-405-5627

SMT Operators: Experienced or train. (Schooling needed): Toni: 216-823-5900

Electronics: If you have work experience in an electronics manufacturing company: Solder, Assembly, Tech, Test, Technician, Engineer, Supervisor, SMT, WAVE Machine, Rework. Champion has contracted with several organizations who are tired of unprofessional staffing companies, and Champion is containing their efforts. Let us know what you can do, and we’ll try to find the best position for you. We will need to hire about 100 people in the next 3 months. Over the next year it will climb to about 250. : Sarah: 330-405-5627, Toni: 216-823-5900, Paul: 216-823-5900

Machinists: Setup, Operate, or Program. Champion has made a concerted effort to contract with some of the finest shops in NE Ohio to be the exclusive recruiting firm for their efforts in finding TOP machining professionals. Many of these companies will hire on a direct basis. We are currently seeking about 70 qualified, experts in this area. All geographies in the area. Rates range to $26 hour. all shifts. M-Th, M-Fri. Operators, leads, setup. Paul: 216-823-5900

CNC Milling Machine Operators. Hiring for 1st and 2nd shifts. Hiring 20 people in the next 30 days.! You will need to know how to operate and tweak (Tool changes, minor program edits) CNC mills, and be math-smart, reliable. AMAZING company. Solon area. $10-$13 per hour plus paid OT. Sarah: 330-405-5627.

Warehouse: Solon. You will “Own” all inventory, shipments, received goods, and make sure what is delivered is correct, what needs to be shipped is. Accuracy is critical. Nothing moves without you knowing about it. Know ERP systems, do internal and external tracking. Physically load/move inventory. We are looking for personal qualities: Reasoning ability, math, common sense, detail. Experienced in being the “Go To” person in a mfg warehouse. Exceptional organization, solid history. $30-ish + OT. Sarah: 330-405-5627

General Assembly: Will be trained in electronics (demand field). 1st and 2nd shift. Growing company. Champion is doing the staffing exclusively. Reliable vehicle. Solon area. You will have PREVIOUS assembly experience with small parts, pieces, have great dexterity and be interested in working with precision parts, being accurate, and learning a new career. Prep precision parts for the next manufacturing phases. Bench work full training. Any electronics a plus. $8.50-$9.00. Sarah: 330-405-5627, Toni: 216-823-5900. Hiring NOW and thru June. We will need to hire for this exclusive expanding client (permanenet jobs) all SUMMER.

Recruiters for Champion Staff: We are looking to hire and train ~~TWO~~ One High-energy, results-oriented Recruiter trainees. We have more business now than we can handle, and will remain that way in the future. The person we seek will NOT come from a competing firm. We have recently interviewed about 20 who have and we just are not seeing a career commitment. Champion is looking for the following qualities: OUTGOING and Vibrant. SMART. Problem-solving genes. A “Sales” person, without being in a sales function. We need to motivate people, manage them on assignments and get them performing at above expected levels. You will do that with people you place on assignments. You have managed before, you have insight into people. You are a proven “make things happen” type of person. You have a 4 year degree, 2-5 years experience in something difficult. You understand business, people and careers. This is NOT for someone who has been a retail cashier. This is NOT for inbound phone customer service people. This is also a semi-entry position. We place industrial, warehouse and white collar workers. It is intense, busy, fulfilling. Damn good money if you are good. Lousy money and a lousy career if you are thinking about vacations, time off or your personal life. ras@thegreatworkplace.com

CNC Operators. (Not Set Up). Solon. 1st and 2nd shift with SOLID, Stable, GROWING company. Need to hire NOW. Experience with CNC Ops, maching. Interim to Direct. $13 hr Sarah: 330-405-5627

Entry Level BSEE to do product and CIRCUIT design, product development and testing. Superior growth highly awarded comapny. To $60K Greg: 216-823-5900

AutoCad: Second shift, take field sketches of Countertop installations and make them into working CAD prints for CNC work. PRECISION. Experience in CAD, reliable, want to grow. Solid pay. Paul: 216.823.5900

Machine Builders. Mechanical, electrical and controls. 9 Openings. MAJOR Expansion and more coming. Paul: 216-823-5900.

Electronics: We have been contracted by ANOTHER major player in this field to staff ALL their assembly, testing, technician positions. Call Sarah at 330-405-5627, NOW. People from Aclara are welcome.

Welders (4): WOW. $17 an hour. MIG welding. Verticles. second shift. We will hire 4 (FOUR) people. Be crossed trained into other functions. Work habits and attitude are important. Blue Prints. Toni at 216-823-5900

Welders: Semi-Entry. School, some Experience, combo. TIG. Bedford area. Toni: 216-823-5900

Machining. Mentor: CNC Lathe/ Mill OPERATOR (NOT setup). $12-$14 an hour. Base experience with a solid work attitude. Hiring NOW!! Toni: 216-823-5900

Production Scheduler: Direct Hire. Promotion opening. Multi-level BOM. APICS. East. $ to $45 to start. Toni: 216-823-5900

Buyer: Know electronic components. MRP. Experienced in buying for electronics manufacturing. No retail, no steel, no machining. ELECTRONICS Mfg. Local company. $50-$70,000. Toni: 216-823-5900

Quality Specialist: Degree (4 year, EE, EET, Qual, ME, Mfg). 2 years in ISO administration and processes. New Division. New Products. Incredible future. $50k? Greg. 216-823-5900

Soldering. SOLON. Precision work. Magnifier or Microscope. Incredible environment. $14hr . Sarah 330-405-5627 (405-JOBS)

Customer Service, Middlefield. Manufactured product. Commercial use. Need solid CSR, Database use, Word, excel, patient, friendly. Experience, but will get COMPLETE product training. Don: 440-632-0666

Manufacturing Engineering Manager (Potential to Mfg Manager, quickly) This is a startup division of a Local High Tech company. You will be responsible for setting up all Electronic CB’s and component mfg’g, from scratch. Must be out of this field. Six figure package. ras@championjobs.com

Electronic Techs: IMMEDIATE NEED. Assembly, rework, test. Associate’s Degree with solid GPA. s.sakal@championjobs.com

SMT Operator. Some direct experience. East. s.sakal@championjobs.com

Warehouse: 3 people needed now, 9 will be needed total. Foods. Know precision towmotor work. Able to function (with a suit) in colder environment (can’t let the food spoil!) Pass Math Test. Sarah at 330-405-5627

Machine Maintenance Technician. Geauga County. Repair precision machines: electrical, electronics, controls, mechanical and hydraulics. Exp. $50K: Don: 440-632-0666

Electronic Technicians and Testing Techs: Geauga County, near Lake County: Experience in Test, Assembly, SMT, Easy assembly of Electronics, manufacturing, School, OJT. Toni: 216-823-5900, Don: 440-632-0666

Small Machine Assembly: Near Ohio City. Bench assembly using hand tools of all components making up machine that will weigh about 75 lbs. Motor, hydraulics, actuators, electronics, pre-made components. Precision work. 7-3:30. New division of large corporation. Nick: 440-925-0154. n.rini@championjobs.com

2-Second shift CNC Operators: Mill or Lathe. Read prints, do some inspection of parts. Mon-Thursday 3:45PM to 2:30AM. Operations experience, no setup necessary. This company will hire two people with SOME experience, but with the RIGHT ATTITUDE, as in showing you want to work. MENTOR. Paul: 216-823-5900. Now.

8-Customer Service inbound call, Fluent Spanish/ English. SOLON. Handle questions, calm some nerves and make people feel good about things that are neither their fault nor yours. Consumer products that deal with TV/ Cable/Home Theater. Must be able to work 12:00 NOON to 9:00PM M-Fri and OT is available. DIRECT HIRE, BENEFITS, Clean, beautiful offices. Not like the call center you may be used to. $ to $11.50. EXCLUSIVE. Sarah at 330-405-5627

Electrical Engineer: Design and Develop Power Inversion Circuitry. This is a “leading edge” company, local, high growth, new products and new divisions. This is THE place to be if you are tired of being in an organization that is simply “stagnant”. Solid salary, personal and professional growth, incredible future: Greg: 216-823-5900, greg@ajobnearhome.com

Maintenance:Mechanical Technician: Fix, repair and balance machine that mix, blend and pour chemicals. PRECISION work. Solid pay. 3 month contract, with further opportunities. Toni: 216-823-5900

Electrician (Industrial). 10 Day assignment to work with electrical contractor at an Oberlin based customer. $20 hr(?). Experienced. Toni: 216-823-5900, t.stewart@championjobs.com NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Middlefield/ Geauga County Manufacturing Opportunities: Yes we actually DO have an office in Middlefield, but more importantly, Champion has 37 client organizations who need to hire solid manufactuing people from machine operators to reach truck drivers to general labor: You need to live in the area (10 miles from Middlefield, Chardon, and east to Jefferson Ohio) and be sincere about hard work. Pass drug test and background check (some glitches may be okay). don@championjobs.com or 440-632-0666. NOW.

MIG Welding. 271/ 480 area. Weld frames. M-Th+ Voluntary OT on Friday. $11hr Toni: 216-823-5900

MACHINISTS: CNC. CHAMPION IS REPRESENTING 24 LOCAL COMPANIES who are seeking qualified and experienced CNC Setup/ Operators, up to programmers to work with every conceivable “chip cutting” machine and controls. ALL shifts, Pay ranges up to $26 per hour, plus paid OT at 1.5X, plus Direct Hire opportunities+ benefits+ solid places to work. These are NOT TEMP JOBS. If you are even thinking of changing companies, you need to contact us. These positions are for serious Machinists, Training is available for people who have had formal schooling in machining, but we are looking for THE BEST machinists in NE Ohio. 216-823-5900

100 General Labor people needed beginning June for Assignments: Lorain County, Erie County. We are gearing up for this client. If you have a solid work ethic, can handle “assembly” and want to work in an interesting industry, this could be for you! Send a resume or email to: ras@championjobs.com we will contact you very soon with details.

International Transportation Coordinator: Twinsburg. Unique company. Growing dramatically. Import/export freight, international documentation, tracking, compliance. Audit invoices and billing. 10 years experience, any Chinese or Spanish preferred, know Iconterms, Import/Export tariff classifications, MS Office. You will love it here. $40,000+ Direct Hire+ Benefits. ras@thegreatworkplace.com

Project Manager/ Coordinator: Very Unique company, super-busy, needs your project management expertise. You will coordinate ALL materials, timings, labor and support services for jobs that have already been sold, but need to be “Installed” on site. Report to overall Project Manager. Formal training in Project Management, worked that function in an “Installation” or Bid-Job or”Build” type of business. About $38K to start. Sarah @ 330-405-5657.

General Labor/ Machine Operations. Total Cross Training! AVON LAKE AREA. If you were wondering where the good jobs were out west, this is where they are! Get cross-trained on at least 5 different machines that produce specialty products for customers, PLUS get trained (and do) Warehouse pick and pack. You need to be drug free, clean background and have a sincere desire to work, learn, and be productive. 4+ Days. OT. Solid income. Raises. Nick at 440-925-0154

Recruiter: Our staff. HELP!! We have more business than we can handle!!

10 General Labor People needed for Interim to Direct Hire beginning in June: You will need to be able to wear a basic respirator: No beards/ facial hair or long sideburns. That type of hair will not allow a solid “seal” on the face. The materials you will be working around are dust/dirt/water and some chemicals. Do large scale cleaning jobs. $10hr call 216-823-5900 or 440-925-0154

9 Towmotor Operators: Solon Area. You will be working in tight spaces, in a complex, multi-room facility. Need to know how to use hand-held scanner for warehouse and be able to handle extreme temps. $10hr to start. IMMEDIATE need for 3 people on 2nd shift. Sarah 330-405-5627

Small Engine Mechanic. Gas/ Diesel. Also know hydraulics. Repair a WIDE variety of “Lawn and Garden” type equipment. NOT a seasonal job. Work year round. We are looking for solid experience in working on this type of equipment. To $20 hr to start. Paul: 216-823-5900.

Administrative Assistant. Brecksville. Be a combination of “Receptionist” (answer a 6 line phone system) work with customers and technicians over the phone. Schedule repair visits, schedule installation. Be trained to do quotes and work directly with customer. GREAT Future. Earn bonuses based upon customer service results. Word/ Excel/ Internet. GREAT attitude. Carina: 216-823-5900.

Welders: Twinsburg. MIG with some TIG. Learn Fitting. 1st shift. No drug convictions. Sarah: 330-405-5627.

Welder. Willoughby. Mid-Level skills. MIG WELDING. Fit, weld, overhead crane. Some Tig work. All from Prints. To $17.00 per hour. Carina 216.823.5900.

Inside Sales. Soft Sell. Confidence, class, good phone voice (sound confident and knowledgeable). No real cold calling, more educational and helpful (Kinda like the people at Angie’s List: Classy). Exceptional future. Twinsburg. s.sakal@championjobs.com

NC Surface/ Form Grinder. East ‘burbs. Exceptional opportunities with a company that cares about people. Have experience setup and operate surface grinding equipment, NC, pass Quality tools test. $18 per hour. Paul: 216-823.5900

CNC Mill Setup/ Operate. G&M codes. Quality tools. EXCEPTIONAL company, EXCEPTIONAL future. Paul: 216-823-5900

Machine Maintenance: Exclusive. Chardon area. Mechanical, Electrical and controls for precision equipment. Not big stuff. $50K. Toni: 216-823.5900

CNC Lathe Operators, Programmers, CNC Mill Operators and Programmers: This organization has made a major commitment to upgrading their ability to please their customers AND to DEVELOP their staff. In the Painesville area, they run 3,4,5 Axis Mills, V and H Lathes, using Fanuc, Okuma, GE Controls. Lots of OT available. We can pay starting wages from $16-$24 per hour, always based on experience, TEAM attitude and ability to produce quality work. Toni: 216.823.5900

Grinders: After customer’s part is run by Machinist, you will do finish grinding to proper dimensions. All work is from Blue Print. Do setup, edit programs and change tooling. Blanchards, ID/OD, Honing. $16-$18 to start. Painesville area. Toni: 216.823.5900

Want to become a Class A Machinist? Our client, in the Highland Hts area, is committed to developing the best: Bring some good experience or schooling in CNC work, and these people will develop your skills. Super Clean shop (literally you could eat off the floor). A/C, formal training, great benefits, great people. You will want to retire from here. $14-$16 to start. We are NOT looking for super-experienced people. This is your opportunity to learn and excel!!!

Machinist/ Operator (will Train). Dream Job! Exceptional company, exceptional technology, exceptional future. Avon Area. Be trained (Must have operators exp) to setup and op a unique machine technology. Talk directly to customers. Be the future. If you are going to engineering school, so much better. Much OT available. Squeeky clean background, appearance. $12-$14 Angela: 440-925-0154

Distribution Manager/ Warehouse Manager (Hands on): 35,000 sq ft busy warehouse for Manufacturer. Take them into the 21st century with new systems. Hands on person, not desk sitter, know ERP, BAR Coding, able to supervise 12 people on 3 shifts. Mid $50′s. ras@championjobs.com

Press Operators. Middlefield Ohio. Exceptional opportunities for experienced people who can be responsible. Don: 440-632-0666

Software Engineers: Program MySQL, PHP, Java Script. The “products” do stuff that blows my mind. You may understand it, but honestly, It kinda scares us. $85K + Stock+Benefits, Plus Plus. LOCAL. greg@ajobnearhome.com

Maintenance/Plant Engineer: (No degree needed). PROCESS Piping and Mechanical/ Electrical Expertise (480V). Solid company (you won’t want to leave), plus exceptional benefits. Local. Mid-career expertise, there are two highly experienced people in dept who will help you. Toni: 216-823-5900

Maintenance Plant Equipment. Lake County Area (Exclusive, of course) : Mechanical/ electrical. Precision assembly equipment, fast moving and electronics controls. ($50K). Toni: 216-823-5900

Shipping and Receiving: ELYRIA. Solid company. Experience needed, towmotor skills, computer skills, able to lift 50 lbs, great work attitude. To $14 per hour to start. Call Nick Rini at 440-925-0154

Industrial Saw Operator: West Side. Need experienced person NOW!. Call Nick at 440-925-0154

National Sales Manager: Experience in consumer products for Hunt/Fish. Experience with Rep network. $100K Package. ras@championjobs.com

Ship and Receive Pro: Small, busy company on East Side. You will handle ALL ship/receive, use ERP system, decide how to ship. Keep everything HIGHLY organized. Use other shop people on a per-need basis. Need VERY clean background, pass drug test, be “Everyone’s Neighbor” type person, who does the job, no hassles, no issues, no trust issues, no drama. Report to the owners. Highly awarded company. To $18 per hour. Call Greg at 216-823-5900

Machine Operator, Level I. Painesville: Full Training to learn CNC Operations. Phenomenal company, benefits, training and future. MUST want to become a full MACHINIST and devote your time to a skilled career. Mechanical aptitude, any machining school or experience helpful. $10 to start. Call Toni at 216.823.5900

Warehouse/ Inventory “Specialist”. Twinsburg. Not a “people management” position. You will be the person who makes sure (organize and move stuff) all incoming and outgoing material are where they need to be. Load and unload shipments. Count inventory. Use PO’s and ERP system to assure all machine have materials. Need to know Word, Excel, basic computer. Interim to direct hire in 90 days. High Pay. GREAT, stable company. Experience in same duties. Sarah: 330-405-5627

Panel Build and Wiring. Small, precision control panels. Assemble BOTH Mechanical components and build wiring for them. All From Prints/ Schematics. Start IMMEDIATELY, assignment is for 2-3 weeks, but could go longer. HIGH Pay. SE Suburb. Carina: 216-823-5900

Visual Inspection: Clean room. We are looking for a “Hyper-Vigilant” individual who can visually inspect and clean critical components. Visual inspection ability, detail, cleanliness! Good job. Twinsburg area! Sarah: 330-405-5627

Sales Manager: Consumer Outdoor-use products. Experience in consumer product sales management through brokers and direct to larger accounts. Cleveland-based, 40% travel to accounts/ brokers/ trade shows. We are looking for an “Outdoors” type person. Package is $100K. North East Ohio residents first. We may consider basic relo later. Again, consumer products experience, able to relate to the “Hunt/Fish/Camp” folks.

Machine Maintenance: Chardon Area. Complete (Mech and Electrical) maintenance on electronics PCB building equipment. Precision work. Controls. To about $50K. Experienced. Toni: 216-823-5900

Electronic Technicians, SMT Operators, Testing Technicians, Assembly Technicians, Soldering Gurus: Champion has been selected to staff 8+ organizations in NE Ohio who are in the electronic component business (and we are adding new hiring clients every week). So if you are experienced in a technical function within a company that produces an electronic circuit board or assemble/ manufactures an electronic component or product for another company, you should call us. We have a limited number of current and future openings for people with no experience, but recent schooling. We are also pre-planning staffing for at least two organizations that are going to be ramping up in only a few months. Call: 216.823.5900, ask for Toni or Carena, Call 330-405-5627 (Twinsburg area) ask for Sarah, call 440-632-0666 (Geauga County) and ask for Don. Not sure who to call? Apply on this website or email: ras@championjobs.com

Production Scheduler: OUTSTANDING company with a long and stable history (Lake county, by accessible from Cuyahoga County) needs your manufacturing (multiple departments) production scheduling experience and GREAT attitude. APICS certification is a plus! Toni: 216.823-5900 or Don: 440-632-0666.

Production Manager: Career opportunity. Smaller privately owned company, central location. Come from plating, coating, painting type job shop. Know how to schedule, oversee quality and work with customers. This company is ISO Certified. You should understand a formal quality system. Greg: 216-823-5900.

Mechanical Assembly: 2^nd shift, train on 1^st. Precision work, bench level, with hand and impact tools. GREAT organization. Central location. Toni: 216.823.5900

Assemblers for Automotive bodies. Very solid, national company. Central location. Interim to Direct hire. Carina: 216.823.5900

2-CNC Machine setup operators. East Cuyahoga County, almost lake county. You will learn their machines. Easy setup work. SOLID company. GREAT Career!! Toni: 216.823.5900

Flexographic Print Operators. Labels. World-Class organization, east side location. TOP PAY! Paul: 216.823.5900

2-CNC Grinders: TOP AREA COMPANY! This organization cross-trains and develops good people for long term careers. You will want to work here!!!! 2^nd shift, train on 1^st. Lots of OT available, but work 4 X 10 hours. High Pay!! Toni: 216-823-5900

2- Deburring Personnel. 3^rd shift. Precision work. You will have an opportunity to learn other areas of the operation. They even have their own “University” to train you. Must first have BeBurr, sanding and polishing skills. Toni: 216-823-5900

CNC Lathe and Mill setup and operators (East Side) PHENOMENAL organization. High pay. Must have experience. 2^nd shift. Toni: 216-823-5900

BUYER: Unique opening. Electronics components background needed for this High Growth organization (east side). This is not a trainee job. Know MRP. Solid Pay! Toni: 216.823-5900

SMT Operators (multiple organizations are looking!) EXPERIENCED please! Sarah: 330-405-5627

Acme Screw Machine Setup Operators: Lake County. 2^nd shift: Toni: 216-823-5900

Quality Inspector! 2^nd shift. Mentor area. Know how to use quality inspection tools. One year experience. Solid pay. GREAT future!! Toni: 216-823-5900

Machine Builders. Large machines. Do all Electrical work, MIG weld, Mechanical too. PLC hook ups. Very High Pay!!!! Paul: 216-823-5900

CNC Operators, Mentor Area!! Job shop type work for HIGHLY diversified company. More than just an operator All work from BP. Great overtime available. High Pay! Paul: 216-823-5900

CAD Design/Draft. Autocad. Plus 3-D. Update old designs plus do new designs for exceptional customers. Sheet Metal and Wiring exp. Very Solid pay and future! Greg: 216-823-5900

Panel Wiring: All work from schematics. Very LONG TERM (1+years) worth of work. Experience with Control Panel wiring. Not home stuff. Big Pay! Carina: 216.823.5900

CNC Mill Setup/Ops, program. Lake county. We are looking for a Class A person. Tight tolerances. $25 per hour. Eric: 216.823.5900

Software Engineer: Experience on programming for ecommerce database. SQL, .net, C++, MRP and ERP. EXCEPTIONAL international company. Very attractive package. Very. Greg: 216-823-5900

Electronics: Staffing NEW division of High-Growth Company. Exclusive. Get in on ground floor. Techs, Assembly, Test, machine setups, SMT, and much more. GREEN. Sarah: 330-405-5627.

Customer Service Reps: one Full time, One Part Time. WESTLAKE: Experience in a professional environment, PRODUCTS. High Growth company. Nick: 440-925-0154

Screw Machine Operators. Elyria. 1^st and 2^nd shift. High pay for experience, will also hire people who have operated other types of shop equipment. Solid pay. Good jobs. Nick: 440-925-0154

Assemble Lawn Furniture, Toys, Pools, Outdoor stuff. In warehouse and on-site. Lots of OT. Good work. 8-10 weeks. Solid pay. Better than landscaping job. Nick: 440-925-0154

SAW OPERATOR: Plate Saw. Steel Warehouse. Great Job, Great People, Great pay and benefits. I-D. Nick: 440-925-0154

Love Animals? Want to work at high volume, long hours and low pay pet clinic? Much better than Golden Arches or Mom complaining that you are not working. WEST. $9.50 Angela: 440-925-0154.

Machine Operators (10). ALL Shifts. If you have solid shop experience and can pass shop math test, measuring and more, we have GREAT careers waiting for you. West and East. Two outstanding companies. FULL TRAINING. Great Pay, great environments!! Nick (west) 440-925-0154, Carina (east) 216-823-5900.

MIG Welding: Twinsburg. Structural. Big stuff. Solid pay. Sarah: 330-405-5627. Needed NOW!!!

Machine Operators. Super clean shop. Permanent Temporary Positions. GREAT COMPANY. Solid pay. Better than Golden Arches. Pass drug, background checks. Full training. Sarah: 330-405-5627.

Geauga County/ Chardon, Middlefield, Newbury, Warren, Geneva, Madison, Mentor (Lake County): We have 30 openings for General Labor, Machine Operators, Assembly, Plastics, Maintenance (High Tech, High Pay) and ELECTRONICS personnel. Hiring now and in the next several weeks. Don: 440-632-0666

Precision Machine Technicians – recent graduates invited to apply! You know who you are, you know what you have been taught, let us introduce you to your first real hands on opportunity. We’ve got the clients who are willing to bring you in! If you are WEST – contact Angela @ a.amistadi@championjobs.com or 440-925-0154. If you are CENTRAL NEO – Contact either Toni – t.stewart@championjobs.com or Paul – p.beckrest@championjobs.com or 216-823-5900. If you are SOUTH EAST – Contact Sarah – s.sakal@championjobs.com or 330-405-5627.

Electronic Technicians – Champion currently has six clients in this industry. All aspects are needed: assemblers;panel wiring; Process Engineers;Manufacturing Engineer;testers;designers -CAD. These clients are all over Northeast Ohio so please send your resume to Robert – ras@championjobs.com.

Manual Engine Lathe Set-up/Operator for the Tooling Industry from specs. Overtime opportunity! Contact Angela @ 440-925-0154.

Assemblers – Contact Nick @ 440-925-0154.

Machine Operators in the printing industry. Willing to train! Contact Sarah@ 330-405-5627.

PARALEGAL – Contact Carina@ 216-823-5900.

AR/AP Clerk – Contact Toni @ 216-823-5900.

SOFTWARE Engineer in ECommerce. Direct Hire! Contact Greg – 216-823-5900.

GRINGERS – 1st, 2nd, 3rd shift positions! Overtime! More money than you can dream of! Contact – Angela – 440-925-0154!

MECHANICAL ASSEMBLY – train on 1st for one month then take your place on 3rd! Contact Toni – 216-823-5900.

We have a total of SEVEN PAGES of job openings. Can’t possibly put them all here. We can just about guarantee that we have what you’re looking for so contact Champion TODAY for your next career opportunitiy!

PAST JOB POSTING – some may still be available, contact today!

Job Shop Welder/Fabricator – Family owned companylooking to add an all around machinist from start to finish. Put your “art” to work while working independantly in small quarters. Contact Paul @ p.beckrest@championjobs.com

MANUAL engine lathe machinist – OVERTIME AVAILABLE! If you’re a machinist/fabricator who likes to think things through to get the job done while working with tight tolerances this is one heck of an opportunity! Five years experience required. Become part of a very large, well known, stable company and help them grow! Contact Paul @ p.beckrest@championjobs.com

Accounts Payable Clerk – downtown! Nice comfortable friendly firm seeks an AP/AR clerk: general ledger, invoicing, customer service and soft collection. Lovely people to work with in a fantastic office. Contact Toni OR Carina c.hughes@championjobs.com

Paralegal – work in and around the medical field for a wonderful law firm downtown Cleveland. Causal office – filings,research, court files, excel, word etc. Public transportation provided! Doesn’t get any better than this! Contact: Carina at c.hughes@championjobs.com

Grinder/Deburrer – work with your ipod! Can you imagine that? Second shift! Love it, love it, love it! Contact: Angela at a.amistadi@championjobs.com.

Debit/Credit/Data Entry/Inventory control clerk – and when there is nothing else to do…be a machine operator. If you like flexibility in your job duties and have full knowledge of Access/Excel/Outlook and Work…and enjoy working with machines at time this is a great opportunity. Some heavy lifting possible when doing inventory control. Old and stable company, great wages ! If you are familiar with Microsoft Suites contact Nick at n.rini@championjobs.com

Many more opportunities are unlisted. Do contact Champion today. We’re still looking for the Engineer positions: Mechanical and Electricial. See below for more information.

ACME Gridley Set-Up and Operator – interim to permanent hire. Excellent company with benefits~ Contact: Paul – p.beckrest@championjobs.com.

PROCESS ENGINEER – electronics manufacturing. Direct hire~ Contact: greg@ajobnearhome.com

CNC Horizontal Mill – set-up and operate – INTERIM TO DIRECT HIRE. Great group of people to work with, excellent benefit package, above average wages. Contact – PAUL p.beckrest@championjobs.com

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE – support – Quickbooks and Excel experience a must. SEASONAL (until fall) Contact Toni – t.stewart@championjobs.com

SHIPPING AND RECEIVING – UPS/World Ship Software experience. Down time will be light assembly (mechanically inclined). Busy pace, great family owned company, good wages. Contact: Sarah ~ s.sakal@championjobs.com

GENERAL LABOR – clean record, must pass pre-hire drug screen. Assemblers and material handlers, first and second shift positions available for a fast growing manufacturing firm on the west side of Cleveland. Contact: Angela ~ a.amistadi@championjobs.com

SOFTWARE ENGINEER – ERP in MFG! ABOVE average wages. Phenomenal opportunity. Contact – greg@championjobs.com

SERVERS – professional wait staff. Part time opportunities in and around town. If you’re not looking for a permanent job position and just want to work occasionally this is one fun job opportunity. Contact – Toni ~ t.stewart@championjobs.com

Manufacturing/ Quality Engineer: You will setup (spec out and find, design processes for) NEW PCB building facility for high growth company, green products. Exciting opportunity for degreed person who has experience both in speccing out PCB manufacturing and the QUALITY aspects of this. Very Great career path! ras@thegreatworkplace.com hiring NOW!!!!!

Electrical Engineer: Power conversion for GREEN products circuitry/ software. New Division of High Growth company. Leading edge new products. ras@thgreatworkplace.com

Production Manager: Ideal person will have experience from a “Manufacturing” type company that does a service for another product (Plating, painting, assembly/ etc) and then ships it back to customer. You will manage the entire operation for this SOLID, stable, long term Cleveland Based company. Hiring NOW!!! ras@thegreatworkplace.com

CMG Crusher Roll Grinder first shift. Experienced CNC Grinder is preferred but would consider a recent grad. Contact: Carina @ 216-823-5900.

Buyer – work for an international company as a purchaser. No traveling. Contact: Angela @ 440-925-0154.

QC Inspector – wonderful company. Experience a must. Contact: Nick @ 440-925-0154

Machine Operators - WONDERFUL printing shop. You much have excellent credit though to work here. Contact: Sarah @ 330-405-5627.

General Laborers – industrial laborers, lite lifting, medium paced, great place to work, wonderful co-workers. Contact: Toni – 216-823-5900.

Mechanical Assemblers – from prints. If you like being left alone while you get’er done this job is the one for you! Contact: Angela @ 440-925-0154.

PART TIME Customer Service – retail – you must be available weekends. Fun, fun, fun…if you like “making pretty” this is a dream job. Contact: Sarah @ 330-405-5627.

CNC operators – set-up operate and program Contact Paul @ 216-823-5900.

Electrical Design Engineer with experience in power inverter circuitry. Contact: greg@ajobnearhome.com

Warehouse - This client is growing so fast they can’t hire fast enough! Experienced warehouse person familiar with overhead cranes, side loaders and fork lift trucks. Work in the warehouse moving very large parts. They are currently looking for individuals who consider themselves “go getters” who want to be part of their Cleveland team. This is interim to direct. Once hired, the bonus opportunites are too good to mention here! Contact: Sarah @ 330-405-5627.

Clerical - support the office manager. Excel, Word and some Quick Book knowledge is a plus not a must. Casual office, great people, wonderful company. Interim to direct. Contact: Carina – 216-823-5900.

Data entry – FAR EAST Part time opportunity to work with the owner as the busy landscaping season develops. Invoicing, payables, receivables, phones…whatever is needed. Flexible schedule. Great for someone who like to work but can’t work full time! Carina – 216-823-5900

General Labor – FIRST and SECOND shift opportunities. Work for a steady, dependable, older company who has been around for a very long time. Some heavy lifting required. Clean background and drug test required. OVERTIME available. Contact: Toni: 216-823-5900

MACHINISTS! If we don’t have what you’re looking for, we’ll go out and find it for you! CONTACT Paul @ 216-823-5900 or submit your resume directly to him @ p.beckrest@championjobs.com.

Punch Press Operators – experienced press operators for all three shift positions. Very fast pace. If you like the rhythm and pace of these wonderful machines contact Angela – 440-925-0154.

Past Job Postings

EXPERIENCED SHEET METAL FABRICATOR for a permanent job opportunity. Excellent company with full benefits. Contact Greg@ajobnearhome.com or 216-823-5900.

EXPERIENCED WELDER FABRICATOR FOR CUSTOMIZED ALUMINUM AND STAINLESS STEEL. Heavy lifting. Family owned business headed for some serious growth. Looking for an upbeat, drama free member to add to their team. Contact Paul @ p.beckrest@championjobs.com or 216-823-5900.

They say it’s “short term” but it usually lasts much, much longer than that: EXPERIENCED MIG WELDER/GRINDER. CONTACT: ANGELA @ 440-925-0154.

MACHINISTS: CNC Horizontal Mill Setup/Op;CNC Lathe Setup/Op;Crane Operator;Machine Maintenance – MUST have experience on working with BIG, VERY BIG parts! Contact Sarah at 330-405-5627

LEAD PRODUCTION COORDINATOR – manage and monitor the distribution and completion of job orders amongst all the employees. Organizational skills a must as is computer experience with excel and outlook. They are looking for a take charge personality who is energetic, cooperative, demonstrates good team leadership skills and is mindful of safety. Wonderful facility, family friendly type company, excellent benefits and pay. Contact Brian @ 440-925-0154.

CHAMPION PERSONNEL SYSTEMS

Tread Roll Setup/Operator – $17 per hour – Flat Die must be able to produce from prints (which of course you can…right?) Send resume to: Paul-p.beckrest@championjobs.com

Bolt Maker – entry level trainee, first shift + overtime. Learn to set up and operate a five station progressive press! Opportunity of a lifetime! Contact Brian @ 440-325-0154 to schedule an interview!

Mechanical Assembly – 2nd shift PLUS overtime if desired! Must be able to train on first. Wonderful company. Call Carina @ 216-823-5900 to discuss this further!

CNC Mill Op/Inspector – if you like close tolerances, this one is for you! Contact Paul: 216-823-5900.

CONFIDENTIAL HIRE – Production Manager for ALL plant functions: scheduling,oversee production,ISO, analyze production flow, improve cost. Work for a family owned company. This could be your next “home”. Submit resume to Greg@ajobnearhome.com

Materials Manager – work directly with the supply chain manager in corporate as you run your facility here locally! EVERYTHING – in and out is yours! MBA preferred not required. EXCEPTIONAL POTENTIAL. CONFIDENTIAL REPLACEMENT Call Greg @ 216-823-5900.

S & R Clerk in a very fast paced environment. If you want to work for a company that is growing, has never had a lay off and is expanding…and IF you like to hussle this one’s for you: Call Brian @ 440-925-0154 to schedule your interview.

Configurator: multiple shifts plus overtime with with very small rods and coils using hand tools and small machinery. Great people! Contact Angela: 440-925-0154.

PICKER/ PACKER – FANTASTIC company! Very generous. Family owned and operated looking to “add to the family”. Company is expanding to multiple shifts they’ve grown that much. VERY fast pace. Fully automated…very high tech. WONDERFUL company. Contact NICK @ 440-925-0154.

Admin Assistant/Accounts Payable - Split your day up for variety. Mornings Admin/afternoons you manage your own account payable clients. No need to be stuck in one place anymore! Contact Sarah @ 330-405-5627 to discuss this wonderful position further!

Collaboration Is a Blues Jam (The Great Workplace 2.0)

Robert Schepens — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 20:52:23 +0000

“Collaboration” is a characteristic of The Great Workplace of today and the future, and will be explained in business-detail in another excerpt. This chapter takes a lighter, but more pointed allegorical view of “Collaboration”:

“I got 29 ways to get in my baby’s door. And if I need ‘em, I can come up with two o’ three more”. (line from a blues song by Tab Benoit)

Have you ever been in a blues club when the owner did “Open Stage/ Open Mic” night? It is packed. Wall to wall audience. Wall to wall musicians waiting a turn. The hallways are packed. Every nook and cranny has expanded to accommodate another body. Waitresses laugh, patrons laugh. Everybody seems to get into the act, get into the entire scene. Something good is happening here.

In the old days the smoke was so thick it redefined “Second Hand”. Sometimes you wore your drink or the ice melted so fast, you just went along with the idea of sipping. The smells. Oh, the smells! Only a few people got hammered. Takes too long to get a drink from the bar, even 20 feet away.

But the mood is always anticipation. Something new is going to happen. Maybe. Something innovative. Something no single group could ever devise on their own. Everyone is waiting for those “Magic moments” when the music is so good, you can feel it in your toes and bones. The players are in rapt anticipation of “making new music” due only to the flow of talent and ideas they cannot experience playing only with their own band.

People are in the audience with their cases waiting for an opportunity to jam with people they just met. Some people only need a mouth harp in their pocket. Some just need a couple sticks in their pocket. Others; just some ideas and words to share.

Names are exchanged so quickly they are forgotten before the last vowel fades away into the noise from the juke. Singers stand staring into space rehearsing new lines to an old riff. The non-playing audience is frenetic, waiting to hear who is on, and who isn’t. Waiting for that ultra special mixing bowl of talent to produce a one of a kind 5 minutes of music (during an all-night to early morning session) that no one else, anywhere, at any time could reproduce. That 5 minutes of “everything coming together” leads into new songs, new combinations of talent(s), new groups, new music. New heroes and new leaders.

There is no conductor, no manager, just the owner. A little tipsy, he gets up to the Mic, and explains the few rules to everyone: “Quiet down, Quiet down, Thanks fer comin tonight. We got an open Mic and here be the rules: Be cool an’ don’ step on nobody’s time”. “Have respeck for all the great notes comin from the stage and the people making them notes.” ”An’… don’ throw nuthin’ at the stage, ‘cept monies”. He takes a big drag on his cigar, a deep slug from his drink and wanders off the stage to laughs and applause. In other words, the stage has been set to have some fun, work together, and make some new music…we are all in this together. It will only work if we are. Then the first couple of people make their way to the stage, plug in, and begin an evening of discovery.

Collaboration is that “Open Mic Blues Jam”. The typical old model of teamwork, (lacking innovation) is an Orchestra performance. Granted, some orchestral performances are brilliant and highly entertaining, but they have a fixed staff of players, are thoroughly pre-planned and ultimately rehearsed, and you will never hear the Conductor ask the audience if there is “…someone out there who would like to take a whack at first violin?” The limits are defined. The participants are defined. The outcome is defined. We love orchestra because 99.9% of us could never come close to that talent and expertise. It has its place, its discipline and can help some us dream. On the other hand, you won’t find too much innovation going on or as a results of the performance. And don’t even THINK of trying to participate by standing up and yelling “You GO Brother, I feel it, I feel it!”

Most organizations in business think that an orchestrated performance will lead to innovation and solutions or at least new ideas. Not.

The old model of great workplaces allowed the command and control of the orchestra analogy to reach deep into their structures. Times they are a’changin’.

In a Blues Jam, almost everyone there is convinced that they could play or sing in some manner and be part of the event. It is, by it’s very nature, open to anyone who could try. The open nature and the closeness to the stage DRAWS YOU IN. You feel part of the proceedings. You simply feel like you can be counted and be a contributor. If you do get a shot, the audience will let you know if you need to step aside, or one of the players will be kind and point the way back to your chair with his eyes.

The Jam relies upon a flow of talent wanting/ willing/ hoping to come on then off the stage, mixing new people and talents with old. Players will take chances with new riffs or lines of a song and will play off of each other’s talents. This “Jam” (Collaboration) produces new music, new interpretations of old music…and innovations never heard before. Some memories last, some don’t, but everyone involved (audience, players) come away feeling that THEY had something to do with the success of the evening (into the early mornings). They were INVOLVED.

The orchestra is an example of Command and Control, producing beautifully predictable music that we can enjoy and go home with in our heads. Few people ever describe an orchestra performance as Innovative and thought provoking. Except perhaps a few musicians who helped script the performance.

In the Jam one hears: “Hey Brother. C’mon up here and show us some love”. Hey Sister, ya got some sweet lines for us?”. “Hey brother, I’m tired, can you take over?” “Let the brother have some”. When players get together there is no race, no age, no demand for a certain education and no true hierarchy except for talent, ideas and commitment.

Players are pushing themselves in new directions, trying out that shower-soaked riff from this morning’s wake-up, or song line. The audience is reacting to the closeness and the greatness and due to that, engaging the players and the players engage the audience in new levels of discovery and adrenaline.

Clapton was discovered at a blues jam in New York when he was 14 years old. Hendrix learned his trade in Blues Houses. The best have always learned their trade from others through sharing, watching, exchanging and listening. And the Jam is the ultimate platform.

In a Jam…there is OPEN learning. People watching someone perform music of which they can only dream, or JUST outside their reach…today. In the Jam there are musicians complimenting each other with their instruments, facilitating each other’s best talents. It is open, encouraging, engaging, reaching, touching and a fertile ground for innovation.

And it isn’t an orchestra.

Does it work all the time? No. It takes time and INCLUSION to produce a result. Just like a collaboration.

The Take-Aways:

Collaborations need sanction. An authority figure has to endorse and set free the actual channels of the collaborative process by showing the trust necessary for all participants to play and share.

Rules (a few) need to be set. Note that the owner of the jazz club gave simple rules that were “people” oriented: Respect. That was it. Simple. Respect. The owner doesn’t leave the premises nor will he tolerate bad behavior that disrupts the process. It’s all about the positive potential through focusing on the process. Don’t mess with the process.

The owner will cheerlead for the best talent. He’ll get up and point at the players, buy them a drink and be supportive. He’ll also encourage those who tried and failed. “ c‘mon back next week an’ try again. You’re getting it!”.

EVERYONE is involved in some way. People will support what they help create. Remember, even the audience believes they had a hand in creating the experience.

“Give the drummer some”: Give people their chance to participate and experiment, innovate. The crowd will give them their due, be it good or not so good. Set up properly, even failure or near failure will get a round of applause for effort and guts. Especially the guts.

A Jam can be chaotic. Recognize it, embrace it, deflect it, work with it. Don’t try to totally control it. Chaos can breed innovation and new directions. Some people say that was how the earth and universe were created.

Collaborations happen best with both insiders and outsiders (Players and Audience in this analogy). But, collaborations are NOT exercises in teamwork. Teamwork is one group, one set of talents. The basketball team.

Collaborations invite disparate talents and views. Collaborations are NOT exercises in Diversity. Collaborations are open, not planned and controlled. Diversity simply happens in a collaborative effort.

The Great Workplace 2.0 ENGAGES their Participants…and encourages them to…Participate.

Jammin’.

The Book: “Participants”; the GREATEST Asset of a Great Workplace

Robert Schepens — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 15:36:54 +0000

“Participant, Defined”: (You get to wear the Jersey!)

The Great Workplace 2.0 is defined by being, beyond any other characteristic, Smart. Those organizations use their heads in an objective, future-view way. Leaders within these organizations look to use and collaborate with any and all potential partners, organizations and intellectual capital pools they can get their hands on. The view is open, collaborative and “warm”.

“Smart” is in fact valuing and showing value to all people and organizations that can affect your success.

In The Great Workplace 2.0, we use a term not typically used within “Legacy” (Old Model) organizations. The term is “Participant”. It is purposefully used to define the change in attitude and status toward those people and organizations that “participate” in an organization’s success, or failure.

The underlying question in this definition is: “How does the organization treat (view, use, include) vendors, contractors and potential employees, compared to how they treat customers?” The assumption is that a customer is treated VERY well as the customer defines the revenue and future for the organization.

Ever walk into a company for a sales appointment (or any appointment) and been treated like the proverbial red-hair stepchild by the company greeter or another employee (Always)? You instantly felt like you are not wanted, regardless of what you could do for the organization. You KNEW you were excluded. Everyone there wore a Blue Jersey and yours was Yellow, and tattered.

The foundation of The Great Workplace is qualitatively one of Inclusion. Legacy organizations typically practice true Inclusion only among defined internal Groups or around the Status of individuals. “Outsiders” are, well, outsiders.

The Great Workplace 2.0 has redefined the perceived status of the people and organizations that help move it forward with a more inclusive attitude (Environment) and level of appreciation. They have changed the way they describe, refer to and treat those who touch the organization (“Stakeholders”, Employees, Vendors, Board, Applicants, Contractors, Freelancers, Potential Vendors, Customers and Surrounding Community) and redefined their status to be “Participants”.

“Participant” purposefully elevates all people, organizations and community that touch the organization to jersey-wearing players, and as such bestows a level of accountability and ownership to them to coincide with their inclusion. If you wear the jersey, if you touch the ball or protect it, you have a sense of accountability. You are in the game and can influence the score. In legacy organizations, you knew your status; inside or outside, and the organization let you know it with certainty. Sometimes with impunity. Sometimes at a minimal level, until your “Touch” was no longer needed. As a matter of fact, in legacy organizations, the internal folks were (are) trained and encouraged to treat outsiders as outsiders. Can’t get too close to a vendor or outsider.

The Great Workplace 2.0 recognizes that Participants bring special, valuable and unique knowledge to the game, and the Game (business, if you will) is all about special knowledge or the use of general knowledge. The Great Workplace 2.0 recognizes that in the business world of today, “Partners” and “Collaborators” in many ways know more about the market the organization is part of than either the organization itself, or groups within the organization.

It recognizes that any Participant could hold knowledge that the organization needs and instead of simply bidding for and buying it, The Great Workplace 2.0 encompasses that value by inclusion. Inclusion maintains dialogue and dialogue increases networking, idea exchange and innovation.

In a “Legacy” workplace “Inside” is just that: inside and therefore deemed valuable. The concept of an “Outsider” is fostered to validate or enhance the status of the Insiders and to create a sense of value to those residing inside.

Outsiders, regardless of their potential contribution to the success of the organization, have a built-in “want” of value. They can never be quite what an insider is. They are the audience and rarely a person allowed to wear the jersey. They are constantly on “probation” and their status is only as good as the mood of the contact.

“Inside Value” has been created in many ways due to the lack of a greater Purpose attached to the work of ANY person or group having influence with the organization.

Legacy workplaces have been particularly adept at creating an “Us versus Them” environment. It can be seen and felt by any outsider, but especially by those who have become new Insiders. They instantly feel a value they have not earned, but have had bestowed upon them due to their change in status. A person who was a vendor, who then becomes an employee, suddenly becomes a trusted “Insider” member. Moments before, that same person was left to wait one hour in the lobby even though they were on time for their appointment.

The Great Workplace 2.0 has simply grown to maturity faster than the Legacy workplace. Their environment, training, leadership and culture is geared toward treating all people who touch the workplace as valued members of the potential success of that organization, right down to the person who answers the phone and greets visitors. After all, a true measure of the culture of an organization and the measure of their future success is whether the organization treats potential Participants as well as they treat customers, or even better.

Lest we sound too much like an old Bob Dylan song of peace, love and happiness for the sake of it, we remind ourselves that having the characteristics of The Great Workplace 2.0 means Higher Productivity and More Profit. All engines will be running on maximum warp speed.

The Great Workplace 2.0: How to Get a Pay Raise

Robert Schepens — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 19:18:43 +0000

This probably is NOT the answer you expect: Most people we have polled expect a quick answer with some sort of sharp-angle on how to get more bucks out of the place you work for by simply asking for it, or by demanding it “or you’ll leave”, or some trick.

The facts are that no trick or magic statement will get you where you want and keep you there.

The oldest one; “I need more money or I’ll leave”, will get you either fired or a promise of future raise or an immediate raise while the organization looks to replace their “Traitor”. An organization might treat you badly, but when they feel they have been treated badly, all rules are off.

The most glaring mistake here is using “I NEED more money”. People don’t get paid (Typically) for their NEEDS, it is supposed to be for what they can, have, or will accomplish for the organization. The following is applicable where the raise is NOT automatic (Union) or a salary is proscribed for everyone doing the same job, and all are being paid the same. When that is the case, the following could apply to lobby for a promotion or position upgrade.

So, here are the suggestions:

1) Look back on your last year: what have you accomplished FOR the company? Have you gone OVER and BEYOND the base expectations of your position? Prove it. Document it, which is what you should be doing all along. Most people do not. You need to build your case. That case needs to be beyond a doubt.

2) IF you have NOT done work (results) that be considered REMARKABLE or Beyond Expectations, set a goal of 6 months to do so. Then ramp up your performance to assure you have things to talk about in 6 months. Make sure you ask for and know what results in your job would be considered Remarkable or Great (not for a raise, but for recognition). Live with the FACT that you may have done a pretty okay job (in your mind) but, to get a raise you may have to do a REMARKABLE job. It is the recession and most companies still don’t have bucks to throw around, many are still trying to make up for the losses they took over the course of the last two years.

3) Go talk to HR. Yes, really. Make sure the HR person will keep things confidential (rare, but doable). Do NOT ask for a raise. HR does not have the authority. Ask what you can do to become more valuable. Sort out the “Corporate Speak” (Mumbo jumbo stuff about “being a good corporate citizen”) and get down to expectations. Make sure you set the tone with what YOU can accomplish for THEM. Don’t look for a handout, or a guarantee, or even a semi-promise. Remember the Kennedy speech “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”. It works, even though it didn’t in the USA. We increased welfare by about 100X after and during the Kennedy era.

Getting a raise is actually fairly simple: Do more for the company than is easy. Advertise that you are, and that you have done so. Don’t expect someone to see it and reward it. It is kindergarten. Don’t expect it after a week, a month, or even a quarter. 6 months minimum.

As Larry says: “They call it work for a reason.” Don’t act like a raise (or a job) is an entitlement. And for goodness sake, don’t whine and expect to get a raise. You’ll get a pink slip.

Introduction: What Is the Great Workplace 2.0, and Why Should I Care?

Robert Schepens — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 18:34:19 +0000

From the Book: The Great Workplace 2.0. Robert Schepens, Author.

How to become a Remarkable Workplace.

The Great Workplace (2.0) (TM): It is all about our trademarked phrase: Connect, Engage, Collaborate.

Understanding what the next generation of NEW Great Workplaces have as core characteristics can propel your organization to greatness (Or being recognized as “Remarkable”) or leading a company toward a ride on the proverbial “slippery slope” of being forgotten or being in constant turmoil.

The very nature of WORK, who does it, where, why and with whom has changed dramatically and forever. It is in part, a result of the changing nature of those who do the work, why they do it, and from where they do it.

The “Social Contract” between employers and those who do the work has been forcibly and irrevocably transformed. The “workplace” is no longer simply hired Employees, “Employer”…and then everyone else.

Astute organizations have also discovered remarkable value in “non-employee participants”, whom historically, have been considered only necessary intrusions on the path to profitability. As quickly as larger organizations have discovered how to maintain vendors and suppliers at arm’s length, the smaller organization has discovered those same intrusions as invaluable collaborators in the success of their organization.

Today, work resists being defined within a specific space of a legacy corporate structure. And that has dramatically changed the way participants (and executives) look at Great Places to Work, and in turn Great Workplaces.

A Great Workplace functions at a higher level of purpose and productivity and is a more interesting place to work than other organizations. It attracts great talent and it attracts great results…for the customer. It extends its intelligent self-interests beyond the executive suite into the depths of its own employment, into the rich treasure troves of vendor knowledge, the community and to all Participants. It reaches out to the crowd within its community for opportunities and solutions.

The Great Workplace 2.0 understands intrinsically that being “open” is an advantage. When it reaches out, it extends its hand in a positive manner both internally and externally looking for strengths and sustainable principles on which to further grow the business and the opportunities for participants. It simply does not adhere to the old model of corporate hierarchy, held power and confined ideas. The Great Workplace of today invites being benchmarked, but is always one step beyond being so static that its definitions have become fluid.

It is both created on and by purpose and has the ability to change its tactical or strategic directions quickly.

The corporate legacy model focused upon impressive-sounding “Mission Statements” and “shareholder return” (regardless of what that meant). In many circumstances, businesses were operated not because they really wanted to, but because they “should”. They sustained themselves because there were stock certificates and legacies to support.

That old model of success was built upon relative size and the ability to do things for ITSELF on a grand scale: benefits, bonuses, unions, giveaways, charitable donations, dividends and having employees see their company in print or in TV ads. If you work for Shell Oil or for General Motors you must work for a great company. We feted big companies as “great” workplaces because they flowed forth with great benefits, nominally gave away their services as charity and in general treated employees as cats in Pharaoh’s chambers. Just the mention of “I work for National City Bank” meant something impressive. It was akin to saying that you attended Notre Dame while the Fighting Irish were a national football powerhouse. The “aura” was the value. The old model created strong Tribes and the reputation of that Tribe became the recipient of all things corporate.

But while employers reveled in being big and powerful, the very nature of work was changing and the values of its output were changing with it.

The focus, in a highly productive company, shifted to PURPOSE: both from an individual point of view and a corporate directive.

Walls and structures are coming down or are being made visible. Old lines of communications (Such as “Command and Control”) have been jettisoned and the concept of “New Ideas” is no longer just defined as internal. “Teamwork” is now more important than ever, but only when it has “Collaboration” at its foundation. “Teamwork” can be interpreted as a group of similarly trained or deployed people working for a single mission (Basketball Players: A linear orientation). “Collaboration” is geared toward having disparate talents working for a single outcome (even from different geographies), through different purposes (ex: the entire organization including the players: Non-linear input).

The core issue may be that we are still celebrating and making plans around the old model of great workplaces while the revolution representing what makes a Great Workplace / Great Place to Work has been quietly stealing our best people, their minds and talents, and vendors, just like John Galt in Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged.

The purpose of The Great Workplace 2.0 ™ is simple: Change the way organizations look at creating a Great Workplace

The Fundamental Benchmarked Attributes of The Great Workplace 2.0:

Before we dive into each attribute, it needs to be noted that to be a Great Workplace/ Place to Work, an organization does NOT have to have each characteristic at equal levels. Based upon the nature of the organization, the products or services it offers, and the reason for the organization’s existence, the levels of these attributes can be different from one organization to another. Each attribute has deep explanatory sections to it, to further emphasize the Why and How. In the end, it may seem that there are at least 50 components to The Great Workplace 2.0, but our focus will be on the few that make the majority of the difference.

We have looked at the fundamental components of The Great Workplace as “Acquirable and Repeatable”: Principles and actions that can be built into a new company or that can be achieved by an existing company.

1) The organization has a meaningful “Corporate Statement Of Purpose” that is the foundation for corporate culture and therefore provides meaning to employment and work opportunities. This statement is driven by the affects the organization has on their customers and the role each “Participant” can play in that directive. “Purpose” becomes an ethos that creates the very foundation for The Great Workplace.

2) A Great Workplace is committed to fostering a collaborative, productive, engaging and rewarding culture that encompasses customers, prospective employees, employees, vendors, “Participants” (Stake/ Shareholders) and the community. The organization practices collaboration to the extent that “Internal and External” no longer have a distinction, and it recognizes that “Community” has no true boundaries.

3) The Great Workplace 2.0 does not reach its ultimate definition by the use of physical or conceptual “Walls”. At the core of change from the Legacy workplace to the new, has been the idea that “The very nature of work, who does it (Participant), why they do it (Purpose versus Mission), and from where they do it. The social contract between employers and those who do the work has been forcibly and irrevocably transformed. The workplace is no longer simply hired Employees, Employer … and then everyone else”. The Great Workplaces of today and the future have embraced the notion that “Participant Assets” and the quality of those define the organization’s ability to achieve their Purpose, not geography, badges or even the employee numbers.

4) The organization provides for enterprise sustainability as part of their core culture and is committed to educating the employee body, vendors, participants, customers and the community about their practices. “Sustainability” is defined in flexible terms for Ecology, Environment, Volunteerism, and Civic Engagement/ Charitable Offerings with the Community, Reputation, and Internships from the Community and Product Impact to future generations

5) The Great Workplace has an operating plan to integrate Jobs, Careers, Participants and the Community in their (Organizational and Individual) pursuit of accomplishing their purpose. Intent or statements are not enough. This operating plan embraces the strategy and tactics of “Purposeful Convergence of Knowledge” where technology is employed, not for the sake of technology (which becomes a distraction) but for the customer, and where obstacles to the purpose can be eliminated or minimized.

6) The organization has a financial focus on being “Intelligently Profitable”. This qualitative focus is founded in sustainability, the Values within their purpose and a view of “Intelligent Self Interest” for the organization and all participants. “Intelligent Self Interest” is defined as Self Interest that stands the test of “how will my plan affect others?” It defines who the customer REALLY is.

7) The organization provides a sensible and tuned foundation of health and welfare benefits so that all employees can focus on their job purpose.

8) The organization has a working plan for Immersion (onboarding) of all Participants: (new employees, contractors, VENDORS, promotions, teams/ groups, community, board, executives, consultants and families). The purpose of this working structure is to reduce the time to productivity and to facilitate the complete engagement of the Participant throughout that participant’s “lifecycle”.

9) The organization provides the Tools for all Participants to properly execute their responsibilities relative to their assignments and the organization’s Purpose.

10) The organization emphasizes buying locally and promotes its region as a great place to live and work.

11) (Top) Management shows and invokes visible, tangible leadership that directly supports the organization’s Statement of Purpose and operating plan. This leadership preserves the integrity of the organization’s purpose, and is both duplicatable and repeatable…at any level.

12) The organization practices Transparent Integrity.

The ability of an organization to be “Great” should never rely solely upon being “Big” (Cashflow) or Rich. “Great” is a value, and VALUES can never be bought.

Jim Collins in “Built To Last” defines it this way: “It is dedicated to the idea that true greatness comes in direct proportion to the passionate pursuit of a purpose beyond money”.

One thing that all The Great Workplace 2.0 organizations have in common is this: They are in fact remarkable…worthy, noticeable and unique. Not because they have excessive benefits or bonuses or on-site daycare, or a slide that takes you to the ground floor, but because the entire organization has a purpose that is built around an ideal. And that ideal is for the customer.

The above definitions are only a part of an introduction to the entire research results for what makes The Great Workplace of today and tomorrow. The Great Workplace 2.0 is NOT static. It is updated and changed on a regular basis as we discover other fundamentals that are forming the benchmarks of success. We invite your comments and insights, directly to the author.

The Great Workplace 2.0 ™ is an ongoing research project sponsored by Champion Personnel System, Inc, A Job Near Home.com and Work Is Good ®, Inc. All content, ideas and concepts © 2010 A Job Near Home™, The Great Workplace™, Work Is Good ®. For more information: Robert Schepens; 216.823.5900. ras@ajobnearhome.com, ras@championjobs.com. Mr. Schepens is an unusually accomplished employment and business authority with over 30 years experience in Human Resources, Talent Acquisition and Entrepreneurship. He owns several award-winning companies and is co-author of the book: “The 9 Principles for Inspired Action”.

Author:

Robert Schepens

(ras@thegreatworkplace.com)

Common Job Hunting Mistakes (Part II of 100)

Robert Schepens — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 20:08:33 +0000

Over 30 years as a recruiter and employment agency owner has taught me a few things the average person needs to avoid in looking for a job. These issues are founded in simple advice, not the crap doled out by frustrated and unemployed 27 year old former HR or corporate managers who have worked for two companies and interviewed 17 people (okay, 39 people):

11) You talked to the receptionist too much (or too openly). One of the first people smart executives question about potential job candidates is the front desk person. “How was this guy with you …?” And guess what; the front desk person can size you up and trash your chances in a nano-second if you were stupid (Like asking her out).

12) You actually answer the #1 most stupid question HR people ask; “So tell me about yourself”. I think even online Universities tell HR people not to ask that question. (it tells a smart candidate that the HR fool or executive didn’t prep very well for the interview). The smart way to respond to that question is: “Please tell me that the future of the entire civilized world does NOT depend upon my answering that stupid question again today. Anderson Cooper asked that earlier today on CNN and we spent about an hour just on my damn credentials. Didn’t even get to my values”. Or, you could respond by defining yourself in relationship to the position for which you are interviewing. The choice is yours. Personally, I like the first answer.

13) You did not fill out the company’s “bought it in bulk at OfficeMax in 1983” application in the damn freezing and smelly lobby. Fill it out completely you fool. Every blank, every last blank. It simply shows you can follow directions. If they wanted you to put “see attached resume” on the application, they would have a big blank just for that.

14) You asked about anything other than the job and company in the interview. Interviewing 101 says don’t ask about time off, benefits, raises, promotions and all that in a first interview. But what do you do? You ask anyhow, and then complain about the “job market”.

15) You asked “what does the job pay?” An honest question for sure. It just should never be asked in interview #1. Even if it is a general labor job. They will tell you. You can then say no or yes. Asking early may preclude the fact that they have a higher level job for a more skilled person that pays more money. Even if that job comes open in 2 weeks, they won’t call you if you say “I make more than that sweetheart”.

16) You drive by a company with an overflowing parking lot: Stop in. Ask what is happening or if they are hiring. But don’t do it without getting dressed up and offering a clean resume. In another series I’ll tell you how to do this well.

17) Stop looking for a job at 1:00. Yeh, you put in a good day looking on the ‘net. Time for CSI reruns and some old college games. Spouse will be home in a couple hours. Look dumb-ass, looking for work is a full time job, not a part time job. Go to a seminar, coffee shop, network group, library, one stop office (nah, strike that) and look at things in a slightly different way. Here’s a novel idea: Go to Half Priced Books and read up on “how to interview” or something that will feed your brain.

18) Don’t work out: Even if you don’t see it, your body, your general energy change when you are not working. You will lose a step, gain weight, and look less attractive than you may have before. Get up for the game. No one wants to hire a rag-doll who looks tired, has clothes that are too tight and has cat hair on their outfit. Especially on their lap. You need to look and act sharp.

19) Don’t talk to anyone. Just like NOT working out makes you flabby and unattractive and a little lifeless, not talking and engaging in a stimulating conversation except with your dog, will lead you into being “conversationally handicapped”. You will stumble verbally, respond in two seconds instead of a nano-second. You will simply become dull, boring and totally the # 2 candidate. Go somewhere other than a bar and talk to people. Keep the mouth and brain oiled.

20) Keep your house messy. Messy is comforting and you need all the comfort you can get. Bull. You need to be crisp, and the environment you are in needs to make you so. Your house should look like a hotel room the day you check in. Keeps your mind clear too. And if the cat box stinks, you will too. Not good for an interview with a dog-person.

In the next 10 we will cover more important questions like: “Should I carry a briefcase to an interview?” No. You shouldn’t unless it is a make-believe interview and you are trying to look like you think grownups look. Or … can I take my iPad in to an interview?

Fox Biting the Hand that Feeds

Barbara Krecic — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:22:20 +0000

John Lott recently published a post on Fox News blog about the recovery. He claims that this is the “first entirely temporary help service job recovery ever in our country’s history. True. It is as I was in this industry during the last “recession”.

According to him 460,000 jobs were added by this industry. His explanation is “uncertainty”. We’ve spoken of this before. This is true. Employers are not yet secure and comfortable with their orders, manufacturing or customer base as yet so for them to directly hire on new employees risks all of their payroll liabilities beginning with unemployment taxes.

For those employers who had to lay off to survive, they now find themselves being penalty rated by the State of Ohio for adding to the unemployment burden. Higher payroll taxes for them squeezes any potential hope for adding more people, giving raises or contributing more to their health benefits. So they turn to staffing companies to help offset their risk and tax burdens.

But what angers me the most about Mr. Lott’s viewpoint is not his blaming of our President because “he created much of today’s unemployment by moving around trillions of dollars in the economy and moving around the jobs that are associated with that money ” even though much of Ohio’s manufacturing base has folded completely because of the financial catalyst that almost brought our country to it’s knees by no longer supporting such bases.

I know our economic situation began long before this President was sworn into office. I don’t understand how he can forget that.

But what really irks me is his ignorance on “temporary” jobs. Has he any clue that they most always lead to permanent jobs? Does he even have a clue that the staffing company’s are basically the only ones supporting this country’s businesses? Banks aren’t.

Does he think they pay their invoice (which reflects the hourly wage, payroll taxes and liabilies of the candidate) upon receipt? If they have a financial crunch it’s the service who is the one to wait…and their interest is hardly what a bank would charge.

Has he no clue that in these “uncertain” times temporary help services are actually supporting while protecting Ohio’s employers from additional payroll risks by taking on the burden of unemployment, payroll taxes and workers’ compensation?

No! He only sees what he wants to see like the word “temporary”. As he shoots his mouth off against “no real” jobs he’s attacking the same group of entities that are the only friends small business has in this economy for all others have turned their backs on them from their own fear of uncertainty.

But Champion Personnel System and others continue to find quality, well paid, job opportunities for the unemployed that will become PERMANENT. Our terms to hire are short but sometimes the client is so uncertain they need a little more time to feel comfortable before they hire, but they’ve found the one they want when they do! Employers need support. They ARE hiring for permanent positions. They are bringing them in first on a temporary bases not because they don’t want them on their team but because they too are uncertain, need a bit of financial help and want to protect their liabilities until they feel strong again.

Saying there are no real jobs out there sounds a bit like biting the hand that feeds you since in my opinion it is the staffing company’s (according to Mr. Lott, the Temporary Help Services) that is the backbone of any recovery we will see…and that’s not bad, that’s not good….it is what it is. We, those of us in the staffing industry happen to be the only friend business has these days!

Still Looking for a Job?

Robert Schepens — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 20:28:38 +0000

I know looking for a job is tough. Read this. It may just help you get hired before the end of 2010.

We give this information to anyone and everyone who applies at our company. Maybe it can help you….

Champion Staffing:

216.823.5900

substantially more advice at: www.championjobs.com

Fundamental Job Search Advice Guide For 2010:

Obviously, this is a tough job market and if Champion cannot help you directly by employing you with one of our clients, we want to be able to help you find a good position on your own, quickly. We have put together a short, but valuable advice guide that may help:

Always dress crisply for ANY job interview. It does not matter if you are interviewing for a part-time dirty job, or with an employment service, or with someone you know. ALWAYS dress to show that you have taken the time to RESPECT the meeting and the person with whom you will be meeting. A Coat and Tie are not always appropriate (it could be overkill), but a clean shirt (no tee shirts), clean pressed pants, polished shoes, wrinkle-free dress or business slacks and a clean blouse are critical. Do NOT wear earrings (guys) or piercings that can be seen. It may be okay once you are hired, but not for an interview. Leave the “club cologne” at home. Polish your shoes, brush your teeth and take a shower. Ladies: do NOT wear revealing clothes or deep necklines. Tats should be covered, especially the ones you paid a lot of money to have look like prison tats. How you arrive for an interview is a first impression that you cannot change later.
Prepare YOUR ATTITUDE AND DEMEANOR for an interview. Get sleep the night before and don’t indulge in anything. You must be ultra-sharp. Even if you are desperately unemployed, you cannot look like it or act like it and make a positive impression. Hiring authorities WANT to hire POSITIVE people. They will in fact hire a good attitude and lesser skills before a negative attitude and great skills.
Leave Early, Arrive Early. Anticipate the traffic being the worst. Make sure you have exact directions to the interview. There are no excuses that can overcome the bad first impression arriving late will make…even if you stopped to save the planet from an alien invader. The interviewer won’t know that until the evening news, and the interview was over for hours.
Always Fill Out An Application Completely. Not doing so shows that you don’t care about doing what you are asked to do. Do NOT fill in any blank with “See Resume”. You may have a great resume, but that answer says: “I don’t care about the application”. It will be more difficult to get hired, if you have any chance at all.
Research The Company. And have a detailed response to the question: “Do you know what our company does?” The answer: “You make stuff” does not cut it. If referred by a staffing company, get volume and detail. If applying on your own, do research on the internet. The answers you give will show that you have done your homework, and again, you need to separate yourself from the masses.
The Same Goes for the JOB you are applying to. Know the job duties ahead so that you can speak with authority on why you are capable of achieving what the company needs. A staffing service can do this, and that will give you an edge. Ask them for the info and listen to their advice. If you have secured the interview with a hiring company via a phone call you can ask the person to describe the duties and goals of the position. If NONE of the job information is available to you before the interview, here is how to ask about it in the interview: “Ms. Interviewer, I am a productive worker and am eager to show an employer such as you what I can accomplish. Could you help me thoroughly understand the duties of a X (the job), with YOUR company so that I can speak to my relevant experience” (use your own words). NEVER say that you DON’T KNOW what an X does unless it is a unique title. If you do say that you will show that you MAY NOT be qualified for it.
Answer Interview Questions Thoroughly. The interviewer does NOT know you, your expertise or what is in your head. They only know what you tell them. So when asked a question that can be answered in depth with more than a Yes or No, do so. But remember to answer in such a way that you are verbally showing the interviewer your experience, expertise and desire to do good work. Expand on HOW you do things, HOW you have accomplished tasks. HELP the interviewer VISUALIZE how you work and the duties you have performed.
EYE CONTACT: Don’t look at your shoes, the wall or something else. Keep your focus on the interviewer without staring. Lack of eye contact says that you are not confident or that you are lying. Staring is just as unnerving to the interviewer. Practice interviews with a friend.
The Resume: We do not have the room to tell you how to make a great resume. You can find that on the internet or our website. But USE SPELLCHECK. Then have someone look over the resume for grammar errors. Typically the first person to see your resume in a company is the HR person. Her job is to screen you out, not in. The first thing they will use is your resume. One error sends it to the can. Remember, it is a tough job market. Always bring extra copies for other people you might meet. MANY printers are having a sale on printed resumes.
YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS: “Cute” email addresses work with friends, not interviewers. If your email is FOXXY@aol.com, get a Google g-mail address for free that is more business-like.
Cover Letter: Like the resume, we do not have room here. Go to the internet or our website: www.championjobs.com to learn how to do one. ALWAYS. But customize each one to the opportunity you are applying for. Again, employers are looking to hire people who will put out the effort to be the best.
A Thank You Note. This is one way to separate you from 98% of all people. Email is okay, hand-written is good (unless you scribble), but the best is the Thank You Note (Nothing FANCY, just plain or conservative) that you have in the car. Make them out to each person you have met with on the envelops. Jot down in the card a: “Thank you for your time today. I am certain that I can be a great asset to (ABC) Company and look forward to proving that to you. Print your name, then sign it. Take your time. Be brief, but legible. Then take them back to the front desk and ask that they be distributed.
Follow Up Calls: If you were asked to, great. If not, then be patient. Wait a week before you call. When you do get a hold of someone (this applies for email also) don’t ask “What’s Up?”. Use: “I am following up with you regarding our meeting of (Date) regarding the (X) position. As in the interview, I am confident that I can be of great value to (ABC) Company and am eager to prove that to your organization. Please let me know if I can provide any further information for you or if the position has been awarded to another person. Thank You. Respectfully, (your name)”. If you call and get voicemail, be confident, be brief and read the message above.
DON’T apply to every job you see. Don’t be fooled by people who tell you to apply for everything and anything. If you are not qualified for the position that is open chances are you won’t get any audience at all. AND…applying for jobs you won’t get wastes resumes, time and you will get a rotten attitude. BUT…apply for ANY that are close, or ones that are in your field, industry and near home.
When Interviewing, drop off resumes at companies on the same block. Do It. Be polite with the receptionist. Explain that you had an interview close to them and simply would like to drop off a resume, in case. He/She will tell the boss how good looking and polite you were.
TURN OFF THE CELL! Or better, leave it in the car. PERIOD.
Go alone. Don’t bring family or kids, unless you need an interpreter or physical assistance.
Last: When you get a job, BE THE BEST EMPLOYEE in the whole company. It will help you stick with that company, regardless. Good luck! Pass this advice paper on to a friend!

Respectfully submitted,

Robert Schepens

Employment Expert

Prepare Your Career for the Great Workplace 2.0

Robert Schepens — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 14:48:36 +0000

This is an article I wrote for a new book to be published in December 2010: “101 Ways To Boost Your Career”:

To have a productive, satisfying career now and in the future, you will need to know how the Workplace has changed and how to be valued by it.

The very nature of WORK, who does it, where, why and with whom has been changing dramatically and forever. The “Social Contract” between employers and workers has changed. The “workplace” is no longer just “hired” employees and employer. It is no longer a space confined to a legacy corporate structure. And that has dramatically changed the way people and executives look at Great Places To Work, Great Workplaces, Great Participants, and the very nature of employment and careers.

At the core, the Workplace of the future has shifted its focus from “Mission” (Statements) to “Purpose” and from “Teamwork” to “Collaboration”. The corporate missions of the past were company-goal oriented, not customer-centric and the concept of corporate teamwork was actually confined to single departments where a command and control leadership could mold outcomes.

The shift to Purpose promotes the actual corporate goals as a component of a customer-focused ethos that has no perceived conclusion (missions have an end game) and the methodology of using collaborative entities as a way to include the power of all “participants” to an organization’s success. Simply, the Great Workplaces of tomorrow strive for a reason to achieve FOR their customer and include the ability for anyone (internal and external to the organization) to assist in that journey.

Old lines of communications (Such as “Command and Control” management) have been deployed only in needed areas (where no true innovation may be needed) and the concept of “New Ideas” is no longer just defined as coming from internal sources. “Crowd Sourcing” (asking people and entities who are NOT directly connected to you or your organization) has become an expected resource for success. The concept that great ideas can only come from within the organization is essentially dead.

Social media has taught even the smallest company or most reclusive individual that being open to outside ideas transcends not just the concept of success; it has redefined the idea of survival.

Career focus will be a distinct shift toward “You Incorporated”. To function well in the business future you will need to think of yourself as “self employed” (or actually be self-employed). You will need to be self-contained in the areas of accountability, responsibility and have a (or many) “trade-able” and transferable talent(s). The talent you develop will need to be one that is sought-after and valued. (So much for Art History majors, or “General Studies” majors).

Hiding your deficits in a work environment will disappear as a career option. The move toward truly open environments, visible management, visible collaborations and the use of great assets OUTSIDE of the organization for its ultimate success will lay bare the real contributions of individuals and groups. Your contributions will be measured, evaluated and stored in the organization’s memory bank as never before.

You (as a worker and potential “Participant”) will need to have a definable talent (or talents) beyond being a “nice” person. Being nice got you attention in high school and perhaps an award or two. Mom and Dad loved you, why won’t a future workplace? They expect you to contribute to THEIR future first.

Preparation for a career has become a strategy, not a series of tactics. It requires an understanding of the playing field (the Workplace) and your ability to be a contributor to it. The Workplace has changed not only geographically but also in purpose.

The workplace of the future will require you to be MORE contributory in defined outcomes and results. It will require more collaborative skills, a higher degree of foresight to match the organization’s needs to achieve its purpose (see a bigger picture), and an ability to function as though you are a self-contained and critical component of the organization’s hierarchy. There will be less ability for an organization to hang onto non-contributors and place-takers.

The world has become more open and more collaborative. The upside of this is that your contributions will be more visible and therefore more satisfying. The downside is that your contributions will be more visible and therefore more expected.

To further understand how The Great Workplace is changing and how to fit into it comfortably, go to: www.thegreatworkplace.com where you will find the 11 characteristics of The Great Workplace 2.0, garnered from more than 500 Executive-level interviews.

Robert A. Schepens, Certified Personnel Consultant, is the CEO of Champion Personnel System of Ohio, a former president of the Cleveland and Ohio Associations of Personnel Services, a 30-year veteran of Human Resources and Recruiting, and the founder of The Great Workplace.com. His new book, The Great Workplace 2.0 will be published in 2011 and his book “Nine Principles For Inspire Action” is available on Amazon.com today. He can be reached via ras@thegreatworkplace.com

Job Fairs for Lorain, Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake Counties! Hiring up to 100 !!!

Robert Schepens — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 15:30:45 +0000

Blue Collar Workplace has partnered with Champion Personnel to bring Hiring Fairs to Lorain, Geauga, Ashtabula and Lake Counties for BLUE COLLAR JOBS!!

Our clients are looking to hire up to 100 qualified people for the following openings:

Electronics Assembly, Electronics Technicians, Mechanical Assembly, Through Hole Soldering, Seat Assembly (CAMACO LORAIN), Forgings, General Labor, Mechanical Assembly, Electronics testing, Quality, Machining, Plastics, Reach Trucks, Tow Motor, and much more.

GED/HSG, able to pass background check, drug test and in some cases a physical.

Tuesday November 2nd 9-4:00 at Baymont Inn and Suites at 90 and route 44 (Eastern Counties)

Thursday November 4th at:

Fairfield Inn, Avon (9-2:00) Hiring for CAMACO Lorain (Exclusive) and many other clients.

The Inn of Elyria (Old Holiday Inn), Elyria. (9-2:00) Hiring for CAMACO Lorain, and many other Champion Clients

Ask for Champion Personnel

Bring ID, resume.

Tags: hiring, jobs

Job Fairs

Barbara Krecic — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 08:00:53 +0000

Mark your calendar now for TWO Champion Job Fairs.

Our focus is EAST and WEST! We’ll come to you!

JOB FAIR EAST (for Ashtabula,Lake and Geauga Counties) :

Tuesday, NOVEMBER 2, 2010 from 11am to 4pm

BAYMONT INN & SUITES

7581 Auburn Rd Concord, OH 44077

HIRING IMMEDIATELY FOR GROWNING MANUFACTURING COMPANIES LOCATED IN ASHTABULA, LAKE & GEAUGA COUNTIES

JOB FAIR WEST (Lorain County):

Thursday, November 4, 2010 from 9am – 2pm.

Choose between two different locations:

The Inn of Elyria

(was the Holiday Inn)

1825 Lorain Blvd. FAIRFIELD INN

1825 Lorain Boulevard 39050 Colorado Avenue

Elyria, Ohio 44035 Avon, Ohio 44011

Lorain company hiring all shifts for their second facility! Many job opportunities.

Champion is look for:

Assembly
Tow Motor/Material Handling
Press Operator
Robotic Welder
Quality Inspector

Must hav HS Diploma/GED, 6 months factory, manufacturing or general labor experience. Positive attitude and willingness to learn new things. Ability to work in a fast paced environment, flexibility to work different shifts and accept mandatory OT.

The Top Ten Scary Things Job Seekers Do

Barbara Krecic — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 14:32:39 +0000

In honor of Halloween, this month’s Career Collectivetopic is scary resume and career mistakes. Here are the top ten mistakes I see job seekers make.

Inflate their qualifications or lie on their resume.While a resume is not a legal document, it should be an accurate representation of your experience and achievements. I advocate for showing your employment history in the best possible light, buy lying is never wise.
Forget to proofread their resume. One of the easiest ways to show an employer you don’t pay much attention to details is to submit a resume with a typo. Check, double-check, and triple check your document. Use spell check and ask a few different people to proof the resume before sending it to employers.
Send the same generic cover letter to every employer. The cover letter is the perfect opportunity to make a connection with the employer and explain how you can help solve their problems. Don’t go vanilla here. Tailor your cover letter to the employer and position you are applying to.
Neglect to research the company before the interview. With so much information on the Internet there is no excuse for not knowing about the company you are interviewing with. Use Vault, Glassdoor, WetFeet, Jigsaw, and LinkedIn to unearth important information about the companies and people you are interviewing with and don’t forget to take advantage of the research resources available at many public libraries.
Ask everyone they know for a job. Unless you want your friends and colleagues to stop returning your calls, don’t just ask everyone you know for a job. Instead ask for information about a company, a person, an industry, etc. Let your contacts know you value their knowledge and insights. Through these exploratory conversations they may be able to point you in the direction of a possible job opportunity even if they can’t help you land that job directly.
Neglect to send a thank you letter following an interview. It’s not just a courtesy. It is an opportunity to make a second impression on the person you just interviewed with and remain top of mind. Send thethank you letter within 24 hours of the interview. A few paragraphs with a thank you and a recap of why you are the perfect match for the job can help keep you on the hiring manager’s short list.
Fail to leverage their network. Some people feel that reaching out to their network for contacts means asking for favors. It doesn’t. See #5.
Snub social media. Imagine being able to go into the offices of everyone you know and look through their Roledex (remember them). That’s what social media sites like LinkedIn and Twitter allow you to do.
Complain. It’s easy to blame the company or the economy for your job search frustrations. But it won’t get you a job any faster. Find a few close confidents you can vent to and don’t spread your frustration to others. Keep a journal to help you chronicle your search journey and help get your feelings out.
Give up. This is perhaps the scariest one of all. And there are a lot of people out there that have given up. Unemployment benefits won’t last forever. At some point you will have to get back in the game. If you have dropped out of the race for several months, getting back in is much harder. Keep at it. Plan job search activities every day. You will be scheduling meetings with friends and colleagues, doing Internet research, building your online network, working on your resume, practicing your elevator pitch, etc. There is a lot to do. Job search is a full-time job. Now’s not the time to take a vacation.

Two Frogs

Barbara Krecic — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 14:59:29 +0000

Once, two frogs were hopping through the forest when they accidently hopped into a big churn of cream. The sides of the churn were so slick and slippery that there was no place to hold on to, so the frogs had to swim in circles to stay afloat.

After a long long time one frog said, “There is no hope. We’re doomed to drown in this churn.”

The older frog said, “Don’t loose hope, Life is a circle. There are bad times and there are good times. One must endure the winter to see the spring.”

The young frog was not so sure and he said, “You’re wrong. We’re going to die, I tell you!”

And the older frog said, “We must keep hope alive! For if hope dies, we, too will die. But if we keep hope alive, we will live to see another sunrise.”

But the younger frog was already starting to lose hope and he began to sink down into the creamy liquid.

“Keep hope alive! Keep hope alive!” cried the elder.

Then the younger one started repeating, slowly at first, “Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive.”

The more they repeated the words, the stronger they felt. And the more strength they had, the better they could swim in circles.

As they swam and swam, around and around in circles, an amazing thing happened. They realized they weren’t sinking any more. The cream had turned to butter!

The two frogs were able to hop off the butter and out of the churn. They landed on the ground just in time to see a beautiful sunrise. The older frog said to the younger one, “Remember my son, life is a circle. Despair may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” And the two frogs hopped away into the woods.

Applying for a Job in a Crowded World

Robert Schepens — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 16:19:18 +0000

I am the manager of a large, vibrant Staffing Service (“Employment Agency”). We have a lot of jobs and therefore a lot of “applications” for those positions we advertise. We use at least 5 major Internet sources seeking qualified candidates. This means that on any given day we can receive 100 to 700 resumes, applications, inquiries that range from full applications with resume, cover letter and internet application to “Call me I’m your man” type responses. Some are truly enlightening, some are exasperating.

As a “screener” of resumes, (more than the typical HR person will receive) I have some observations for job applicants that may help with getting your resume read (we do not use a “key word screener”, or any other software device to do our evaluations. We do this the old fashioned way: we read responses):

Apply for positions that you are qualified for, not just to apply. People in my position will remember your name and if you are applying for positions you are NOT qualified for, we will in fact discount any subsequent applications as a nuisance. Think first.

You may think that writing a ton of stuff about your experience will help sell you. It will not. If the HR person has to read YOUR 17 paragraphs 400 times over in search of people to interview, chances are they won’t have the patience. Take your experiences and distill them into succinct statements of accomplishments and functions. We will read 100 actions words, but not 500 “filler” words. “Action words”: these describe results, accomplishments, and things that involve productivity. Know that we are visually scanning your documents for words and phrases that are similar to or identical to the description we have written or been given that will relate toa profile to be hired or the actual job description/ description of accomplishments we expect. If we don’t see those words or phrases, we “tune out”. If we see too many “platitudes” (look it up) we hit the “delete” key.

We are looking to see if you can distinguish yourself, so we don’t have to.

Most HR folks won’t read 10 sentences about your “career desires”. After all, we are trying to find people to satisfy our needs. Your career desires about finding “A stable environment where I can be promoted and enjoy a long career with great benefits” … is all about you and your satisfaction. Not what they typical company looks for in a candidate at first brush.

For an Internet Application, we are looking for brevity, not a life history. Save that for the interview, save if for a supporting document. If we have to read through a 4 page internet application, a cover letter, a 2-page resume …guess what? We won’t. Why? Not only are we pressed for time, but the best people today are ones who can be brief, succinct and to the point about getting our interest and doing a job. Talk (words) is cheap, and normally it is trying to cover for some deficit.

So: To be brief (even though I have repeated myself): Keep words to a minimum and use real action words/ results words that will get attention. Apply to jobs you can do, not just to apply. Don’t talk about your desires (want a “stable career”). Hiring authorities are not (at this stage) in the business of attempting to achieve your dreams, they need to achieve theirs.

Other thoughts of importance:

We have a built-in “spell check” in our brains. If you don’t use yours and we catch the typo, we hit “delete” quickly.

Action Words:

http://www.seekingsuccess.com/articles/art110.php

Succinct:

http://www.its.caltech.edu/~musiclab/editing.htm

http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9703b.html

http://www.technical-expressions.com/wordpress/2010/07/writing-succinctly/

I will publish more specific articles on this topic: applying for a job, and getting noticed.

Bullies in the Workplace

Barbara Krecic — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:21:28 +0000

I have so many children you could call me Mother Hubbard. But the up side of this is that I get to listen to so very many work stories I could keep a blog alive for years and years and years. But every now and then I hear a story that pushes my buttons beyond here and back and today’s blog post is one of them. But first let me put a disclaimer here to protect my daughter, her job and the store where she works. All of them are very fine people. She loves her store, her manager and the majority of her customers. Actually, she adores her customers; it’s what makes her job she says. With the exception of this one dare I say it? Ok I’ll say it – jackass who lives and resides in Rocky River, Ohio, and patronizes this coffee shop often.

This slime of a loosely called man is rude, inconsiderate and blatantly homophobic. I so wish I could be in the store the same time he is there. Talk about road rage, I’d get retail customer rage for sure.

This despicable example of a human being has taken it upon himself to personally maim a fellow co-worker of my daughter just because he happens to be gay. This lovely young man whom I will call Fred is a gentle spirit. He is kind, considerate, and giving. I have never heard a harsh word spoken about or from this young man. In fact, I could only hope to be seen in such good light as he. But when Jackass comes into the store, his comments are lewd, loud and uncalled for such that I can’t or won’t repeat them here. The last time Jackass came into the store which was this weekend (oh, how I wish he’d read this blog for if I knew his name I would name him) he took it upon himself to demand of Fred to leave his post as Barista and step out to the front of the bar and straighten the rug for it was crooked. Dear Fred did as the customer had asked then walked behind the bar to wash his hands and continued making the beverages.

Hence the purpose of today’s post – bullies.

They say you have to lie down to be a door matt for others and this is true. But what do you do when you work with and for a bully?

First let’s define bully as defined by Dr. Daniel D. Elash of Syntient: “A bully is a person who uses their power to hurt, demean or take advantage of others who do not feel they are in a position to protect themselves. For bullying to occur, both parties have to perceive the disparity of power and the paucity of alternatives.” Charted below are some bullying examples:

Symptoms	Excuses	Realities
Bullies indulge their tempers when dealing with people who have less power while they control themselves in interactions with more powerful people.	“You made me mad, they didn’t.” The pattern, however, is that the bully tends to rage at the victim even without provocation.	“I can do it to you but I can’t do it to them.”
Bullies like to make people squirm. They humiliate, embarrass and ridicule their victims.	“Your incompetence, stupidity, etc. warrants this type of treatment.”	Bullies shore up their own damaged ego by railing at others. They defend against their own insecurities by picking on those they see as vulnerable.
Bullies are excessive in their reactions to the actions of weaker people.	“You’re driving me crazy!”	If the boss doesn’t get the outcome s/he seeks, he or she isn’t leading well.
Bullies are serial attackers. They return to their victims over and over again.	“When are you going to wise up, learn or get it.” “How many times do I have to tell you.”	If mistakes reoccur or ignorance continues it’s a result of poor teaching or supervision.
Bullies are arrogant in their belief that they are justified in their behavior because they can do it.	“I’m the boss.” “Because I say so.” “Rank has its privileges.”	Authority never bestows the right to indulge petty personal feelings. Punishment doesn’t make people smarter it makes them sneakier.
Bullies take little responsibility for their own behavior.	“You made me angry.” My reaction is your fault, if you’d quit screwing up I wouldn’t get so mad.”	Every human being chooses how he or she will act on what they feel. Ultimately you are responsible for what you do with what you feel, so is the bully.

As you can see, a bully is one who chooses a victim that they consider to be weaker than they. They do it for no other reason other than … they can do it. This bully will most likely not take responsibility for his action because of his personal feeling of justification.

On the other hand, a victim is one who tolerates such behavior for whatever reasons they may have. Perhaps they feel it to be true, a sense of inadequacy as in – “you are stupid”. Perhaps they feel the bully has so much power over them that nothing they say or do would change the situation and in fact could harm it even more as in a job loss. Or lastly because no one has given the victim permission to defend them self let alone demonstrate how.

So right here and now Fred, I give you permission to defend yourself. You would never allow another to treat your family or friends in such a manner without speaking out. That’s who you are. Then why, I ask, do you not speak out for the most important person you know – you. A clear “I” statement spoken in a normal voice directly back to the bully could have been: “I’m sorry sir but at this time I am working with product and don’t want to contaminate my hands. When I am finished, I or another can remedy the carpet.” Or “Sir, I don’t quite understand the animosity you have towards me as I don’t deserve it but if you would like I could ask another to take your order.”

Fred, whatever you need to do it is time to put your big boy pants on and defend Fred himself~ don’t lie down and becomes the door matt that bully expects you to be. My favorite quote from Dr. Elash is “what we tolerate, we validate. If we allow ourselves to be bullied we are ultimately cooperating with our own abuse”.

But since my industry is the professional recruitment/staffing industry and I am not familiar with retail or hospitality I need to ask all of you your thoughts on what responsibilities the employer may have in this story? Is the employer obligated to step in?

How to Reply to a Newspaper Ad

Robert Schepens — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:39:48 +0000

HOW TO REPLY TO A NEWSPAPER AD

Sometimes you will respond via email or snail mail. Either way you will include a cover letter and your actual resume. If it’s email: then you will have two separate attachments.

EMAIL COURTESY. NEVER, EVER attach your files with a blank email body. RUDE! In the subject like of your email write the job title. In the message body:

Dear XXX,

Please accept my attached resume for your consideration regarding the job title as seen in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, August 29^th, 2010.

Thank you,

Job Seeker

Then attach the cover letter (specifically written for this job position) and attach your resume…which should also be geared towards this job position.

If it’s snail mail, two pieces of white paper in a plain hand written business envelope.

COVER LETTER

Try to customize each cover letter. Keep it short and very precise to the point. Briefly name the experiences that you bring to the table for the specific job posting that you are responding.

In the cover letter, make a brief statement as to why your past experience lends itself to success in the advertised position: ‘I read your advertisement in ___paper on __date for job position with great interest.

Over the last five years I have efficiently assisted 2 top executives with my skills in MS Word, Excel and…..” “As I am currently employed, but seeking a more challenging opportunity, I can be reached at my home phone XXXXXXXX. I do have an answering service, and will return your call at my first opportunity.”

POST OFFICE BOX ADS: Are they serious? Yes. Why P.O. Box? Sometimes simple confidentiality. However, sometimes it may be a company ‘checking’ the market. How often do employment services advertise under a P.O. Box? Rarely. I still don’t know why they do, unless their reputation is not great. Could it be your own company? Again, this is rare. Should you reply to a box ad? Why not. Don’t expect much though.

SUBMIT SALARY HISTORY: Well, this is a “Human Resource” or inexperienced hiring authority’s way of ‘not wasting time’ with people who want too much dough. Sometimes it is to take a ‘salary survey’. More often than not (in our opinion) it is a person who is not confident that their salary is “market-priced”. ‘SALARY HISTORY’ means what you are or have been earning. This is a “catch 22″ question (see the movie). In your cover letter simply state that your earnings have “been in the ‘low/mid/high’ 20′s”…or whatever fits. There is no way out of this. Even stating ‘low to mid X’, may ‘turn off’ some people who think they have a right to know before they tell you who they are or consider you for the position. If they really want to know, and have a good reason to find out, why don’t they just call you and ask?

SUBMIT TO HUMAN RESOURCES? … or find out who the hiring authority is and mail to that person? DO Submit to H.R. Don’t create enemies up front. Do what they ask.

CALL AFTER MAILING? Sure. But give it 2-3 days. Call for the person listed, or ask the operator for a name. When you get (if you get) hold of that person, be VERY polite and tactful. “Ms. Jones, my name is_____, I submitted my resume for the position of_____, I’m sure you have been busy, and I don’t mean to intrude, but as I believe I MAY have the qualifications for the position, and a high degree of interest, I am calling to see if I may clarify or amplify my experience as submitted on the resume”. Now, it won’t be right in front of them so don’t expect a straight answer. Expect only to get a “vanilla” response (haven’t had time to look over the resumes yet, or something to that effect). What you may accomplish though is to bring your name to the forefront. Ask if your resume has been reviewed, and if there is interest. Try to schedule a meeting: “If it would fit into your schedule Mr. X, I would be available _____”.

At the very least, you may find out why you are not in consideration. In that vein, anytime you become ‘out of the running’ ask for an honest evaluation as to why. You could learn something valuable about your interviewing technique, experience, resume, or your idea of what you are qualified for/worth.

REMEMBER EVERY OPPORTUNITY IS A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY. I know it’s hard, but if you’re not a contender, don’t take it personally. WE ALL CAN’T BE PERFECT FITS FOR EVERY JOB OUT THERE. Be patient. There is one right for you, just keep on learning.

How’s It Going?

Barbara Krecic — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:22:27 +0000

It’s been a bit since we’ve chatted. Just wondering how you’re doing on your job search? I can only imagine.

When you have one of those days when you can actually hear yourself groaning (not from body aches) but just because as you get out of bed it’s very hard to get motivated. It feels like everything is spinning around you while you remain still. Hard to get crackin’ isn’t it? It’s so much easier to give in to the emptiness and just let it roll without you.

You know this type of “being” isn’t productive but it’s much easier to think, and say, and do … nothing. ”I’m not doing a thing today, why should I?” you think.

This happens. And yes, you are entitled to a little pity party. So embrace it. Face it head on. Bring it on!

Get some paper out and your favorite pencil or pen. Bring your coffee, tea or other caffinated beverage to the table and begin. How are you feeling? Write it down. Each item on a single line. Skip a line between thoughts. Pour it out. Write it down. Bring it all to the surface. Take as along as you need, make the list as long as it needs to be. Just do it. Try to keep one concept per line.

Now get up and step away from the table. Take a break. Shake out your hands and arms. This is important. Shake your hands as if you just washed them and there isn’t a towel to dry them. Shake “it” all away.

Now come back to the table and address each item keeping in mind that you can’t control anothers impression of you but you can control your attitude towards yourself. Only YOU know your truth. You KNOW your experience. You KNOW your worth. Unless you really, really think it would be a waste of good money for an employer to hire you, you know how good you would be for any business once given the chance. YOU ARE INDEED A VALUABLE EMPLOYEE~ bottom line – no doubt about it.

So no matter what another thinks or says about you, KNOW differently. It’s just a matter of time before that brilliant employer sees this fabulous employee! You’ve just got to (at the risk of beyond corney) let that inner you shine. Let no one snuff it out. You are worth it~

“Purpose” — Have it and Get Hired

Robert Schepens — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:19:02 +0000

I’m connected to Michael on Face Book. He posted this on FB at about 9:45 this morning: “A sense of purpose is not something that we find; it is something that we are. Truth is not something that we look for; it’s something that we live. “The human soul has still greater need of the ideal than of the real. It is by the real that we exist; it is by the ideal that we live.” -Victor Hugo.

“Purpose” is central to The Great Workplace 2.0 of today and tomorrow. It is the advantage smaller companies have over their larger counterparts: They can believe in doing things bigger than themselves, and it is the reason really BIG companies get in their own way: They believe in the mission of the company (the company itself) more than a purpose for the customer.

Although this post is indirectly about The Great Workplace, it is more about people and what they can do to be valued by one, and themselves:

1) ..”purpose is not something we find. It is something we ARE”. A True purpose is not something we turn on and off. It is WHY we are, WHO we are, and HOW we interact with others. It is VALUE.

2) “Truth (and purpose for that matter) is not something we LOOK for, it is something we LIVE”. Again. no light switch. No shelf item to pick. BE. ACT.

3) “Real” is the “exist” part. “Live” is the action part. It is the constant stretching for something greater than we have become, it is growth it is being alive. It is the constant striving for something, not sitting and waiting for something to come to us.

These simple sentences from Hugo are what separates getting hired, being happy, living a full life, and GROWING.

Here is the stuff that is “Dad” giving advice: The Great Workplace 2.0 of tomorrow (and today) is always looking for people with a purpose. People who are proactive, people who are alive and vibrant. Be that way, and you will have a great career. Don’t be that way, and you will be collecting welfare, missing out on great opportunities, and wondering why someone else is getting the promo.

Thanks Michael for the reminder. Thanks Victor for the great lead into my chapter in the book: “101 Ways To Enhance Your Career” to be published in October 2010.

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Schepens

Never Use a Generic Resume

Barbara Krecic — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:26:25 +0000

I do a lot of blog readings for this web site. Mostly, I’m looking for helpful tips to share here in The Great Workplace for those of you who are looking for a career opportunity. And today I read this article entitled Objective of a Resume and it made me realize that this is something we’ve not discussed here before. So let’s talk about it.

The days of generic resumes, where you post your life achievements and accomplishments by chronological order are over. Plain and simple, done, never to be seen again, adios, au revoir, taboo even. Why? you ask…because the HR authority hasn’t the time to read all that hoopla.

Actually they don’t even read the resume. They scan it. Not literally with a machine but with their eyes. They’re looking for the exact phrases and qualities that they need for a specific job posting. That’s all they have time to do with each resume. It’s nothing personal.

They may receive anywhere from 100 – 250 resumes. And they still have other responsibilities to do as well as the hiring. So for you, you need to be very specific in your resume and only put information that directly relates to them and their job post.

If they are looking for a pole climber to fix overhead wires, don’t add supervisor of 100 people … put pole climber … that will definitely catch their eye.

If they are looking for a specific machine and you’ve done that then put it down. Or if they want qualities and traits that you have experienced and are skilled at put them down. Save the life story for the actual interview when you can explain it to them face to face in a story.

You can keep the top of the resume the same but always, ALWAYS change the body of it to match the job posting. Your resume is to catch their eye and make them want to meet you personally. The only way you’ll hook them is to let them know you’ve DONE IT! Use their wording if possible. But never, ever send a generic one size fits all resume. They just won’t see it!

BP and Your Job Search

Barbara Krecic — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 12:48:47 +0000

So how is your job search going? Have you registered with reputable staffing companies? Did you take a personal evaluation of each interview so you can be better prepared for the next? Fine tuned your answers? Let me know how things are going. Share your thoughts.

Sometimes it helps to talk things out with another. And sometimes it helps to enlist the aid of a personal coach. A personal coach is someone who is not emotionally connected to you, helps you in developing your personal goals, gives you objective feedback on your progress and helps you stay on track.

Getting out of our own way may be just the answer. Look at the BP mess. Now they can’t find the oil. All the talk and concerns over the clean-up which I’m not saying isn’t real or a grave disaster to the environment in the gulf, it is. It was horrible. Many lives were taken – habitat and people. Jobs were lost. Livelihoods were stopped and families suffered. But where is the oil?

Man! Why do we think we need to CONTROL everything? Look what’s happening. The earth is absorbing the oil. Everything is working out WITHOUT us. Time of course moves slowly in this case but who thought the earth could heal herself?

Maybe, just maybe, if we got out of our own way and not demand control of everything things would just work out. If we just relaxed and had confidence in ourselves, talked our talk and walked our walk, eliminated the negativity, we’d achieve our goals.

Find a personal coach. Talk things out.Get real feedback. Ask your recruiter for some sit down time. Talk things out with them. Be brave. Accept the coaching. Destroy the negativity. And just let it happen. If you come across confident, positive and self assured and BELIEVE it will come, it will.

Manufacturing Jobs — Northeast Ohio Leads Recovery!

Robert Schepens — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 13:29:44 +0000

Reprinted from + Cleveland 8.4.10

Posted byChris Thompson – 08.03.2010

I cannot help but wonder when was the last time this happened: From February to June of this year, the Cleveland metro led the nation’s 40 largest MSAs in manufacturing job growth. The Cleveland MSA added about 5,000 manufacturing jobs, according to the trusty analysis done by Harold D. Miller, who blogs at Pittsburgh Today.

The job growth numbers remain modest and don’t begin to erase the painful losses suffered over the last few decades in the region. But they do hint at the potential of a new, more vibrant future for our region. And they do require us to begin to tell a different story about our region. At least when it comes to this recovery, we are not doing worse than other places. We are doing better. Spread that story for a bit and let me know how people respond.

For those of you with a strong schadenfreude streak, you will want to check out the chart on Miller’s blog and see what city ranked last in overall job growth.

WEWS-TV reporter Tracy Carloss did two reports on Tuesday, Aug. 3, on the improving job numbers and she profiled one of the region’s growing manufacturing companies.

Being Remembered After the Interview

Barbara Krecic — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:43:20 +0000

You’ve been hard at work this week scheduling appointments. Good work. Take a break this afternoon and go shopping. What for you ask?

Well do you want to stand out from the crowed applicant pool when there are over two hundred applicants who need to be weeded? Care to make an even greater impression? Take the time to send a thank you note after your interview. Few do. So if you choose to do this, you will be remembered.

Add this to your to-do list:

Purchase a box of thank you notes…usually ten in a pack. Purchase a book of stamps.

Write your return address on the top left hand corner of your envelope and stash this all away for later with the same pen you used to write your return address.

If you choose a colorful enough thank you note, it might end up sitting on their desk.

Do you think you’ll be forgotten? No, you’ll stand out from the crowd.

Monday’s Goal in Finding that Job!

Barbara Krecic — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:11:49 +0000

They’ve extended the unemployment benefits. PHEW! You’ve got the extension. But this may very well be the last so let’s get cracking. It’s time. We just have to buckle down and make it happen. And believe. It will happen.

You’ve tried it all I’m sure by now … registered with all the social networks, contacted all your personal contacts. You’ve called in as many favors as you can recall. So now it’s time to call in the pros. And by pros I am not talking about the fee based pros. You pay them up front and they may find you a job. Nope. You align yourself to services that have a fair contract. You work for them 90 days and then switch from their payroll to the clients – no fee. It’s time to find your team and Monday is the day to pick your team of players.

Make your list of agencies that you know are strong, long term, and reputable. Do not depend on one and that includes us, Champion. The more strong agencies you are aligned with the better your opportunities. The client base is usually loyal to their chosen service (if they provide what they promise) so the more agencies you apply to the greater your network of opportunity becomes.

One agency per day for two weeks all around the city parameters is Monday’s goal. Set the appointments for the morning because this is how you begin your day – on the upswing. Nine o’clock every morning you will be meeting with a different recruiter. Practicing interview skills is part of the plan. The more you practice the more confidence you build.

But that’s not all. After every mornings agency appointment you take a break. Stop at a coffee shop. And during this break, you jot down interview questions that you could have answered better. Take the time to rethink what you could have said instead to reveal your worth better. And write them down. Evaluate as you go, you will grow from this.

Use the agencies to your full advantage. All of them should become a place for you to network, a place to practice your interviewing skills and a place to sell yourself. They will be a place for you to test the waters so to speak, to learn how to respond to different personalities, a place to test your own techniques and fine tune them. You’ve got a minimum of two weeks to practice. Plan to visit at least ten agencies at the very least.

And please, respond back to me. I’d like to hear your experiences, concerns, evaluations. Please share. We’re serious; we’ll help you find that job even if we aren’t the ones who placed you!

Next: using the internet to find job postings – what web sites are good.

Question: What would you like to see discussed here to help you with your search?

Product Compliance Subject Matter Expert (North East Ohio Corporation)

Robert Schepens — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:37:25 +0000

Champion Personnel System, Inc has been contracted and retained by a MAJOR Northeast Ohio corporation, to locate a professional Product Compliance Specialist (Subject Matter Expert) for their corporate headquarters located in Amherst Ohio.

The person we are seeking will be highly competent in regulations such as RoHS, REACH and WEEE, along with regulations relative to Transportation and other Environmental sensitivities.

The challenge and the opportunity are to work with all levels of the corporation, plus vendors and customers, effectively communicating details, compliance necessities and STRATEGIES for product (and in collaboration with Plant Compliance) compliance both domestically and globally.

The successful profile will be highly promotable, have solid experience in a product manufacturing environment where products are sold globally, and be a proven communicator. A degree in Chemistry or Environmental Sciences is highly preferred.

Nordson Corporation, located in Amherst Ohio is a $1 billion Global Supplier of Precision Dispensing and Surface Treatment systems. Their reputation is sterling and their community involvement is second to none.

Compensation is more than competitively attractive and the benefits are world-class. Careers at Nordson are highly attractive to the best talent in their professions.

Direct all inquiries to: Robert Schepens, CPC, President of Champion Personnel System, Inc at: ras@thegreatworkplace.com, or Greg Hall, Director of Consulting at greg@ajobnearhome.com. Both professionals can be reached at 216.823.5900.

Thank you for your consideration.

Dressing for that Interview

Barbara Krecic — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:35:59 +0000

Many people in the industrial sector haven’t a clue how to dress for a job interview. And when one does….it totally excites the Staffing Expert and puts the candidate to the top of the list when all else is equal.

But what works in making a great impression and why does it do this? After all, work is work. Who cares?

First of all, that staffing expert is looking for candidates that not only has the required skills needed but will also knock the socks off their client employer when met! Skills, although a major component of a job search only represent what you can do, it does not speak of who you are and how well you will fit into their culture.

Let’s talk about sprucing up for that interview. The how’s and why’s of dressing for a job is simple. It’s all about respect; respect for yourself, respect for the person that’s interviewing you and respect for the company that hires you. It shows you respect the opportunity given you by the Staffing Expert. Dressing for the interview shows that you deliberately wanted to make a great impression on that Staffing Expert. They will then think if you did it for them, you would also do it for their client if given an opportunity to meet them. You are telling that Staffing Expert by your appearance not to worry, you will make a great impression and be a great representative of their firm.

More importantly it shows that you have respect for your self. If you’re that conscientious about your appearance it only stands to reason that you will have the same attitude toward your work and job duties. Proper dress for an interview speaks of who you are as a person.

Coming in for an interview in shorts and flip flops gives the impression that you really don’t care what you do or how you do it. Is that what you want them to think? But on the flip side of the coin, coming in for an interview in crisp clean pants and a clean unwrinkled shirt says that you are a person who knows your self worth. You deserve that face time. You deserve that opportunity to meet the employer.

No one is saying you need to wear expensive clothes or recommends purchasing a whole new wardrobe. What I’m saying is clean and unwrinkled makes a good impression. Shorts and cut offs do not. Neither does flip flops, tank tops, short shorts and torn jeans (this isn’t the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants!).

To take pride in your work you must first take pride in yourself. Once you demonstrate that, that job will be all yours!

How to Choose the Right Employment Agency when Doing Your Job Search

Barbara Krecic — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 17:09:00 +0000

So, your benefits are running out. You’re feeling the pressure. But you’ve been trying hard to find a job with no luck. When you’re running in panic mode everything shuts down. Aside for the incredible sense of fear seeping through every muscle, you may feel empty, discouraged and apathetic to continue. Put the fear aside. There are solutions and that job is out there waiting for you. It is, believe it or not, a job seekers market now…but won’t be for long…so let’s get going.

Tomorrow morning, set the alarm for 6:30. Wake and dress. Get that cup of coffee and be at your computer before 7 – sharp! You’ve got at least two hours of work to do.

We’ll talk more about developing a concrete plan in finding that job in future articles. Watch for them. But your first task in finding that job, DON’T GROAN - is contacting employment agencies. Employers would rather bring in people this way than off the street. To them, it’s safer. They can get a feel for the individual. They like to be able to see if they are trainable, conscientious, responsible and compatible with the rest of the team. This is how they bring in new employees.

(This is true, and by the same token, if you find a company you want to work for only to be told they use services by all means ask – what service?)

Now Google: Cleveland+employment agencies; Cleveland+temp agencies; Cleveland+temporary agencies Make your list. Task one!

How to choose an agency? Easy. Ask how they pay. If they pay daily, move on! If they pay weekly that’s a good start. Next ask about their hiring terms. This means – how long must you work for them before the job site can hire you. Now here is where you need to play close attention. Normally you can expect 600 hours (12 weeks of forty hour weeks). Anything beyond that…. well…you’re call. In a three month period, if you keep your ears and eyes open you’ll get a good feel about whether or not you really want to work for this company and be part of their team. Anything shorter and you’re left wondering.

Choose five employment agencies per week. Here’s a helpful hint: the Big Dogs as I call them are national. They have offices in every state and city you can imagine. Big Dogs are called National Firms. They mostly deal with HUGE accounts – corporate to corporate. Most HUGE businesses only bring in interim employees when they need them and hire rarely. You’ve heard of buy local? Well you want to do the same thing in choosing your employment agency. Look for an agency that is local, hasn’t offices in other states, gives Cleveland their full focus and supports only our local economy. Here is where you’ll find your next job! Call them to set up an appointment for next week. Make one appointment for each afternoon. Let’s start filling up your calendar. Theoretically, the more services you are registered with the greater your chances of employment. Remember, companies use these services to solve their hiring needs. They are looking for good, dependable people to HIRE permanently but they want to test them out first.
Now of course Champion Personnel Systems will be the first call on that list won’t it? We’ll help you find that job together. Stay tuned for more tips and visit us on Facebook for even more information. On either place feel free to comment, ask questions and share your thoughts and feelings. We will respond!

The Great Workplace 2.0: Mission Statements Are Dead — Long Live “Purpose!”

Robert Schepens — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:43:44 +0000

“We stand to learn more from our explorations into the future we desire, than from the past that continues only in ways that we choose to let it continue. Imagination is in fact a larger learning space than past experience. The only way to romanticize the power of experience is to fail to engage our imaginations in the possibilities that call to us in quiet moments.” JACK RICHUITTO, Author, Consultant and Advisor.

Purpose is sustainable. When a Mission is accomplished it becomes an archived entry.

In The Great Workplace 2.0 “Mission Statements” are being quietly and purposefully replaced with “Statements of Purpose”. The legacy “Mission Statement” focused on the goals of the organization, for the organization itself. The customer was mentioned, in passing, usually only as a tool for the organization’s measured success.

Purpose is the organization’s reason for being in business.

An organization’s Purpose is Extrinsic, not Intrinsic like “Mission Statements” of the past. An organization’s Purpose focuses attention on someone or something other than itself while engaging in its own intelligent self interest. “Intelligent self interest” is defined as intrinsic motivation, purpose or goals whose resulting actions are directed in great part by sensitivity to their affects on others and are adjusted accordingly (From the book: “Nine Principles For Inspired Action” Finklestein/Schepens). In the book, the chapter on “Intelligent Self Interest” is introduced by an F. Scott Fitzgerald quote: “The test of first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time, and still maintain the ability to function”. Thus the idea of Intelligent Self Interest and Corporate or Personal goals being able to not only coexist, but to have one lend guidance to the other. The Great Workplace 2.0 is sensitive, not communist.

An organization’s Purpose answers the questions: “For what are we competing?” and “What is our ultimate reason for being here?” And is never adequately answered by short-term profits or stockholder equity. In that way, it is a paradox. An organization can achieve its numeric goals, in many ways, by not focusing their entire attentions to them.

Stockholder equity and organization profitability should be consequences of leadership, purpose and collaboration, not the only goals.

That is NOT to say an organization should exclude monetary or “numbers” goals. The organization needs to sustain. But goals should never be seen as purely “the numbers” as there are more important factors to track, as we will see.

Purpose is sustainable. When a Mission is accomplished it becomes an archived entry.

Today, people are driven more by a purpose than is the typical company in which they participate.

People want their lives, their work and their results to mean something. Something more that helping a company: “To become the largest supplier of machine fasteners in the upper Midwest”. Good goal. The CEO may love it, shareholders will anxiously await the release of “the numbers”. “Employees” will yawn or respond with a predetermined and measured level of enthusiasm.

To the “employee”, that mission is as close to being part of their daily life as catching a world-series home run ball at Progressive Field in Cleveland Ohio.

It is no longer adequate for most individuals to give their time, effort and attention to a thinly veiled “Mission Statement” that hides the ultimate pursuit of intrinsic corporate goals (quarterly earnings reports or stock prices). The typical participant sees right through that and goes to work elsewhere or begins to take advantage of the organization’s generosity and focuses on his or her own goals. While the deflecting organization is concentrating of their pursuit of goals simply to benefit the company, the average participant is figuring out ways to milk the system, learn the jargon of “Mission Statements” to get by, and learn the backdoor paths to “retirement on the job”. At the least, an organization that lacks a true Purpose that is lived and supported by management, will have fewer Participants working passionately toward any objective…except their own.

Perhaps the importance of “Purpose” in any business today is as a reaction to those organizations (and people) that selfishly led the WORLD economy down the path to near oblivion in 2008-2009 (and beyond). Perhaps it is a throwback to the Woodstock era when values were born from Chaos and experimentation with new Ethos. Perhaps it is simply a change that needed to be made for our survival.

A case is being made that the return of “Purpose” to any business and to the work to be done in moving a business forward comes from current world-directed efforts toward a more sustainable lifestyle on our planet. The “Green” initiative asks many “Why” questions and relies upon the ethics of individuals, organizations and even countries/ governments to re-focus on the REASONS for their actions or inactions. It focuses on a “we’re all in the same boat” perspective (inclusive open source) and instead of supporting a continuing Matrix-like non-reality, constructs a new reality that is geared toward “Purpose” (survival?) not legacy (what got us here in the first place).

There is a marked movement to an ethos based upon common sense and the guiding perspective that in fact, we are all “in this together”. This realization alone has helped us change from a corporate “Us versus Them” mentality that directs insiders against outsiders or insiders versus insiders into using the idea of “Participants” to describe ALL people and entities that touch the organization.

If your first reaction to that statement is “my purpose is to make money”, then join the club. For business owners, managers, “employees” on incentives and shareholders, it is the typical first reaction…at least at Legacy organizations or those organizations that are only looking for this quarter’s earnings report.

Purpose however is different than mission or goals. And purpose is substantially more critical to the success of the organization. The Great Workplace of today has discovered its power and discovered its place at the core of a profitable organization.

The Participants in The Great Workplace want their work efforts to have a Purpose beyond simple material gain, especially when that material gain is for unseen, passive recipients (Shareholders as an example). Working toward a concept or purpose larger or greater than our own self is a touch with immortality. Those things we do only for ourselves stay within us and perish or dwindle when we do.

“Purpose” touches a higher conceptual level than any mission an organization may have. It is more meaningful than any individual and the organization itself. It is focused on the customer, or perhaps on the customer’s customer.

Purpose is bigger than VALUE, as value is a consequence of the purpose being brought to the customer and how the customer perceives or uses the results of your purpose.

The conceptualization of, then the implementation of Purpose is at the core of ALL Great Workplaces.

Having Purpose (singular or plural) shared by all Participants with their organization fortifies effectiveness and in turn supports the ability to be more than simply competitive. It energizes at a grass roots level. It builds an organization from the ground up. It builds a Community with a shared vision, a shared purpose and a shared Trust.

Leaders of today realize that the competitiveness of their product or service is a consequence of the organization’s purpose and leadership. Rarely does the product or service itself create Leadership or Purpose.

The Great Workplace 2.0 recognizes that Purpose through an Immersive Culture is not a matter of chance. It is a matter of Touch. Touch is leadership that has created the ability for all participants to see, feel, know and implement the organization’s real and stated Purpose.

True Purpose resonates. It has a richness of significance. It has the ability to evoke a shared emotion and belief.

People, working together, regardless of geography or “status”, get behind a direction that becomes profitable for everyone involved. People recognize that a group or community with a Trusted Purpose can move the mountains individuals or insulated “leaders” cannot.

An organization’s Purpose will spark an individual’s need for a deeper understanding of himself or herself. It will direct a person to Aspire to something greater. In doing so, people grow. When people grow, organizations receive the summary benefits.

The concept of Purpose within an organization demands that Participants are learning. Learning energizes participants. And those are the people who can affect the direction of an organization.

As people grow, they realize that ideas around them or ideas they believe have been born inside them may have a place in concepts greater than their perception of that day’s reality. Innovation happens.

When people find others with the same or similar Purpose, inside or outside the organization, strong networks are created. Networks with Purpose create new ideas, solve old problems, seize new opportunities and bring those ideas to bear on the organization that has allowed them that recognition. Collaboration is born.

Purpose flows along with the Community it creates. Closed organizations become static and inbred. Positive Community is born from open Collaboration, Collaboration is born from Trust, Trust is born from Shared Purpose. Value is created from Community.

“Purpose” is not a substitute for Mission or Goals.

A “Statement of Purpose” is not a substitute for “Mission Statement”.

Purpose has NO end game. Missions and Goals do.

Purpose will always be sought. When it seems Purpose has been attained, the realization will come that to hesitate, lose your grip or engine for even for one moment the Purpose will then be something to be sought after. Again.

The Customer moves the Purpose. It is theirs to move. They move your Purpose so it aligns with their own. The customer is in charge. The customer can be Internal or External to the organization. In turn, their Purpose can be Intrinsic or Extrinsic. When their Purpose is Extrinsic, you need to know.

As Purpose has no end game, and is moved by its own object, it evolves into the realization of continual improvement.

An Ethos grows around Purpose and is not part of a goals strategy. Purpose can be measured, but as its object of focus moves slightly or massively, Purpose finds a new life and possibly a new beginning.

The Great Workplace 2.0 understands the difference between Purpose and Mission and chooses the deeper resonance of Purpose for its strength. Purpose can then be the foundation to a single Mission or an Intrinsic Corporate Mission. When a true Purpose is the foundation for a Mission, it changes the direction and importance of that Mission. It ties Activity and Strategy to Purpose, and becomes sustainable.

Purpose is the energy and the passion behind an organization or individual’s pursuit of achievements. It is steps above a goal and the hand behind innovation. It is at the core of focus, it is the incubator of dreams.

More people are becoming disillusioned with the sole pursuit of material gain (especially on the part of the Organization) as an Ethos.

Purpose is pride and purpose must integrate into their lives. As the world is becoming a smaller and more familiar place, more people want to be known as a Good Person with proven principles and less as a consumer of fleeting resources.

Purpose can answer and fulfill the business question/ dilemma: “What should I do now?”

In many ways it can be the differentiator of one organization from another in the marketplace, and as an organization builds a brand that reflects their purpose, it can be a singular reason a customer will choose one firm over another.

Purpose is focused on the customer, not on the organization. There can be little learning or growing when one focuses solely on oneself.

An organization’s purpose is a major reason top talent will choose to be a Participant at one organization over another.

Top talent can work anywhere their skills are needed. But the definition of “Top Talent” is changing with the changes of the workplace.

Top talent can choose where, how and why to work with an organization that has a purpose where they can participate at a higher level than before, and where their lives can take on new meanings.

Top talent is now defined as those people who will focus on YOUR purpose, not theirs, first. They know that focusing on the organization’s purpose will lead to achieving their goals.

In the old model, Top Talent was defined more by credentials and skills than Intent and Collaborative attitude.

In a purpose-driven organization, the talent who are focused on their own goals first will be seen as counter-productive and socially out of sync with the community. The word “Selfish” will be used to describe their attitude regardless of their skills.

The concept of “Stakeholders” should be placed in the legacy archives. “Stakeholders” has a negative and passive inference. It seems a similar concept to the Pioneers “Staking” claim to land that was not theirs in the first place. Driving a stake in something may sound active, but it is simply laying false claim, with no need to EARN by active Participation.

This rebirth of values and purposes for the business organization

The legacy that current best-in-class business trends are running from may be exactly that of the “Mission Statements” of the past: Statements that sound like purposes, but are inevitably Intrinsic (for oneself) versus Extrinsic (from others).

Examples of non-sensible or thin “Mission Statements”:

“The New Ventures Mission is to scout profitable growth opportunities in relationships, both internally and externally, in emerging, mission inclusive markets, and explore new paradigms and then filter and communicate and evangelize the findings.”

“Yahoo! powers and delights our communities of users, advertisers, and publishers – all of us united in creating indispensable experiences, and fueled by trust.”

“Our Mission: Collaborating with partners of government, community-based organizations, communities and the private sector, we provide a community engagement and dialogue clearinghouse”

▪ To provide capacity training and resources to build individual and collective skills and knowledge in small and large-scale engagement and dialogue processes

▪ To facilitate customized community engagement and dialogue design and facilitation

▪ To convene community engagement and dialogue processes

▪ To collect and publish information and best practices of community engagement planning, strategic engagement, organizational renewal and public policy development.

Some quotes behind “Purpose”:

Earl Nightingale

We are at our very best, and we are happiest, when we are fully engaged in work we enjoy on the journey toward the purpose we’ve established for ourselves. It gives meaning to our time off and comfort to our sleep. It makes everything else in life so wonderful, so worthwhile.

John Maxwell

A difficult time can be more readily endured if we retain the conviction that our existence holds a purpose – a cause to pursue, a person to love, a goal to achieve.

Napoleon Hill

The world has the habit of making room for the man whose words and actions show that he knows where he is going.

Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton

What mankind wants is not talent; it is purpose.

Bud Coggins

When your true purpose is to help others succeed, you succeed.

Hildebrand Kennet

Strong lives are motivated by dynamic purposes.

Washington Irving

Great minds have purposes, little minds have wishes.

Helen Keller

Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.

W. Clement Stone

Definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement.

The concept of Purpose has taken a foothold in organizations that are following in their own footsteps. These are the organizations of the future and those who will stand out as The Great Workplaces of tomorrow.

A single example of a statement of purpose: “To positively affect our clients’ profitability by increasing their workforce productivity”. ALL about the client, not about the vendor.

Respectfully Submitted, Robert Schepens

The Great Workplace 2.0: The New Model of The Great Workplace

Robert Schepens — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 17:57:41 +0000

“The Great Workplace 2.0” is an ongoing research and discovery project that has encompassed over 500 interviews of CEO’s, Corporate Managers, Innovators, Business and Social Entrepreneurs, the compilation of over 150 recently published books on business management for the new economy and over 100 “Whitepapers” published by the most prestigious business consulting firms.

The “Old Model” of the characteristics of what makes up a Great Workplace (Productive Organization)/ Great Place to Work as has been celebrated by many associations, award-centric organizations and those selling insurances or other products to LARGER companies/ organizations, simply is no longer a benchmark that NEW, smaller and medium-sized organizations (where the jobs are and are created) can identify with, nor need to emulate. It is a given that our new economy is based upon new places to work, new technologies, shifts in current technologies, and shifts in how workplaces are organized. As the new economy emerges, those changes will become more evident and their fundamental principles will begin to be more “Public”.

People have changed. The very nature of work: who does it, where and why…has changed dramatically, and with that…the definition of “Great Workplace” has been forever moved to a new matrix. This expose’ is deigned to give organization managers, entrepreneurs, Human Resource professionals and career-focused individuals a look underneath the hood into the engines driving their futures.

Excerpts from the Book: The Great Workplace 2.0™

A Great Workplace functions at a higher level of purpose and productivity and is a more interesting place to work than other “normal” organizations. It attracts great talent and it attracts great results…for the customer. It extends its intelligent self-interests beyond the executive suite into the depths of its own employment, into the rich treasure troves of vendor knowledge, the community and to all “Participants”. It reaches out to the crowd within its community for opportunities and solutions. The Great Workplace 2.0 understands intrinsically that being “open” is an advantage. When it reaches, it extends its hand in a positive manner both internally and externally looking for strengths and sustainable principles on which to further grow the business and the opportunities for participants. It simply does not adhere to the old model of corporate hierarchy and held power. The Great Workplace of today invites being benchmarked, but is always one step beyond being so static that its definitions are fluid.

The Great Workplace 2.0 is in fact a fluid community. It interacts with its participants and creates communication avenues that foster the immediate interaction of questions, ideas, opinions and therefore opportunities and solutions. It has substantially removed the obstacles to Open Innovation and discouraged most linear or legacy ideals. It uses knowledge gained through more “open-invitation” processes and feeds upon the rich knowledge and input from all sources that touch the organization. It is both created on and by purpose and has the ability to change its tactical or strategic directions quickly. The corporate legacy model focused upon impressive-sounding “Mission Statements” and “shareholder return” (regardless of what that meant). In many circumstances, businesses were operated not because they really wanted to, but because they “should”. They sustained themselves because there were stock certificates to support.

That old model was built upon relative size and the ability to do things for ITSELF on a grand scale: benefits, bonuses, unions, giveaways, charitable donations, dividends and having employees see their company in print or in TV ads. If you work for Shell Oil or for General Motors you must work for a great company. We feted big companies as “great” workplaces because they flowed forth with great benefits, nominally gave away their services as charity and in general treated employees as cats in Pharaoh’s chambers. Just the mention of “I work for National City Bank” meant something impressive. It was akin to saying that you attended Notre Dame while the Fighting Irish were a national football powerhouse. The “aura” was the value. The old model created strong Tribes and the reputation of that Tribe became the recipient of all things corporate.

But while employers reveled in being big and powerful, the very nature of WORK, who does it, where, why and with whom has been changing dramatically and forever. The “Social Contract” with employers and workers has changed. The “workplace” is no longer just hired employees and employer. It is no longer a space confined to a legacy corporate structure. And that has dramatically changed the way people and executives look at Great Places To Work, and in turn Great Workplaces.

The focus, in a highly productive company, has shifted to PURPOSE: both from an individual point of view and a “corporate viewpoint”. Walls and structures are coming down or are being made visible. Old lines of communications (Such as “Command and Control”) have been amended and the concept of “New Ideas” is no longer just defined as internal. “Teamwork” is now more important than ever, but only when it has “Collaboration” at its foundation. “Teamwork” can be interpreted as a group of similarly trained or deployed people working for a single mission (Basketball Players: A linear orientation). “Collaboration” is geared toward having disparate talents working for a single outcome (even from different geographies), through different purposes (ex: the entire organization including the players: Non-linear input).

The purpose of The Great Workplace 2.0 ™ is simple: WHILE IT IS HAPPENING, show what core changes there are in Great Workplaces so that start-ups, small and mid-size companies can extract the principles that companies are discovering and by example, grow in a healthy and sustainable fashion and return to our economy great dividends in revenue, value, innovations and sustainability. The big companies will get bailouts (ever hear of a $10 million ASV company getting a federal bailout in 2009 or 2010?) and due to having created market niches for certain products (Jet Engines, Gasoline, Money/Branded Banks, Hospitals) will continue to survive. They will provide workplaces for people who want “big”, who want to work for “Mom”. There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH A BIG Great Workplace. Our work will show what is happening in and could be happening in the companies that employ 95% of our workers (smaller companies) and create new jobs and businesses that aren’t in the news or on TV: The Great Workplace 2.0.

This document is a fluid expose’ on the topic, as the concept of employment and what makes The Great Workplace has now taken on the characteristic of morphing at “The Speed Of Thought”.

The Fundamental Attributes of The Great Workplace 2.0:

We have looked at the fundamental components of The Great Workplace as “Acquirable and Repeatable”: Principles and actions that can be built into a new company or that can be achieved by an existing company.

The organization has a meaningful “Corporate Statement Of Purpose” that is the foundation for corporate culture and therefore provides meaning to employment and work opportunities. This statement is driven by the affects the organization has on their customers and the role each “Participant” can play in that directive. “Purpose” becomes an ethos that creates the very foundation for The Great Workplace.

A Great Workplace is committed to fostering a collaborative, productive, engaging and rewarding culture that encompasses customers, prospective employees, employees, vendors, “Participants” (Stake/ Shareholders) and the community. The organization practices collaboration to the extent that “Internal and External” no longer have a distinction, and it recognizes that “Community” has no true boundaries.

The organization provides for enterprise sustainability as part of their core culture and is committed to educating the employee body, vendors, participants, customers and the community about their practices. “Sustainability” is defined in flexible terms for Corporate Longevity (Think in terms of Japan’s “1,000 Years” philosophy), Ecology, Environment, Volunteerism, and Civic Engagement/ Charitable Offerings with the Community, Reputation, and Internships from the Community and Product Impact to future generations.

The Great Workplace has an operating plan to integrate Jobs, Careers, Participants and the Community in their (Organizational and Individual) pursuit of accomplishing their purpose. Intent or statements are not enough. This operating plan embraces the strategy and tactics of “Purposeful Convergence of Knowledge” where technology is employed, not for the sake of technology (which becomes a distraction) but for the customer, and where obstacles to the purpose can be eliminated or minimized.

The organization has a financial focus on being “Intelligently Profitable”. This qualitative focus is founded in sustainability, the Values within their purpose and a view of “Intelligent Self Interest” (See the book “9 Principles for Inspired Action” (Finklestein/ Schepens) for the organization and all participants. “Intelligent Self Interest” is defined as Self Interest that stands the test of “how will my plan affect others?” It defines who the customer REALLY is.

The organization provides a sensible and tuned foundation of health and welfare benefits so that all employees can focus on their job purpose.

The organization has a working plan for Immersion (onboarding) of all Participants: (new employees, contractors, VENDORS, promotions, teams/ groups, community, board, executives, consultants and families). The purpose of this working structure is to reduce the time to productivity and to facilitate the complete engagement of the Participant throughout that participant’s “lifecycle”.

The organization provides the Tools for all Participants to properly execute their responsibilities relative to their assignments and the organization’s Purpose.

The organization emphasizes buying locally and promotes its region as a great place to live and work.

(Top) Management shows and invokes visible, tangible leadership that directly supports the organization’s Statement of Purpose and operating plan. This leadership preserves the integrity of the organization’s purpose, and is both duplicatable and repeatable…at any level.

The ability of an organization to be “Great” should never rely solely upon being “Big” (Cashflow) or Rich. “Great” is a value, and VALUES can never be bought.

Jim Collins in “Built To Last” defines it this way: “It is dedicated to the idea that true greatness comes in direct proportion to the passionate pursuit of a purpose beyond money”.

The above definitions are only a part of an introduction to the entire research results for what makes The Great Workplace of today and tomorrow. The Great Workplace 2.0 is NOT static. It is updated and changed on a regular basis as we discover other fundamentals that are forming the directions of success. We invite your comments and insights, directly to the author.

The Great Workplace 2.0: Your Company Can Achieve Excellence!

Robert Schepens — Wed, 26 May 2010 19:01:41 +0000

Over the next several weeks, The Great Workplace.com will introduce North East Ohio to a new set of standards for organizations striving to become noted as a Great Place To Work, or as we call it, The Great Workplace 2.0: Each article will give you an in-depth view of the results of 3 years of research into what The Great Workplace MANAGERS and OWNERS believe and know make their organization special. We are NOT focusing on the Fortune 100 companies or the High-Tech companies who have become synonymous with “Corporate Benefit Give-A-Ways”, we are showing you ideas that YOU can duplicate in your own company: principles and actions that can be applied in start-ups, old-line companies, and organizations who simply know that “something needs to change”.

Let’s cut to the chase: the discoverable attributes of The Great Workplace of today and tomorrow have been right under our noses for decades. But, for reasons based in envy, we have knelt before the thrones of “the big boys” and tried to replicate their glitter and gold. Smaller and start-up organizations have failed in that pursuit, and in many cases, simply gave up trying. The result: many small to medium- sized organizations have been only partially constituted and have fallen short of their true potential.

Shame on us.

Shame on us, when the actual path to becoming a remarkable organization is solidly within our reach. And that reach is a span of principles and principle-based executions that do not necessarily require the king’s ransom to implement.

Below is the short version of those attributes. To thoroughly understand each attribute you will simply have to invest some quality reading time in subsequent articles. (Hey, what do you expect! It took over 3,000 hours of research to bring this to you…you’ll have to do SOME work.)

1. Corporate Statement of Purpose.
2. Collaborative Culture.
3. Enterprise Sustainability.
4. Integrated Operating Plan.
5. Intelligently Profitable.
6. Sensible, Tuned Benefits.
7. Participant Immersion Process.
8. Provides Tools To Achieve Purpose.
9. Buys Local, Promotes Region.
10. Tangible Leadership that Promotes the Purpose.
11. Transparent Integrity.

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Schepens, CPC

President

Champion Personnel System, Inc. www.championpersonnel.com

ras@championjobs.com

The Great Workplace.com

Blue Collar Interview Killers

Robert Schepens — Mon, 17 May 2010 13:55:59 +0000

Here is how to make sure you kill any interview, Blue Collar, No Collar, White Collar:

2) Pour that new AXE cologne on yourself, freely. If your girlfriend gets hot over it, it is a given that the tight-ass HR lady will.

4) Make sure to wear an earring or skin or eyebrow ring. It looked good at the bar, and hell “It’s you Man-boy! Show your stuff!”

5) Don’t shower, or shower 5 minutes before you leave the house and show up with wet hair and wet collar. Shows you care about hygiene.

6) When asked why you left your last job, be honest. Tell them that the “stupid ass Plant Manager complained way too much about your work quality after lunch”.

7) Be late for the interview. Shows you are important. Heck, Stars do that at Red Carpet events! Show them who the BOSS is Mandrake!

11) Last: Make sure you ask: “How many chances do I get to pass the drug test?”

The above killer mistakes are real. Robert Ripley couldn’t do any better.

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Schepens

Interviews: The Question of Money — How to Respond

Robert Schepens — Wed, 05 May 2010 15:52:04 +0000

Current, previous and desired. What are/were you making, and (of course) What Do You Want?

It comes up in an online application (leave it blank), a phone screen, first interview and on the part of the pre-screener (recruiter) in their first conversation with you, and after all interviewing is done.

Why? MOST of the time the company wants to assure that your needs and their needs are in the same ballpark. No one in a company wants to take time to interview people who are off the mark, from a “match” or money perspective. No one wants to be used for “informational interviewing” purposes…on either side.

So what are you to do?

There are as many answers to this question as there are former-HR interviewers in the world.

Here are some simple answers:

Current and/or previous salary?:

1) Be HONEST, about previous or current income. If your previous or current income is NOT of major consequence to be matched (there are people), then state that along with your answer. But state why (besides the fact that you are desperate for a job). Be sure that your explanation holds water (logical) and is not indicative of wanting to do less of a job or give less of an effort.

2) Think it through: If your finances and living situation allow you to trade an interesting job for money, and that is your goal, make sure the person you are dealing with knows that and why. Nothing is worse than a hiring authority thinking that you will accept $X now, but will be looking to better-deal that one minute after being employed.

3) If you KNOW you were paid MORE (or are) than the company you are interviewing with pays, then say so. Having lost your job does NOT mean that you will have to take a massive pay cut to be re-employed…unless you worked at a unique company or in an over-paid job (GM, BP, Goldman). There are MANY companies that pay WAY ABOVE an average.

4) “Bonuses” were just that: “Extra Money” not a part of your salary. Live with that. They were for doing (hopefully) more than what was expected in the job you were in. In the last several years “Bonuses” were that you were remaining employed, unless you were in an unusual company.

Desired Salary?:

Interviewer: “So, what (kind of) salary or money are you looking for?”

Answer: “Mr. Jones: I have taken a thorough look at the function and the goals you wish me to perform and accomplish and I have no doubt that I will exceed those goals (restate the position’s goals/ department goals) based upon my experiences and abilities (delve into EXACTLY what you have accomplished in the past, and how that translates to HOW you will attack and exceed goals/ expectations for THIS employer). Therefore, I am sure that I can make ABC Company very happy. I do NOT know what salary you have in mind for a person like myself, but I believe you and ABC Company will be more than fair, so if you are ready to make an offer, I am certain we will have no problems.”

The idea is to get them to tip their hat first. But if they won’t or they hesitate, try this next:

“If you are not yet at the stage of making your best offer first (and last), then what is it about my background and expertise that I can clarify for you?”

If the hot potato still comes back to you, and you have the backbone to try one more parry, use this:

“I have been very pleased with our relationship to date Mr. Jones: What would you advise me to do?”

Yes, the person could in fact come back with :”I’d advise you to give me a figure that I can work with”.

Sweat a little, and respond with a reasonable ballpark set of numbers.

Not all repartee will end with you winning. The above has been designed and used with success at an executive level AND at a lower-white collar level, where the salary (or wage) has NOT been pre-determined.

How to deal very effectively with the question of salary is almost like playing golf: what club (response) you should use depends upon many factors that can change rather constantly. Each circumstance will be different. There is one constant however: If you have not positioned yourself to show and prove your VALUE (ability to hit company goals), the ability to command top money is lost, or even an offer.

(772 words. 1 minute 47 seconds)

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Schepens

Social Media Recruiting: Compliance Issues

Robert Schepens — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:03:00 +0000

I want to thank Taleo Corporation for providing the content to this article in White Paper format.

Summary Report

Social Network Recruiting: Managing Compliance Issues

(you can email me at ras@thegreatworkplace.com and I will send the PDF in all its colorful glory!)

In just a few short years, online social networks have grown from a novelty to one of the most powerful recruiting tools available to HR professionals. Now a fact of daily life for hundreds of millions of Americans, they offer intimate – and often instant – contact with potential candidates. But every business tool has its challenges. With social networks, it’s making the most of what they have to offer while maintaining compliance with government regulatory bodies such as The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). This paper will explore the impact of social networking on the hiring process, with a focus on legal risks and how to avoid them.

In the last decade, social networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn, My Space, Twitter and numerous others have grown at astonishing rates. To give just two examples: In October 2007, Facebook had roughly 20 million US members. Today, it boasts over 103 million members¹, and regularly surpasses Google in site visits per day². LinkedIn has increased its number of registered users from roughly 40 million in 2009 to over 60 million in 2010³. While these numbers do not as yet match the number of resumes on job boards – Monster.com boasts over 150 million⁴ – social networks have one very significant advantage over job boards. They are free. Furthermore, in the case of socially-oriented sites like Facebook, they offer the possibility of an uncensored peek into how job candidates act in unguarded moments.

These benefits have not gone unnoticed by HR departments. In one recent survey conducted by executive search firm ExecuNet, 77 percent of the respondents indicated they used the web for screening potential job applicants. Social networks are also seen as a highly effective recruiting tool, particularly for connecting with highly-prized passive candidate. But in the rush to take advantage of social networking, some of the risks and drawbacks have received little attention. Many experts believe the use of social networks to promote open positions or evaluate candidates exposes companies to the risk of lawsuits on grounds of discrimination. The risk, they say, hinges on whether or not the use of social networks is motivated by an intent to discriminate (“disparate treatment”) or whether the practice, although it appears neutral at face value, has an unintentional and unjustified adverse impact on members of a protected class (“disparate impact”). Furthermore, the use of social networks can also lead to disqualification from government contracts through failure to comply with regulations issued by the OFCCP.

Disparate Impact

The risks posed by the use of social networks in the hiring process begin at the front end, with sourcing, because the labor pool available through these networks does not reflect the demographics of the general population. For example, according to the media analytics firm Quantcast, only 5 percent of LinkedIn’s members are African American (vs. 12.8 percent of the total population) and only 2 percent are Hispanic (vs. 15.4 percent of the total population)⁵. It is easy to argue that sourcing via LinkedIn will have a disparate impact, and a similar case can be made for all the social networks.

Pamela Devata, a partner at the Chicago law firm Seyfarth Shaw, states that “Sourcing from professional network sites such as LinkedIn carries a risk that the method could be challenged on discrimination grounds. It represents a hiring pool that is not open to the general population.” Jessica Roe, managing partner at the Minneapolis law firm Bernick, Lifson, Greenstein, Greene & Liszt, is more blunt. “I anticipate more race and age claims over the next two years, and a significant portion will be from sourcing through social networking sites…. We’ll see lawsuits.”⁶

Organizations that rely heavily on social networking sites will need to take a close look at their overall sourcing program, to ensure that all classes – regardless of age, race, gender or disability – have an opportunity for employment.

Questionable Screening

The extremely common practice of using of social networks to help screen candidates is also fraught with legal pitfalls. Looking at candidates’ Facebook pages or following their tweets is tempting, because these sources often give a more candid picture of their personality than could be obtained from any other source. The press is littered with stories about job candidates who seemed promising until an online search revealed posts where they bragged about drug use, tweets that contained racial slurs, and other such negative material.

There is nothing wrong with rejecting a job candidate with personal characteristics that will result in poor or unsafe job performance. That is part of any HR organization’s mandate. However, when recruiters obtain such information through a social network, they are unable to ensure that all of the information they uncover will be job-relevant. Some of this information – gender and race, for example – would normally be obtained through a conventional job application or via a structured interview. But other information related to country of origin, religious preference, pregnancy, age, disability or sexual orientation might not. What if a recruiter, searching for evidence of drug use, finds that a candidate is a fan of the Facebook Page of Gay Rights or belongs to half a dozen groups for expecting mothers?

If such candidates are subsequently eliminated from consideration, some of them are almost certain to conclude it was because they were gay, pregnant, disabled and so on. And of those, some will be disposed to take legal action. In other words, the mere appearance of discrimination can create problems. If a business can demonstrate that a hiring decision was based on objective, job-relevant criteria, such as a uniformly administered test of word processing or Excel skills for a financial analyst position, the candidate probably won’t have a case. But if the criteria involved are softer, such as “good interpersonal skills,” it is very difficult for a business to prove that discrimination wasn’t involved. Irrespective of outcome, the amount of time and money required to deal with any lawsuit is considerable.

Todd Owens, General Manager of employment screening solutions provider Talentwise, expresses HR’s dilemma this way. “Social networking sites are in the unique position of sitting at the crossroads of an individual’s personal and professional life. Until applicants and employees realize the importance of keeping these worlds separate, recruiters are in the precarious position of using the information on social networks cautiously and selectively. They must recognize what is and what isn’t job-relevant, as well as the inherent faults of information generated by an applicant, his friends, or his foes.”

The problems with social networks – and the Internet in general – can extend beyond recruiting, as indicated by this story, reported in the Minneapolis-St. Paul StarTribune:

A 2008 lawsuit in New Jersey showed the downside of employers viewing social media sites. In that case, employees of a restaurant created a password-protected blog to complain, sometimes crudely, about management and customers. A manager learned of the blog and persuaded one of the bloggers to log him in to the blog to read it. As a result, two of the restaurant workers were fired. They subsequently sued and won a $17,000 judgment.

Because of these legal issues, social networks pose a difficult dilemma for HR organizations. They do have their risks. But on the other hand, they are arguably the best way to reach out to passive candidates, verify candidates’ résumé claims, gain insight into their personalities, and unearth undesirable behavior or character traits. Furthermore, they are a free resource.

For most HR organizations, these benefits have proved impossible to turn down. So the question becomes, what steps can HR take to avoid the risk of civil rights lawsuits or OFCCP violations that may arise from their use?

At this writing, there are no specific laws or guidelines from the EEOC or OFCCP covering the use social networks. However, a combination of common sense and reference to existing OFCCP guidelines will enable HR organizations to enjoy the numerous benefits of social networking sites while reducing the risk to a minimum.

When it comes to screening, they can begin by asking whether or not the use of social networks is really necessary in any particular situation, or whether an alternate approach will work just as well. For example, if drug use is a concern, there are well established approaches to screening candidates that pose no legal risk whatsoever. The same applies to verifying qualifications or

On the sourcing side, it’s important to avoid using social networks as a sole means for advertising available positions. Unless a business necessity exists for this practice, it is almost certainly discriminatory. However, when social networking is combined with employee referral programs to “amplify” their effect, the discrimination issue can likely be mitigated.

It is also extremely important to use software that ensures adequate records will be available when OFCCP auditors show up at the door or a plaintiff’s attorney produces a discovery request. Such records are crucial. According to Paul Mollica, a partner at Meites, Mulder, Mollica & Glink in Chicago, “a judge or a jury draws an inference that if you didn’t maintain records, the records must have been prejudicial.”⁷

Fortunately, software applications exist that can ensure OFCCP compliance. Taleo Business Edition is a premier example. It allows recruiters to tap into the power of social networks while tracking the parameters considered relevant by the OFCCP. These include:

“Social networks can give recruiters a competitive edge in locating and engaging the best candidates available, but adding these new sourcing options also brings potential legal pitfalls that recruiters need to be aware of,” noted Jason Blessing, General Manager of Taleo Business Edition. “Taleo’s Smart Sourcing solution and our Taleo Insight talent intelligence module work together to address these problems. Smart Sourcing makes it easy to take advantage of social networks, and Taleo Insight ensures compliance.”

An Essential Resource

Social networks are here to stay, and there is little doubt that they will become even more central to the hiring process as time passes. They are therefore a resource that should be aggressively pursued. At the same time, HR organizations need to use common sense, maintain discipline, and implement appropriate record-keeping practices to avoid legal entanglements.

1 http://www.istrategylabs.com/2010/01/facebook- demographics-and-statistics-report-2010-145- growth-in-1-year/

2 http://weblogs.hitwise.com/heather-dough erty/2010/03/facebook_reaches_top_ranking_i.html

3 http://press.linkedin.com/faq

4 http://www.answers.com/topic/monster-website

• date the candidate applied	• last candidate stage (application received, reference check, etc.)
• job title

Taleo Corporation, 4140 Dublin Blvd. Suite 400, Dublin, CA 94568, (877) 818-2536

Human Resource Manager Opening — Make an Impact!

Robert Schepens — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:28:48 +0000

Robert Schepens, CPC

Robert Schepens, President

Champion Personnel System, Inc

(O) 216.823.5900. (M) 216.280.9768

ras@championjobs.com. ras@thegreatworkplace.com

Human Resource Manager:

Location: Norton Ohio area. Accessible from any southern suburb of Cleveland, Akron area, Medina area, Cuyahoga Falls area.

International manufacturing company, ready to engage in strong, focused growth.

My client has built a wonderful organization to about $300 million in sales by being open and honest with employees and customers. The opportunities that have been created over the years are that in keeping the “small company feel” and “high touch” with their employees, but have outgrown (and will continue to do so) the systems and procedures to support a larger company, and a company that is ready to again grow by design.

It is now time to grow beyond the current revenue. BIG.

The company will need to implement systems that support employee relations, benefit education, recruiting support (centralization of policies, procedures, assets and regulations), total Onboarding and performance evaluations. All of this has been done, in an admirable but ad-hoc fashion. We are looking to take the entire HR function to the next level.

The Human Resource Manager will oversee two facilities (plus one being renovated) and about 200+ people in the USA. Travel to regional locations and the second manufacturing facility will be required.

We are seeking an individual who has prepared themselves to take a step up in their career and take on the challenges of helping an organization develop a solid foundation for growth. Degree. Able to travel. 3-5 years of solid generalist experience, manufacturing experience and a knack for helping people to feel their importance. Salary to being at $50K plus paid benefits.

Beware the Career Snake Oil Salesman

Robert Schepens — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:44:25 +0000

There aren’t any magic bullets or magic medicine elixirs that will get you the ultimate job, nor change a bad career to good. You can’t get a “do-over” by watching a David Blaine or Chriss Angell video. You won’t even get great advice from a recruiter making a video with “New and improved” ways to do things.

In this great depression, there are many charlatans selling career snake oil who are trying to get into the limelight of being “Career and Job Search Advisors”, or social media experts selling fashion advice. Most are not actually “selling” anything, so their motivation has to be a misplaced ego, or too much time on their hands, or they really believe that 15 seconds in the public eye will remake their own careers.

Be wary of the man who sells shortcuts, “something new”, “secrets” or “easy ways” to do anything. He is selling snake oil, and the general public, so desperate to be re-employed, is buying it. By the barrel-full.

Be wary of New ways to format resumes. New fonts to use, or even Colors on your resume. Watch out for New ways to interview. It’s okay to leave out a short term mistake. It’s okay to fudge. Be wary of the man selling failure insurance. Crap. All CRAP.

Here are the best fundamentals that don’t come with a bottle of snake oil:

Your career is built, not bought. There are no short fixes to bad judgment and there are no quicker fixes to years of inattention to your skills or work habits. YOU will be interviewed, in person. YOU. Not the “Concept of You”. The reality of you.

Work on changing or improving yourself. Do it before you are desperately unemployed. Change how you approach your job and career. Pump up the volume. Think about what you do or how you do it. Don’t just look to change career fields and think all your problems will be solved. The one constant in a career field change is you. Change you. Don’t know how? Go talk to an employment expert. Or talk to a Mentor or Coach. Don’t know what that is? Look it up. An “Employment expert” is not someone who was an HR manager and is now “Consulting” until they find a job. A coach is not at the other end of the bar and is probably not your friend. A good coach has “been there, done that” and is successful. A good coach is not someone you will immediately like. They should push you into changing. Change is hard.

Your resume will most likely be read by someone who is not the hiring authority. Their job is to “Screen Out” resumes, not screen them in. The one thing all HR screeners have in common when reading resumes is that they doubt anything that is there, and look for things that are not. That is what “Screening” is about. Do NOT think that you can do a great job of hiding things on a resume and do the same in an interview. For the most part, reality will find you. And when it is discovered and it is different than you put on paper, you are out of consideration. BIG out.

If you apply to mid-size and large companies, a machine (computer application) will read your resume. It looks for key words. It looks for phrases. It looks for years of experience. It simply discards fancy formats and it knocks out your resume if it can’t make sense of it. It screens out words. It does not care about colors. I know. We have one that does this and we changed the controls so that it doesn’t do it to the extreme.

The smart way to make a resume is simple: follow the age-old conservative guidelines to building one. There are about three “normal” formats and many different ones for specialty careers. Buy a book, go to the library, spend $150 having a pro do it for you. Oh…here’s the big one: USE SPELL-CHECK! Then give it to someone to read for context and grammar. Even if you are an executive or teacher.

Recruiters are a fact of life. Use them. Recruiters INSIDE corporations are not your friends, nor are outside recruiters. Typical inside recruiters are ex-“agency” recruiters who couldn’t sell or need to have a stable job. Their job is to screen out, not in. Most are “contract” people (temps themselves), and have no real skin in the game. They are really not attempting to find the BEST people, they are trying NOT to make mistakes. They are NOT bad people, just trying to get by. Try to fool them though, and they will see it and find you out.

Use the time of unemployment to not only find a job, but to find and work on you. Find a better way of approaching your job and career, find a better way to simply be a more productive person.

Here is a prediction: Screening and hiring is going to become more automated, if the HR and purchasing geniuses have their way. Hiring is going to be done like a WalMart supply chain order. Clinical, without human judgment. It is just one more way to cut costs. Eventually an interviewer will know EVERYTHING about you, before you interview. They will know the facts, and they will use sophisticated tests to better predict your capabilities and emotional intelligence. You will be able to run and dodge a little, but you won’t be able to hide (as much). When that happens (and it will, it is right now), only those people who have put time, thought and effort into their careers will get the prime jobs. Period. Work on yourself, NOW. In the future the font color on your resume won’t matter one silly iota. It doesn’t right now.

Before You Interview, Job Seeker (The Two Minute Advisor)

Robert Schepens — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:55:07 +0000

As an experienced HR Professional, Recruiter, Entrepreneur (the BIGGEST maker of mistakes) and Advisor to corporations large and small, I have seen that these bits of advice can save you huge headaches in this critical process.

Most of us get “rusty” not interviewing, or not meeting in an important one-on-one, when we have not done this in just a couple of weeks, or even days. When one is unemployed, our meeting skills can get downright horrible. “Meetings” are not what you have at Starbucks with another unemployed person. Those are “commiseration sessions”.

Here is some practical, usable advice to get the gears going: (1 minute 33 seconds to read. 522 words.)

1) Understand that the person you are meeting with has a bio-clock and awareness (the “outdoor animal instinct” if you will) that you may have lost. You are NOT on the same wavelength. They are vibrating at higher speed and you are trying to climb through the gears. Once you understand this, you will be able to make adjustments that will work. Go visit someone you know in an office environment. Get dressed appropriately for this. Get your body metronome and vibrations moving. Get up for the game (Practice). Rehearse. Get used to it, and don’t relax. Remember the energy level you had at work. Regain it.

2) Instead of simply getting your resume “facts” together, spend MORE time reviewing and taking notes on your career achievements and accomplishments. MOST people can recall and recite the basics of their career path. What astute employers are looking for and what smart candidates are preparing is a list (mental for the interview, physical for practice) of the things they have actually accomplished as results of their efforts, not simply the duties they performed. Review and prepare for explaining the results, and how you achieved them. This is what will separate the winners from the bridesmaids. Review my previous, archived article on “No Really, The Interview isn’t about you”. It is about achieving the interviewer’s goals, not yours.

3) Prepare your battle gear (Wardrobe). It does not matter if you are interviewing with the headhunter or the hiring authority, dress for success. If you downplay the importance of the headhunter you may be ignoring that he/she is the one who recommends you to their client. That relationship can be very close. Diss the headhunter or dress like it is a meeting with an old friend, and you are toast. Prepare and check your wardrobe a day or two before the meeting. Clean, press, shine. Choose carefully. Get backups ready, just in case the coffee finds your shirt or blouse. Shoes shined. Blue collar? SHAVE, clean, press. Khakis are the right choice. Leave the body jewelry in the drawer.

4) Research the location. Get a Google map. Leave early. Arrive early. Drive around the block if you have to. If you are late, you are toast. If you have to hurry, you will sweat, be nervous and essentially blow your chances.

We interview over 20,000 people per year. Only 2-5% do this right…before they see us. It all may sound pretty fundamental. It is. It works. There. Value in less than 2 minutes.

Robert Schepens, Certified Personnel Consultant, President

and Employment Expert

Before You Hire (The Two Minute Advisor)

Robert Schepens — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:57:23 +0000

Before You Hire

1) Understand the actual goals of ANY position you want to fill. Do NOT simply rewrite the job description. Answer this question: At the end of (one year), what tangible results do you want this function to have achieved? MOST (90+%) do NOT do this.

2) The GOALS: Are they realistic? Too easy? Check the reality of the goals, and do they coincide with other functions around this position. Do they coincide with corporate goals? Do they coincide with the Corporate PURPOSE?

3) Define the Skills, Talents, Abilities and Attitudes that would allow a person to accomplish the goals. Do this by analyzing the successful people who have achieved in this function before, or around this function.

4) THEN….define the experiences (duties, functions) that a person could have that would support having the skills, talents and abilities. TOO OFTEN, hiring authorities say “Someone who has done this job at a competitor before”. BIG mistake. BIG. What you will wind up with is someone else’s headache or someone who can only do what they have done before, for more money. Yes, one can certainly justify the “Must Have” of certain experiences/ skills that relate to direct experience. But the smart organizations go beyond and to the side of that thinking. Risking being inappropriate, the “Profile” you are looking for, needs to contain not only requirements for today, but for the future.

5) Define WHY a person with those skills, talents and abilities will want to work at your company. What is in it for them? Too often an inexperienced HR person has no idea, other than the corporate line “We are a good place to work”. In this job? Future? If YOU want someone to perform, you need to know what will turn THAT person on. Not anyone. THAT person you want to hire.

6) Everyone on the same page? All supervisors? Direct managers? Ultimate Hire Authority? If not, start over. DO NOT start this process without discussions and agreements.

7) $. Quit being cheap. Ask a pro. Don’t guess. But know what you can afford.

8) Align your immersion/onboarding process to help meet the goals of the function/ person being hired. If you don’t know what that means or how critical this is, call me. Or wait for my next article.

It is critical that you think and prepare before getting started, no matter how experienced you are.

1 minute 38 seconds.(spoken or read) 435 words.

The Two Minute Advisor offers exceptional insight you can put to use in your business or career immediately…in manageable sound bites. I am an experienced employment and business development professional, not an unemployed observer/commentator.

Robert Schepens

Ways To Handle Unemployment and Feeling Lousy

Robert Schepens — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 15:04:54 +0000

Yep, been there, done that and felt worthless and scared. It feels like someone has a hold of your heart and is making it beat 25% faster, all the time. More often than not you have been in control until that time, able to see a lot or a little ahead in your future, then BAM! The pink slip, or in the case of a business owner, the funds run out.
More often than not we feel worthless and scared when we have time to dwell on things, or if we take on a negative attitude about life in general.

Here are some fundamentals that have helped a lot of people:

1) Clean your house/ apartment completely. Spend as much time as necessary getting everything spotless. Clear out the clutter, clear out the junk. Make a new start. Do this every week you are looking for a new career. The work takes your mind off negatives, puts you into thinking positives and gets you physically active. It is AMAZING how much better you will feel after you are finished and how much better you will feel (and think) in a clean environment, every day.
2) Clean your car. This will also make you feel better as you go on interviews. It will also make a better impression on anyone from a company you happen to be interviewing with who happens to see your car, inside or out. Cheap do it yourself car washes can cost $3.00 in quarters. Get rd of the junk in the car.
3) Clean all your clothes: Wash, dry clean. Regardless of the type of career you are seeking, you need to have CLEAN, unwrinkled clothes to go to meetings, and you may need them instantly. Having clothes prepared means you have one less thing to be concerned about.
4) Polish/ clean your shoes. For men or women, your shoes need to look like you are in the military (spit shine). Do it yourself. It will make you feel good and strong (wear cleaning gloves so you don’t get polish on your hands that won’t come off). If you have the dough and the time, go to a classy hotel that has a professional shoeshine guy. It’s worth the $10 and tip to get yourself distanced from your competition. (It’s the attitude). If you are in a career where your shoes don’t need to be shined, clean them and wear shoes that look good. It is true that people look at your shoes second to your tie or hair. Looking good will help you feel good.
5) Turn off the news on TV, or turn off the TV completely. TV channels sell bad news constantly. As a matter of fact they are 51% responsible for how our country feels. They constantly remind us how bad things are, which is why those things get worse. Watch a good “upbeat movie” if you watch TV at all. Movies like “Rudy” (pick your own underdog movie).
6) Get OUTTA the house. Take a walk, work out, and stay active. Sitting on the couch will kill your attitude, and attitude is key to your interviewing and your living.
7) Find a friend who won’t “commiserate” with you, but will remind you of your specific talents and worth and can be a positive help. DON’T hang with someone who is going to help you blame everything and everybody.
8) Make a specific plan and act on it. Make big or small steps to your goal, and feel good about it.
9) Remind yourself of the good things you have done. Constantly. And remind yourself that everything will in fact work out. Yes, it will.
10) Do something you have always wanted to do, but never had time for. New experiences have a great way of getting your creative juices flowing. It is a different point of view on your life.
These will help. They are NOT “sure-fire” for everyone, but for most people they will help clean out the “fog” of being without work or future money.

Here are some basic “don’t do’s”:

1) Don’t drink booze or beer. Alcohol is a depressant and will make you feel worse and perhaps cloud your judgment.
2) Don’t do drugs. Period. You can’t afford them anyhow.
3) Don’t blame anyone, including you. The key element here is to stay positive. It doesn’t matter that you got screwed over. It is the past. Deal with the future.
4) Don’t think that you won’t get the job before the interview. It will show, and you won’t. Call it a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you believe you won’t, you will do everything to make sure it won’t happen, subconsciously or consciously.
5) Watch the amount of caffeine you have. It will make you jittery and anxious. Exactly what most people don’t need, some need it just to get moving.
6) Don’t act the victim. Many people think that others will help or feel sorry for you when you act like a little kid who lost the dog. People really don’t care about your troubles. They care about theirs.
7) Don’t wait for something good to happen to you. It won’t unless you cause it to happen.
There are more, and in subsequent installments of de glu, I’ll get into positive actions you can take in your life to cause positive results.

Last: if you don’t think highly of yourself, why should others? At least try to fake it for a while. It could become a habit.

Thanks to The Great Workplace.com for allowing us to reprint this article!

NO CELL PHONES FOR INTERVIEWS!!!!

Robert Schepens — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 17:49:15 +0000

NO CELL PHONES FOR INTERVIEWS!!

If you want to make sure you conduct a poor phone interview with a recruiter or hiring authority, use your cell phone.

Yes, I’m an old guy. I was around when phones were the “finger in the dial” kind. It made texting very difficult. I have a cool iPhone now, and use it for everything, except important business calls. Again, EXCEPT for important business calls where I have no choice. I try NOT to use it in the car. I value my life (and yours) too much.

There are positives to be said about having a good old heavy hunk of plastic in your hand that is attached to a wire and then attached to millions of miles of copper:

1) The call is CLEAR. Let me repeat that: CLEAR. No zaps and frizzles and pops. Especially when you or the caller are trying to make logical points about a job or your background. Both of you can in fact, hear every word uttered (99.999% of the time). There are no misunderstandings about words that could cause YOU to lose a job offer. The WORST thing that can happen is that the call is dropped. And that can happen even if you are stationary.

2) You MAY think it cool to interview in your car, or bathroom or at a club. Even the mall. Simply put: It isn’t cool at all. The other person knows where you are by the sounds behind you. A land line typically doesn’t have those sounds in the background. Wonder why you keep getting axed for jobs or interviews? Review where you have been and what phone you were using on phone interviews.

3) The Land Line will let you HEAR EACH OTHER as though both of you are in the same room. CLEAR connections do that. You won’t sound like you are in an NASA wind tunnel, or in Russia.

4) The other caller does not need to hear your Burger Flopper Drive Thru order. Especially if you just ordered a triple honker with extra sauce and told the girl to “Giant Size that HOG, BABY!!!”

5) The big piece of plastic in your hand has a unique physical quality: It lets your voice RESONATE: It actually sounds like you. BIG, REAL and alive. Those little, breakable, tinny, cheap-ass or free Chinese-made whimp-phones the kids use will make you sound like a “mini-you”. Not real memorable when you are trying to make a “great first impression” (kind of like a resume with 20 spelling errors). Again: FIRST IMPRESSION IS IMPORTANT.

6) A land line forces you to sit down and focus on what you are doing (Interview, communicate). You can have a resume at hand, take notes and conduct a focused conversation. And guess what: you will SOUND LIKE YOU ARE A SERIOUS JOB SEEKER.

7) You typically cannot walk far with a land line in your hand. Especially into the next room where your sister is playing this week’s hottest poof-song at volume number 12. Do you think the caller can’t hear you huffing and puffing as you walk up the narrow stairs from your parent’s basement for a Miller Light?

8) When using a land line you don’t have to say, “Oh sure I can interview and shop at the same time, dude”, then turn to your partner and say “rad jeans dude!”

Here’s the down-low on phone interviews:

1) Set up a work-space that is quiet, private and large enough to have ALL materials you will need for the interview. Tell your roommates, family, and friends to simply leave your space/ area/ you alone. A baby crying in the background will help you lose the job, regardless of what you think. Yes Mom, the 50 year old guy at the other end of the phone thinks that you should be professional.

2) Have your resume, the RESEARCH you have done on the company you are interviewing with and accompanying notes with highlights, the ad copy if applicable, plus a blank pad of paper, two pens and a GLASS OF WATER…handy and reachable.

3) The research: all information on the company, the person(s) you will be interviewing with, any info about products/ services, news releases, linkedin or social media profiles, and any other information you can find that would be applicable to the position for which you will be interviewing.

4) Two Pens. One could run out of ink. Pencils lose lead or break.

5) Water: Coffee will dry your throat out. The caller can also hear you take a big slug on that mug. Bottled water: The plastic will make a sound and when you take a swig, you will hear a gurgle. A Glass of water or even two will sustain you nicely.

6) Put your phone on forward if YOU are to call the interviewer. That way you won’t get annoying call interruptions. Forward to your cell phone that is on mute and in another room. If they are calling you, then learn to make a brief excuse for a call coming in, NEVER put the interviewer on hold. If your family typically calls you, tell them the sacred time of the interview.

7) Have someone else watch the dog. Fido will probably go crazy for that squirrel outside or have to go out, right at the time you need to be focused.

8) Music: light uplifting mood music in the background ONLY. Light. JayZee rapping at level 7 in the background may be your good luck theme music. It doesn’t turn HR on, at all. Not in an interview.

9) Prepare like an athlete. Get your body and voice limber, and your MIND. Make sure you challenge yourself mentally and verbally before the interview. Call someone to get your voice limber. Have play interviewer with you. (I am NOT joking). Run through tough questions (get a book on this. Every former HR Generalist of Corporate Manager has written a book on something Interview related. Me too). PRACTICE.

10) Remember, this phone interview is CRITICAL. Blow it, and you don’t get an in-person meet..

11) DON’T EAT HEAVY FOOD 1-2 hours before. That will put you to sleep. And even though you might think that you sound better after a small cocktail, you actually sound tipsy you idiot.

12) Relax, but just enough to keep your edge. Easy for me to say, I talk for a living. Find your “competitive edge”. Don’t slump on a couch and don’t let your posture squeeze your stomach or lungs area. That is where the air comes from. Sit up straight. Breathe. But not so much you pass out.

What do you do if you DON’T have a land-line, or have to exit work and pretend to be smokin’ outside to interview: Make sure the other person is aware of your limitations, and ask if that is okay, or reschedule the interview.

For now, this list is long enough for you to get the basics. We’ll publish the Phone Interview Strategy next, and the actual pre-dive checklist.

Remember, no freakin’ cell phone. No dog, no baby and NO DRIVING WHILE INTERVIEWING.

Respectfully submitted

Robert Schepens

Employment Expert

Break Away From The Past! And Get OUTTA The House.

Robert Schepens — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:54:36 +0000

Bob, this is a wonderful compilation. Many job seekers from industries which used to be considered ‘traditional’, are looking for their exact, same, previous job to be offered up at another company. They don’t understand that this economic situation has brought on a total paradigm shift, and THOSE JOBS AREN’T COMING BACK!

Many people who are unemployed now have never experienced lengthy unemployment. They have been doing the ’same old, same old’ for so long that they are reluctant to learn and adapt to the new ways of doing things. For the most part, job seekers have ignored most of the vast resources offered online outside of job boards like CareerBuilder, Monster and Indeed. One website that offers a fresh perspective and solid downloads is http://www.timsstrategy.com, but there are zillion.

Another thing that many job seekers fail to utilize is the considerable advantages Social Media (i.e. Linked In, Twitter and Facebook) has to offer if done properly. And you don’t need a class to understand. There are considerable resources at http://www.mashable.com and on http://www.YouTube.com as well as within the platforms themselves. Questions? Google is your friend.

I feel compelled to re-post comments made by Susie Sharp about a small post I made here a couple days ago. So here are Susie’s Comments:

But even with with all this online wonderfulness, folks make the error of sitting on their computers 24/7 pounding away submitting resumes… when what they need to do is get out of the house. Network with someone. Go to as many of the job seeker meetings you can. Go to the coffee shop meetups. Volunteer for something. Do something nice for someone. Go to relevant trade association meetings and offer to help, work the check-in table, etc. Go places where smart people gather and rub noses. GET OUT OF THE HOUSE.

Another important thing for job seekers to remember: You never get a second chance to make a good first impression. Be sure to never, enter a public place dressed in old sweats, a t-shirt and flip flops. That could be where you run into a hiring authority who has a day off, etc.

For out of work people, THEIR JOB IS GETTING A JOB and they need to devote a minimum of 8 hours a day to it. No time for the alluring appeal of soap operas and Judge Judy. Find a routine that works and stick to it.

And don’t fall victim to the siren call of the internet. Too many times people ‘fall down the rabbit hole’ and emerge hours later without accomplishing their initial purpose. I have fallen victim more times than I can count.

I look forward to further articles from Champion. This is good information.

With gratitude,

Susie Sharp

Top Reasons People DON’T Get Hired Today. NEW!

Robert Schepens — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:27:29 +0000

Research results from 2,000+ Hiring Clients:

Attitude that “Work” is not important, “Paycheck” is.

Poor Dress/ Grooming. Looks like don’t care.

Mistakes on RESUME (Spelling, Grammar).

GAPS in work history that are unexplained or unaccounted for.

Sloppy Application.

No Goals.

Not Focused on the interview. Seem to be somewhere else.

Doesn’t ask good questions about the job or company.

Rude or Ill-Mannered.

Use of SLANG in interview.

Late for meeting.

Staying with people “rent free” rather than trying to get a job.

Can’t remember dates, even only 5 years ago.

Can’t remember job duties of 5 years ago.

Wants to talk about self, not company/ job goals.

In general has not thought about interview.

We are also getting comments on the length of time someone has spent collecting unemployment, and “waiting” for a job to come to them. Hiring authorities want to see pro-active searches.

Our professional opinion is that employers are looking for people who TRULY want to WORK, not just get a job. Many are yearning for the “old days” where people exhibited a work ethic and sincerity. Hiring authorities will give “Extra Credit” to someone who has been working, even if it is not in their career-field, versus someone who has been sitting, and NOT working.

Stayed tuned in here for more results from this survey.

“Do It This Way. Whatever You Do In Life…”

Robert Schepens — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:57:59 +0000

Lakota Instructions for Living

Friend do it this way – that is,
whatever you do in life,
do the very best you can
with both your heart and mind.

And if you do it that way,
the Power Of The Universe
will come to your assistance,
if your heart and mind are in Unity.

When one sits in the Hoop Of The People,
one must be responsible because
All of Creation is related.
And the hurt of one is the hurt of all.
And the honor of one is the honor of all.
And whatever we do effects everything in the universe.

If you do it that way – that is,
if you truly join your heart and mind
as One – whatever you ask for,
that’s the Way It’s Going To Be.

Passed down from White Buffalo Calf Woman

How to Pass a Drug Test

Robert Schepens — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:26:27 +0000

There is an enormous buzz going around “employment land” these days about Drug Tests, how to pass them, how to squeeze by them, how to skunk them, how to make sure employees are drug free and how to assure a safer working environment…for everyone involved.

One can read the proverbial “how to’s” on passing drug tests (6 panel, 10 panel and Hair follicle tests) online at many different sites. American Businesses spend BILLIONS of dollars every year in Drug Free programs, drug tests and education about drugs (the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation has GREAT info on this and the statistics about injuries in the workplace due to drug use).

As everyone is probably aware, Champion Personnel System was the FIRST Drug Free Staffing Service Level II in the ENTIRE State of Ohio. (no big deal really, being the FIRST) As a matter of fact, the OBWC is now using our model to help OTHER staffing firms get on the bandwagon.

So…for all people looking for jobs, to get off unemployment, to get back to work and to be able to move their careers forward, here is my 30 years of employment expertise advice on HOW to pass a thorough drug test and get the job you want:

Don’t Do Drugs.

A simple, elegant and inexpensive solution.

Respectfully,

Robert Schepens, CPC (Certified Personnel Consultant)

Champion Personnel System, Inc