Patience is a virtue when it comes to hiring

Patience is a virtue when it comes to hiring

09.17.2012



When Craig Michels landed a long-sought job on June 18 as a project manager for a Wisconsin construction company, he credited his determination and patient attitude, two things he says are imperative when trying to find a job, the Post-Crescent reports.

"This was the job I was looking for, it was the right kind of job compared to my previous position, which really just wasn’t satisfying and not what I really wanted," the 32-year-old said.

Michels added that he remained employed while looking for a job, fully aware of the stagnant economy, but felt things were looking up enough that finding a new, a better job was possible. However, he took his time to search out the ideal position, which to him would be an active, outdoor job. By thoroughly reviewing his options, he was able to find a job in which he oversees construction projects from beginning to end, according to the news source.

This approach to hiring has also been taken by employers, who are finding in recent months that virtues similar to Michels' help yield strong results. Although unemployment in Wisconsin has fallen as the overall economy improves, employers in the northeastern part of the state say the region is still brimming with laid-off mid level employees and new college graduates.

"There still are people out there looking, who are looking for work to just to work, not because the position is something they really want," said Kelly Mallaman, human resources manager for Menasha-based Faith Technologies, an electrical services contractor.

Mallaman added that she often receives dozens of resumes for one open position, with job candidates ranging from experienced and overqualified to those who have not had the appropriate training for the job. However, Mallaman says, sifting meticulously through the resumes is ultimately worth finding the perfect hire.

"The goal for us is to have the top candidates selected to bring in for interviews," she said.

According to the news provider, finding the right fit is an increasingly important task for companies. Even finding workers for entry level positions can be a serious challenge, said Julie Van Vonderen, vice president of operations at Prospera Credit Union.

Van Vonveren said that when her company has an opening for a $10-dollar-an-hour teller position, she often receives an overwhelming number of applicants in response.

"I may get 200 resumes for that job and you may run across an out-of-work CEO who’s just looking for anything," she said.

However, Van Vonderen said now she turns to temporary staffing agencies to help her with such hiring - a move many businesses are making to fill their entry-level or low-skilled positions.

"When I use a staffing firm [for a teller position], I can provide them with the rate of pay, how many hours the job is per week and tell them I need someone with cash-handling experience," Van Vonderen said. "It’s their job to then sort through the dozens of applicants and find the top [few] that they think are a good fit for my opening."

The demand for temporary staffing services is evident in the growth of the industry in 2012 alone. According to the American Staffing Association, to date, temporary and contract staffing has grown 23.5 percent since the beginning of 2012. The ASA Staffing Index for August came in at 92, making it 0.9 percent higher than July's report.

This number is expected to rise in the coming months, as staffing employment typically peaks between mid-November and mid-December every year.