They continued, telling me how numerous staffing companies would solicit their business only to find those same companies were out of business when they tried to reach them in their time of need.

As I sat across from them, listening to their questions about Extra Help’s sustainability my mind began to race with thoughts of all the great things happening at Extra Help.   After they finished airing their concerns, I said “here are a few facts about Extra Help.”

• Extra Help has opened three additional offices in the last five years; most recently in January, 2013 in Columbia, MO.
• Extra Help will be opening additional offices by the end of this year.
• Extra Help has acquired two payroll companies in the last year, with plans for two more before the end of 2013.
• Extra Help has experienced steady financial growth along with the expansion in physical locations and acquisitions.

As we all know, these types of events do not just happen, you have to make them happen.  Extra Help is comprised of driven, action oriented, goal setting team members that know how to make things happen.  Extra Help is not only surviving the recent economic stretch but Extra Help is thriving!

I can certainly see how and why there is such concern in today’s market however; I experience the exciting environment each day that only comes with growth and change.  As Extra Help continues to be proactive and seize every opportunity to move forward in continual success, I have all confidence to say Extra Help will be there in this client’s time of need.

See what else we have been up to with our latest press.

• Don’t copy directly from your resume.  Be creative and focus on the company you are looking to get hired at. Do research and figure out any news that recently took place in the company and relay that into what you can offer them or what and how you have accomplished this at your past job.
• Highlight your major accomplishments, promotions, awards, etc. in your past jobs and highlight how you got there.  Showcase your major strengths and how you can be successful at their company.
• Showcase your individuality.  What our some traits that show you are a true leader, motivator, easy to get along with, volunteer projects or community involvement.
• Talk about your passion for the company and/or the position you are applying for.  Has this opportunity been a goal you have been striving for?  If so, help them feel that passion.

Your cover letter may be the first thing a hiring manger sees before your resume, so make sure it truly markets you and sells you to the company. Write great content that catches their eye and really makes you stand out. Check out a list of more Tips & Advice from the Extra Help team.

Rewind to 2005 when I was a senior at McKendree University.  I was in Phi Beta Lambda and getting ready to compete to go to nationals.  Given my gift of gab, my professor chose me to compete in the public speaking division.  I had absolutely no idea what I was going to talk about; business ethics, marketing plans.  Seriously?! How was I supposed to not bore my audience and the judges to sleep?  Well, I had an a-ha moment and the rest is history.  I attended McKendree on a golf scholarship and I basically grew up at the country club.  I always saw men playing golf in the middle of the day during the week and thought to myself, “Wow, a lot of business is done on the golf course.”  So, that’s what I talked about.  How the game of golf is so much like a business.  Little did I know, I would still be using these methods in my role in Business Development at Extra Help.

Someone once said playing a round of golf with a prospect or client was like a 6 hour sales call.  How true is that?!  It’s a rare opportunity to really get to know someone on a personal level and it’s important for me that our prospects and clients know that not only are we good at what we do, but we are also good people who really do care about you and your business.  We constantly talk about what makes us different and in an industry where I could throw a rock and hit about ten competitors it’s absolutely necessary for me to know what value I can bring to the table that truly does make us different.  I do not consider what I do to be a job, but an opportunity to make a difference and allow what I am good at to help your business achieve maximum output.

Are you interested in being on our team or how our team can help your business?  We are ready for you!  If you are interested in joining our team, check out our job opportunities.  If you are a business owner looking to take your game to the next level please contact one of our locations.  If you are looking for innovative, cost-effective and game changing solutions to help grow your business, let’s tee it up sometime.

As a subscriber to our newsletter, you are invited to participate in this free series. Look for a monthly email with the schedule of virtual events. The best information from trusted partners can make a big difference in taking your business to the next level.

Our May webinar covered retirement plans and what are your liabilities? Kathryn Connors of AXA Advisors will inform you on repercussions of NOT meetings the new regulatory requirements and how to benchmark your retirement plan. Tune in to get answers to some of the most asked questions when looking for a retirement plan benefit solution.

I must admit, I do have a seldom used Twitter account. The article made me realize there is a plethora of information about current and future customers that is just one tweet away. What have I been missing by not following my top customers and potential clients? People and companies are eager to share their news, maybe it is time I start listening. However, as the parent of a teenager I also realize there needs to be a balance of the amount of time I spend on Twitter and have the foresight to hopefully separate fact from fiction.

In the article I mentioned earlier, Jeffery Gitomer lists 4 recommendations to benefit from the use of Twitter. Whether for your personal use or for promoting and sharing information about your business, his recommendations include:

1. Have an objective and strategy.
2. Create a list of value-based tweets and subjects you intend to tweet about.
3. Approach followers of strategic value.
4. Be consistent.

Haven’t incorporated Twitter into your marketing mix, don’t be afraid to give it try. If you are already participating, do you have a planned approach? If not you may want to start with the 4 recommendations listed above. At Extra Help we like to stay connected with our clients and partners on all social media channels. It is a great way to find out what is new with their business and learn more about their services.

I encourage you to follow Extra Help on Twitter for more HR News and the latest job opportunities.

An HR audit is a general concept that can be adjusted regarding business need, scope and/or budget.  Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) provides information regarding many specific types of audit available on their website to include compliance, best practices, strategic and specific according to function.

Extra Help’s Teamsource product can bring our team of HR professionals to your business to ensure your HR practices are current and compliant and help protect your business. Let’s start your review today!

Me: Why did you decide to apply with a workforce management company?

Keith: I went out on a limb when I had applied for a temporary position through Extra Help in 2012.  I was almost done with school for an accounting degree and knew I had to get some “real world” experience someway, somehow.

Me: Why do you consider it going out on a limb?

Keith: Well, I was currently employed.  I had a night job that worked well with my school schedule and the promise of a position when I graduated…leaving that was a hard decision to make, but I had to do it.  I worked hard on my education and wasn’t going to let it go to waste.

Me: So what do you think of your decision now?

Keith: It turned out to be the right choice for me.  I never thought that the temporary job would turn into a career, especially one that I enjoy so much.  The company I work for allows me to be a little flexible with my schedule, offers great benefits, and has opportunity for growth from within.  That’s like landing a dream job!

It was a pleasure to work with Keith and to help him kick off his career with one of our great clients!  The company that he works for was recently listed as one of the top 150 Private Companies in St. Louis.  I know Keith will continue to grow his career and wish him the best of luck with his future endeavors.

Can we help you land your dream job?  Check out our current positions.

From assisting with a handbook to offering CFO outsourcing, TeamSource has everything a business could utilize throughout its life. TeamSource is designed to grow with you. A start-up company may not need payroll services right out of the gate, but getting a tax identification number is top priority. I encounter this need quite often. So much, that it made me stop and wonder if this company has truly done its homework from taking a vision to ensure profit. I went to one of my go-to websites I frequently visit-www.sba.gov.com. There I found a guide to starting a business with links to each of the steps.

Here are SBA’s steps highlighted:

• Write a business plan
•  Get business assistance and training
•  Choose a business location
•  Finance your business
•  Determine the legal structure of your business
•  Register a business name (‘doing business as’)
•  Get a tax identification number
•  Register for state and local taxes
•  Obtain business licenses and permits
•  Understand employer responsibilities

For more information about starting a business, contact us today to learn what steps will help get your company on its feet.

A few months ago a potential client thought he could find a person on his own rather than look to us, experts in the field of employment services.  He ran an employment ad with the local newspaper, reviewed countless resumes, conducted several interviews and narrowed his choice to a candidate and offered the position.  He incurred several expenses along the way to find his own person.  Fast forward 3 months, I called him this week to check in and see how things were going.  I heard the words “I should have listened to you.”  His employee was not working out as he planned, in fact things were quite a mess.  He is now back at square one, several hundred dollars spent with nothing to show he realizes the billing rate I quoted was well worth the value for our services.

He will be looking at us to help him fill this position.  I am confident through our employment screening process of recruiting, interviewing, skills testing, background checks, and drug screening that we will be able to present to him qualified candidates to meet his needs.

This is not the first time I have heard similar stories and I am sure it will not be the last.  As you face challenges with adding staff, look to the experts to find the right person the first time.  Extra Help, Inc. is here to assist with all of your staffing needs.  Don’t be the next person to call us and say “I should have listened….”

A laboring economy, tighter budgets and constant change with the affordable care act has set the stage for organizations that could seemingly be affected by the new health care legislation.  Finance professionals are going to look at modifications that will continue to increase the company’s bottom line.  However, are they thinking about how these decisions will affect the employees?  If not, this can be extremely detrimental.   If you read my last post about employee engagement you can see where these financial decisions could influence which categories people fall into.  Financial capital flows through human capital making it understandable why these two segments of business cannot exist without the other.

Let’s take a look at the key functions of these two departments.

According to a small business information website, the goal of any finance function is to achieve three benefits:  business support service, lowest costs and effective control of the environment.  The same site states that the hr function handles many necessary functions of your business. It is instrumental in providing labor law compliance, record keeping, hiring and training, compensation, relational assistance and help with handling specific performance issues. These functions are critical because without those functions being completed, your company would not be able to meet the essential needs of management and staff.  Hiring, training and termination are expensive.  Time costs money, but by encouraging a mutually beneficial relationship between the finance and hr teams you will eliminate unnecessary costs.

Taking the time to recruit not just the top talent, but the right talent for an organization will only allow more financial capital to flow through the company by way of human capital.  Understanding that CFOs are looking for both functional and strategic methods of business is important for an hr department to understand. Financial management in an organization is necessary, but people management should be also. If human resource professionals understand the time value of money principle and finance gurus see the value of people maybe everyone will know who’s on first.

Are you an hr professional looking for a cost effective way to bring the right talent to your company?   Extra Help’s full service recruitment services are a great place to start.

Click this link to watch the video, “Who’s on First?” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sShMA85pv8M