Why Temp to Perm is a Good Idea

Posted on 20th December 202320th December 2023

A temp-to-perm position is a job that starts as an interim role with the potential to become a permanent placement. These jobs are typically filled by a staffing agency, and can be beneficial to both employers and workers, as they provide a flexible situation that allows each party to “test things out”. For employers, this arrangement helps them fill open positions quickly and efficiently. For the employee, it’s often an opportunity to gain experience and see if a long-term position with the company could be an option.

Why temp-to-perm is good for employers:

Reduction of risk:
Hiring a temporary employee gives you the chance to evaluate their skills and ability to do the job before you offer them a permanent position. Therefore, you are much more likely to end up with the right person in the role for the long term.

Save time & money:
Working with a staffing agency takes the lion’s share of recruiting, interviewing, and reference checking off your plate. Outsourcing this lengthy process will save you both money and time, and ultimately land you the perfect candidate to hire.

Flexibility:
There is no requirement for you to take an employee on permanently when you enter into a temp-to-perm agreement, which gives you the ability to reevaluate the position and how you want to move forward with it.

Why temp-to-perm is good for workers:

Build your skillset and your resume:
If this role is just a place filler while you continue to look for a permanent opportunity, then this is a wonderful chance to learn some new skills and avoid a gap in your resume. Just make sure what you’re doing is in line with your long-term goals.

Chance to prove your value:
Maybe this is the role of your dreams? As a temporary employee you have the chance to show the company that you are an asset. They will know your full worth and potential if and when they are ready to offer you a package.

If you are looking to fill a temp-to-perm position in your office, PS&R can provide help!Call us at 617.723.1919 or visit us at www.psandr.com.

Why Your Company Should Implement Gamification

Posted on 16th May 202318th May 2023

The concept of Gamification has been around for a while, but many companies still have not implemented the idea. If you need to ramp up employee motivation in your office and are not yet familiar with gamification practices, this article is for you!

What is Gamification?
Let’s start with the basics – what exactly is gamification? Gamification is the introduction of game play into business processes, with the intent to increase engagement and productivity from employees. The same concepts that draw people to physical games such as soccer and baseball, and thinking games like chess and Minecraft, can excite employees to participate more in the workplace.

Examples of Gamification
Here are a few ways you can introduce the concept of gamification into your workplace:
• Use points-based trivia and quizzes as part of employee training. This can help to better engage your employees with the material and give them ideas for possible areas of improvement.
• Unexpected, on the spot rewards can add excitement to the workplace and give an often-unnoticed employee a boost of confidence.
• Goal tracking software that measures employee’s productivity with a progress bar is a great way to instill a sense of progress while also providing some healthy office competition.
• Everyone loves a special event or trip, so try a qualification-based event for employees to strive for. The higher the stakes, the harder your people will work to earn that prize!

Why use Gamification?
Gamification is a great tactic for creating a learning culture within your company. It will spice up company-wide training, help uncover knowledge gaps, and create effective onboarding processes. Gamification allows for greater collaboration and feedback loops in a fun environment. Implementing gamification in your workplace can help retain employees that are valuable to the company.

PS&R is happy to help you find the right people to add to your team. Call 617.723.1919 or email kathy@psandr.com.

Why Work With PS&R?

Posted on 8th March 20238th March 2023

There are so many staffing and recruiting agencies in the Boston area, so why work with PS&R? Three major themes set Preferred Staffing & Recruiting apart from other recruitment agencies to make us the obvious choice: Trust, Experience and Action.

Trust
Kathy Orcutt, founder and president of PS&R, is hands on with each and every client and candidate. Her professionalism coupled with her phenomenal listening skills put people at ease, confident in the knowledge that she is truly working for them.

Experience
PS&R was originally established in 1984. Now, with over thirty years of experience, we continue to provide top quality staffing services to companies and institutions in the Greater Boston area and beyond. Kathy’s team has placed temporary and direct hire candidates across all industries. Here is a sample of the job placements we specialize in:

Executive Placements
• Director of Operations
• CEO’s
• VP of Business and Strategic Partnerships
• SVP of Product
• VP of Product
• Director of Facilities

Engineering Placements
• Application Engineers
• Sales Engineers
• Manufacturing Engineers
• Director of Manufacturing
• Electrical Engineers
• Senior Process Engineers
• Engineering Managers
• Manufacturing Technicians

Finance/Accounting Placements
• Controllers
• Senior Accountants
• Staff Accountants
• Bookkeepers
• Payroll Managers
• Accounting Assistants

Office Support
• Executive Administrative Assistants
• Personal Assistants
• Administrative Assistants
• Office Managers
• Receptionists

Action
It’s one thing to say you can place the right candidate but executing it is a whole different story! Our PS&R team succeeds because we treat every job opening as a new challenge, and we work tirelessly until the perfect match is found. We get back to our clients and candidates promptly with communication, so you know we are always at work helping you in your employment search.

Come and learn why Preferred Staffing & Recruiting’s collaborative and consultative approach makes us the best staffing agency in the greater Boston area and the perfect fit for you. Visit us at www.psandr.com or call Kathy today at 617.723.1919.

PS&R’s Top Blogs for Job Seekers

Posted on 5th August 20215th August 2021

Summer is a great time to do more reading, for work and for pleasure. We at Preferred Staffing & Recruiting love discovering new blogs and broadening our knowledge of all things job search related. Here are some of our favorite career related blogs that we’re reading right now:

Career Sherpa

Career Sherpa is full of helpful tips, tricks, and motivation for job seekers. We love the author’s positivity and focus on taking control of your job search. The site offers checklists and sample resume-related documents, as well as affordable virtual workshops. The Career Sherpa has been featured in many major publications, including USA Today and Forbes.

Ms. Career Girl

Our favorite part of this site is the Resume Optimization Tool that allows you to upload your resume and the job description of the position you are applying for. The tool then gives you a match rating and helps you optimize your resume so you can make it a better fit for that job. Ms. Career Girl also offers relationship advice, tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and help with planning your next vacation. This blog hits the perfect balance of work and play!

Career Contessa

The founder of Career Contessa was a recruiter with the goal of helping women build successful and fulfilling careers. Her team has succeeded by offering articles on everything from cover letter advice to cultivating confidence to salary negotiation.

If you searching for a job opportunity OR if you are looking to hire new talent at your organization, PS&R is here to help. Reach us at 617.723.1919 or visit www.psandr.com. Happy reading!

Tips for Improving Employee Retention

Posted on 25th June 202125th June 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a lot of workers to rethink their present employment situation. Not surprisingly, those who are choosing to find a new opportunity are ultimately searching for a more meaningful and fulfilling job. They are also looking for employers that care about their personal well-being. PS&R has come up with some strategies to help you with employee retention.

Recognize milestones to promote teamwork. All employees deserve to be recognized, not just your very top performers. Celebrating team milestones is a great way to make everyone feel included and valued.

Start employees on the right foot. This means thorough onboarding and an orientation process that introduces the new hire to company culture. Also inform them on feedback loops, timing and process of reviews and other communication touchpoints – this will show them you truly care about their future success with the organization.

Make wellness a priority. The pandemic has prompted many employers to increase their wellness offerings to employees, and for good reason. Employees are putting a greater focus on their work-life balance and their overall physical and emotional health. This means employers also must make it a priority if they plan to retain workers. Consider additional live and virtual wellness offerings, flex work schedules, and increased training and mentoring programs.

It’s easy to avoid the cascading fallout after the loss of an MVP if you use the tips above. If your employees know you’re there for them, they will be there for your company. When your organization is looking to make the next great hire, PS&R can help. Call us at 617.723.1919 to learn more.

Perfecting Your LinkedIn Profile

Posted on 19th May 202119th May 2021

LinkedIn is a great tool for job seekers and employers alike. While your LinkedIn profile will repeat much of the information provided on your resume, it is a unique place to showcase your story and share additional details. Preferred Staffing & Recruiting gathered some tips to help you manage and get the most out of your LinkedIn profile.

Make sure it’s complete

LinkedIn does you the favor of rating your profile strength. And it’s true that a more completed profile – or “All Star” profile – will get more views. In fact, LinkedIn purports that users who have a completed profile are forty times more likely to find a new opportunity through their site. Start by uploading a recent professional photo as your profile picture. Continue and complete all other sections of your profile. To gain All Star status, filling out each section is not always enough. You will need at least five skills listed and at least fifty connections. Be thorough and provide as much content as you can.

Give a recommendation to get one

A LinkedIn recommendation is just like a reference from a former boss or employer and can carry a lot of weight. If you take the time to give a recommendation to someone, they are likely to return the favor. Make a goal to have at least one recommendation from every job listed on your profile.

Find ways to stand out

There are a lot of impactful areas on your LinkedIn profile where a little attention can really make you stand out. For example, everyone uses key words throughout their profile. But focusing your key words in your Summary and Experience sections will really help make your profile shine. When you’re using key words, it’s important not to sue the same words and phrases that everyone else is using. LinkedIn published the most used “buzzwords” in 2018, you can see that list of words to avoid here.

Customizing your URL is another great way to differentiate your profile. Linked in automatically generates a random URL web address for your profile, but you have the option to customize this to something more relevant and more concise. This will also make you easier to find, especially if you have a common name.

Finally, adding a background image is a great way to make your profile stand out. Most people stop at a just a headshot, but adding the narrow background image will help potential employers trigger a memory of your profile. Make sure the photo is attractive, eye catching, and professional. It could be a stock image of something you enjoy, a nature picture, or a photo of you working or doing something you love.

PS&R is a woman-owned business that has been helping job seekers and employers since 1984. Our collaborative and consultive approach makes us stand out from other executive recruiters. For more information and to find out how we can help you, contact Kathy Orcutt at 617.723.1919.

Get The Most Out Of Your Staffing Agency

Posted on 25th February 202125th February 2021

If you only call your staffing firm when you have a specific job to fill, you are likely not using them to their full potential. Here are some ways to take advantage of everything your recruiting firm can offer you:

Increase your access to talent. We use a wide range of sites and tools to track down both active and passive candidates. Working closely with a staffing agency can give you access to candidates you otherwise wouldn’t know about.
Stay connected. Maintain regular contact with your executive recruiting firm so that they keep you top of mind. Touching base often and reminding them of the type of candidate you typically look to hire will make it more likely they will think of you when a talented candidate is uncovered.
Learn about trends. Your staffing firm knows the ins and outs of the current local hiring market. Why do the hard work yourself when you have a great partner who’s already done it for you?

Preferred Staffing & Recruiting’s collaborative and consultative approach makes us the best staffing agency in the greater Boston area and the perfect fit for you. Visit us at www.psandr.com or call Kathy Orcutt today at 617.723.1919.

Four Tips for Hiring a Stand-Out Administrative Assistant

Posted on 16th July 202016th July 2020

Administrative assistants are often considered the backbone of an organization. The most successful admins are trained and can execute a wide variety of tasks. The following tips will help you hire an administrative assistant who can make your company stronger:

Make a clear list of job expectations. You don’t know who you’re looking for until you know what qualities a successful candidate will need. Make an exhaustive list of responsibilities and from that, determine a list of skills and experiences that are required for the role. Now you can use that list to compose a well-written and compelling job description. It’s also important to understand salary trends and make sure that the scope of the role matches the range of salary you are willing to offer a candidate.
Let people know you’re searching. There are a lot of hard working, experienced executive assistants out there, and alerting your network that you are looking might uncover talent you wouldn’t have otherwise found.
Pay attention to certain details. When reviewing candidates, notice instances when they have gone above and beyond in past roles. Pay attention to the candidates that have shown an effort to better themselves through training or participation in industry organizations. These are good signs that they are highly motivated professionals.
Partner with a Staffing Agency. Preferred Staffing & Recruiting has been helping clients find great people for over thirty years. Our experienced staff is particularly skilled at finding qualified administrative assistants, from entry to executive level. We’d love the opportunity to work with you!

Contact PS&R today by calling 617.723.1919 or visit us at www.psandr.com!

Five Tips for Mastering the Virtual Interview

Posted on 20th May 202020th May 2020

If you land an interview right now, it will most likely take place using Zoom or another video conferencing app. And let’s be honest, we might be doing virtual interviews for the foreseeable future! If you haven’t used Zoom, it is fairly straightforward. The employer will do the work of setting up the meeting information, so all you need to do is make sure you are comfortable with the technology. Here are some tips from PS&R to help perfect your Zoom interviews.

Know what you’re doing. Get the app set up on your device well ahead of time. Practice with a friend or relative to ensure there are no audio or other issues. Make sure your profile name is your first and last name. If you have other people in the household who also use the app, they could have changed the profile name to just about anything. You want the interviewer to see your name while you are speaking to one another.
Find the right setting. You will need a quiet and private place to take the interview. For people with a busy household, this could mean that a laundry room or walk-in closet are the only viable options. These spaces could be messy or potentially distracting to your interviewer. Thankfully, Zoom offers virtual backgrounds. If you can’t interview in a space that is appropriate, test out a few backgrounds ahead of time and choose a simple one that you like the best.
Dress appropriately. Pick out clothing that you would wear to an in-person interview, and make sure it’s pressed and stain-free. Just because you are not face-to-face doesn’t mean these details will go unnoticed.
Be mindful of your speech and body language. Video conferencing apps tend to be glitchy, even with the best internet connection. Using a slow and steady pace when you speak will help avoid any misunderstandings and will show that you are calm and confident. The interviewer will be watching you the entire time, so it’s important to remain professional and not inadvertently react to an incoming text message or a child calling from another room.
Prepare ahead of time. Just like any other interview, you should have answers ready for the most common questions. Also write down any questions you might have and keep them handy. If you don’t understand something, don’t be afraid to ask for clarification. As we mentioned before, the Zoom app isn’t perfect and it can sometimes freeze for a second or two, so if you aren’t sure what was communicated be sure to get confirmation.

It’s likely that even when things do return to “normal”, virtual interviews will be used more frequently. There’s no better time than now to use these tips to become a pro!

PS&R’s experienced executive recruiting team is here for you during your job search, or if you are the one doing the hiring. Feel free to contact us at 617.723.1919.

Information Technology Jobs on the Rise

Posted on 20th February 202026th February 2020

These days we are using technology more than ever before. It’s not surprising that, as a global trend, computer and tech-related jobs are becoming more important. According to data provided by CompTIA, the information technology industry will grow at a rate of 3.7% in 2020. This information leaves companies scrambling to attract top tech talent to fill some of this year’s most in-demand positions. These roles range from data-focused to AI-related jobs, and everything in between.

Here is where Preferred Staffing & Recruiting can help! The industry is broad, so IT recruitment covers a diverse spectrum of technology related disciplines. PS&R works with a wide range of talented staff with varying degrees of experience. We know the Information Technology industry and we know how to recognize good people. When new projects begin, hiring managers return to us because of our excellent record of matching their requirements and budget.

Here are just some of the IT staff we can help provide:

IT Managers
IT Project Managers
Business/Systems Analysts
Help Desk/Desktop Support
Network Engineers/Administrators
Systems Administrators
Cloud/DevOps Engineers
Data Center Technicians/Engineers

Do you need IT Staff for ongoing technical work or for a short-term project? Tell us your requirements and let PS&R’s executive recruitment team find the right candidate for you!