• Think Green. Environmental awareness can start on a very small scale. A multi-million dollar restructure of your energy platforms is unnecessary to attract employees. Begin by implementing a recycling program in your office. Transition to a paperless environment to eliminate waste and promote conservation. These ideas can always grow as you begin to see their effect on your staff. Advertise these policies on your website, your email signature, and your company marketing plans to show that you care about your community.
• Organize Volunteer Events. Develop programs that encourage your staff to volunteer their time within your region. Learn about issues and causes in your area and partner with local nonprofit organizations to make a difference right in your own back yard. The more personal the cause the more your employees will want to participate. Talk to your team and see what kinds of volunteering opportunities they would like to see happen in your company.
• Effective Communication. It is important for businesses to be transparent about their policies and plans. Employees don’t like being kept in the dark about the company’s motivations or results of major projects. An employee wants to know that their voice is being heard and that their contribution makes a difference. Allow your team to make suggestions and then figure out the best way to implement them. Your team will recognize how their role is an important function in the business and it will encourage them to participate more fully in upcoming projects.

Do you want to work with a company who takes social consciousness seriously? Reach out to CornerStone Staffing today to find out how we work with the community.

The post Attract Candidates By being Socially Conscious appeared first on Cornerstone Staffing Blog.

1. Good people refer good people. If you know someone at the organization ask them to refer you to the hiring manager. A current employee is not going to want to refer someone they don’t believe in. They want to look good to their employer and represent themselves well. Referrals are a purely selfish thing. It is true what they say; it isn’t what you know but who you know.
2. Reach out personally. Even if you don’t have a referral to get you into the company you can still contact the hiring manager directly rather than simply sending your resume through their job posting. Search LinkedIn for the name of the manager and send a note introducing yourself. Be professional and respectful in your message and it will make them remember you when they review the resumes.
3. Avoid the small mistakes. Before you even apply for the job make sure that your resume is impeccable with no typos or grammar errors. When you’re preparing for your interview, think about some thoughtful questions to ask about the job and the company. These little things go a long way in the final decision process.
4. Spotlight on achievements. It is no longer enough just to list your skills on your resume. You need to demonstrate to the potential employer that your experience is applicable to their position. Include specific examples in your resume such as a challenge you were faced with, what you did to solve it, and the end result of your action. Show real data, numbers, and statistics that can showcase your specific talents.

Are you looking for more practical resume advice? Contact the recruiters at CornerStone Staffing to find out how we can help you!

The post Stand Out Above the Crowd appeared first on Cornerstone Staffing Blog.

1. Mobile Recruiting. There are a lot of hiring trends that HR and hiring managers try to avoid thinking they might just be a gimmick whose time will pass. Mobile recruiting is not one of those things. Most of us have a smart phone or other type of mobile device and many internet users access the web solely in this way. Even if can look as someone and proudly state, “I don’t have or want a smart phone,” it is impossible to ignore that most of society does. This is especially true of the individuals that you are looking to hire for your organization. It is important to optimize your site and your job postings to be easy to access through mobile devices. For instance, rather than having sections which require typed paragraphs, allow the potential candidates to populate this information with their existing social media links.
2. Skills gap. There is still a bit of a divide in the employee pool between the skills employers are looking for and what people know how to do. A bad hire can cause a lot of damage before action is taken so hiring the right person from the start is extremely important. Make sure your internal job descriptions and the subsequent job postings really match your requirements or the resumes submitted will simply waste your time. Be thorough in your interview and allow the candidates to get specific and in depth about their experience. Don’t skip the reference check as even a casual conversation can give you important information.
3. Visual media. Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube are not passing fads. This level of visual media is becoming very important not only for your recruiting strategy but also your overall social media plan. Consider recording a recruitment video for your website. Make sure your site is dynamic and visual. Use Pinterest to create a job board inviting people to view what your company does before they submit a resume.

Are you looking for more creative ways to approach hiring challenges for the rest of 2013? Contact the team at CornerStone staffing to see how we can help you. 

The post Hiring Challenges You May Face appeared first on Cornerstone Staffing Blog.

• An outstanding opening. Before you compose the body of the letter you need to know how it should be addressed. Do as much research as you can to find out the name of the recruiter or hiring manager who will be receiving your resume.  Try searching LinkedIn for the right person. Only if you can’t find a name should you resort to “To Whom it May Concern.” Beyond the salutation the first sentence must be an attention grabber. You should succinctly say why you are applying for this specific job and why you want to work for them.

• Why are you awesome? Think about three to five significant accomplishments that you have had throughout your career and showcase them in your second paragraph. You want them to be interested in your background so they will go on to read your resume and pick up the phone to call you. Here is where you can provide specifics and statistics.

• Sell yourself.  Even more than your resume, a cover letter is a sales document. You want to make sure you include a call to action for the reviewer. Let them know why they want to contact you and, more importantly, include your contact information directly in the letter even though it is also on your resume. You are hoping they pick up the phone immediately.

• Additional advice.  Keep your cover letter formal and use the same heading as your resume so the documents are consistent.  Keep the letter short and separate your paragraphs so the recruiters don’t have to read through large blocks of text. Proofread several times before sending the cover letter. Read it out loud to make sure it sounds right and consider having a friend or family member read it over as well. Even a simple mistake in an otherwise perfect cover letter can affect your chances.

Are you looking for more professional job search advice? Call the professional recruiting team at CornerStone Staffing today!

The post Write the Best Cover Letter Ever! appeared first on Cornerstone Staffing Blog.

1. Try remote working. Many companies are anxious about allowing their employees to work from home. However, some top companies who have implemented a work from home policy have proven employees can be effective and meet deadlines. Start with a flexible schedule by assigning one day a week to each employee to work from home. See how they do with their deadlines and quality of work and consider increasing the opportunity as a reward for excellent work.
2. Social enterprise software. You may be thinking of ways to curb the overuse of social media on your company’s time. Encouraging a different type of social interaction could be the perfect solution. Many businesses are using social enterprise software to foster a sense of connection within the office. This also encourages collaboration and cooperation between teams that may not otherwise interact. SalesForce is a common and easily accessible social enterprise platform you may wish to consider.
3. Social media recruiting. Another way to effectively use social media is to encourage your recruiting team to utilize it for hiring. It is efficient and cost effective to seek candidates where they already are. You are likely to attract the best and the brightest talent this way. This process will reduce the recruiting time for your human resources department allowing them to focus on other projects such as employee retention.
4. Health and wellness. Encouraging your employees to adopt a healthier lifestyle will improve their performance, reduce their stress, and cut down on sick time away from the office. Remove unhealthy snack options from your break room. Provide water rather than soda. Encourage people to take some time away from their work to take a walk outside. Bring in speakers to talk about nutrition and stress management.

Are you looking for more ways to improve your employees’ experience in your company? Contact us as CornerStone Staffing to see how we can partner with you! 

The post Small but Important Improvements to Your Workplace appeared first on Cornerstone Staffing Blog.

1. Use “About Me.” At the website About.Me you can create a free single page profile that serves as a website to launch the rest of your online profile. Your new profile can be integrated to all of your other social media platforms keeping everything consistent across the board. The site is more in depth than a resume and can provide more of a personal snapshot of you as a candidate.
2. Use YouTube. Multimedia is the new black. Recruiters love to see candidates who can command an audience. Use this video platform to share presentations that you have conducted and share them across your other social media profiles.
3. Write a Blog. A blog is the perfect platform to showcase your expertise on any subject. Is there something for which you would like to be known as an expert? Using services like WordPress or Blogger you can develop a site that is attractive and create content that is compelling. Consider things like interviewing or spotlighting other thought leaders in your industry. Blogging also encourages constructive conversation by allowing comments on the posts. Interacting on other blogs is also a great way to promote your own page.
4. Use LinkedIn. Out of the more than 98% of recruiters using social media, 97% of then are on LinkedIn to find new candidates. It is very important to create a complete and attractive profile. Connect to the people who have sent invitations and those you’ve met at local networking events. Post a status update about the work you’re doing at least once a week. Join relevant groups and participate. Finally, ask your former colleagues to endorse or recommend you on your page.
5. Use Twitter. This microblogging site surprised everyone by becoming one of the fastest growing social media sites and then sticking around a while. These 140 character sound bites can show off your expertise to a wide and public audience and build a stable of followers. Share things that promote the brand you want to develop.

Are you looking for creative ways to use social media in your job search? Contact the recruiters at CornerStone Staffing to see how we can help you! 

The post Improve Your Online Brand: Job Search Advice appeared first on Cornerstone Staffing Blog.

1. A blog. Blogging is the single best way to showcase your expertise on the internet. Develop your own brand and create consistent content so recruiters will find your blog when they do a Google keyword search. Once they are there, keep them interested with your knowledge about the subject.
2. Job Feeds. Companies are using their own Facebook and Twitter accounts to share job feeds that connect directly with their applicant tracking system. This makes applying for the jobs easier for you and reviewing resumes easier for them. Make a list of the companies you want to work for and follow their job feeds.
3. LinkedIn. 93% of recruiters use LinkedIn to source for their open positions, according to a survey by Jobvite. Create a complete photo including a profile picture and the right keywords in your headline. Join as many groups as possible, including those for interests unrelated to your field. Hiring managers are searching everywhere and they may have some of those interests in common themselves.
4. Instagram. It seems like a stretch to include the popular photo sharing site in this list, but recruiters are altering their strategies to find the right candidates. Instagram uses hashtags just like Twitter which help people search the site. Recruiters can search these hashtags for topics related to their open positions. When you begin to include your photographs on the site include hashtags for these sorts of things. For instance, if you’re an accounting manager and take a photo something interesting on your desk include the hashtag “#accountingmanager.”

Do you want to know more creative ways to find a job today? CornerStone Staffing’s team of professional recruiters can help you with your search.

The post How Recruiters Find You Through Social Media | Creative Search appeared first on Cornerstone Staffing Blog.

CornerStone Staffing worked with the Pack for a Purpose organization and identified two groups they wanted to make donations to: “Save the Children in the Riviera Maya” and the “Playa Animal Rescue”.

CornerStone Staffing received donations from colleagues and local retail stores. They also asked for discounts from some of their vendors to help them stretch their resources. All items were paced in 7 large duffle bags weighing in at 50 lbs each. The airline donated some of the cost associated with shipping the duffle bags, thanks to an airline employee that was on the trip.

Items that were donated to “Playa Animal Rescue” included toys, bowls, collars, leashes, bedding, grooming supplies and non-beef treats. Beef treats were also donated but did not make it through the Cancun Airport.

Items that were donated to “Save the Children in the Riviera Maya” included school supplies, games, crayons, pens and pencils.

CornerStone Staffing would like to thank Jan and Mauricio from Playa Animal Rescue for attending their reception at the Fairmont Mayakoba to accept the donations. Playa Animal Rescue is doing great things to help the stray dogs of the Mayan Riviera and CornerStone is so thankful to be able to help in some small way.

This is definitely an experience that the colleagues of CornerStone Staffing will always remember! They are looking forward to their next colleague trip where they can “Pack for Purpose”.

CornerStone Staffing has been providing Texas with temporary, temp to hire and direct placement staffing in Fort Worth and Dallas since 1991.  For more information about CornerStone Staffing, please call 888-419-4119 or email us at info@cornerstonestaffing.com

 Written by Debra Hill, Senior Operations Manager, CornerStone Staffing

The post CornerStone Staffing – Pack For A Purpose appeared first on Cornerstone Staffing Blog.

1. Connect and complete. The LinkedIn search algorithms sort connections by relevance automatically. This means you show up at the top of the list for people who are already connected to you. It will also include your profile over someone else’s based on completeness. For best results grow your network through 1^st level connections and make sure your profile is 100% complete.
2. Keywords. Most recruiters will search LinkedIn for keywords related to their open position. The site is designed to return results based on where these keywords are located in a profile. Update your headline, your job title, and your skills sections to provide the best data for searches.
3. More is more. LinkedIn allows you to have a certain number of characters in your headline – use them all. Join as many groups as possible. 50 is the LinkedIn limit but that number doesn’t include subgroups. Create the most detailed profile portrait you can using all of the space available to you.
4. Advice for contacting. Many LinkedIn users will add keywords to the section designed let someone know how to contact you. LinkedIn does not use this field for their searches. Maximize this part of your profile with the most complete information on how a recruiter or hiring manager can get a hold of you, including phone numbers and an email address. You don’t want to make it difficult to reach you once they find your profile.
5. Variety is the spice of LinkedIn. There are so many ways a recruiter can search for a specific job function. You never know what words they are going to focus on so be sure to use all of them. Throughout your summary and headline and job descriptions use a variety of synonyms for your functions. For example if you are a bookkeeper you may also want to use words such as accountant, accounting clerk, financial auditor, or even treasurer throughout your profile.
6. Chart your progress. You’ve seen the sidebar that says “Who’s Viewed Your Profile.” This can provide some insight on the effectiveness of your LinkedIn account. When you click on this link it takes you to a page that includes a chart. You can see your views and your appearance in a search. When you show up in a search it shows your profile photo and your headline so if you’re not getting as many views as you would like consider changing these to grab the attention of the searcher.
7. Beyond the boundaries. The LinkedIn professional network is the number one social engine that appears in Google searches. If you LinkedIn profile is complete and optimal you may find yourself getting noticed not just within the site but beyond it.

Are you looking to optimize your LinkedIn profile? The professional staff at CornerStone Staffing is available today to help you with your current job search.

The post Understanding LinkedIn Search to Improve Your Rank | Job Search Tips appeared first on Cornerstone Staffing Blog.

1. Employees and their direct supervisors. The relationship your employees have with their immediate boss is the most important one to cultivate. If individuals do not get along or feel comfortable with one another the downward spiral of disengagement will be difficult to overcome. One primary issue comes from the generation gap. The great divide between the work ethic of Generation Y and Baby Boomers is vast and even the differences between Gen Y and Gen X can seem extreme. However, Generation Y is a looking for deeper relationships with bosses. They want mentors who can help them reach their greatest potential. The first step, rather than talking to the employees, is to talk with your management team. Find out what is working and what isn’t and consider ideas for improvement, including additional management training.
2. Communication. Effective management has superior communication skills. Much of the breakdown in employee engagement comes from the inability to understand what is expected of them. If you want your employees to trust you and your management team it is imperative that communication be clear and thorough. Keep your employees aware not only of the processes and procedures but also the goals and even the financial requirements of any project. This will make them understand exactly why they should spend their time focused on the project. Also be sure to reward employees who do an exceptional job. Employees like to feel appreciated and everyone on the team will see that the company has a culture of gratitude.
3. Develop values for your organization. In a globally conscious world more and more employees are looking to work for a company that cares for the environment and people. In fact, in several recent HR surveys suggest candidates would work for less money if the company that employed them were focused on sustainability and social responsibility. When interviewing new candidates for your open jobs make the culture fit a priority. If the employee fits your company values and is excited to work for you they are likely to be more engaged at the start and stay that way.

Are you looking for ideas to boost your employee engagement? Contact the professional staffing team at CornerStone staffing for ways we can help you.

The post Tips for Driving Employee Engagement | Texas Business appeared first on Cornerstone Staffing Blog.