Current Position

Total Resource Staffing is filling positions!!

Are you looking to make extra money for the holidays coming up?
Unemployed and needing work?

TRS is currently filling Assembly positions in the Park100 area on the Westside of Indianapolis.
No experience needed. These positions pay minimum wage and we are currently taking applications for 1st and 2nd shifts as well as weekend and swing shifts.

For more information, call us at (317)291-1830 or just go to our website and fill out an application. Once you fill the application out, we will contact you to set up a time for you to come into the office and finish the application process. While you are there, we will talk to you about what kind of job you are looking for, what we have available and answer any questions you may have. Don't wait, the list is filling up for the next orientation and you don't want to miss out!!

Visit our website at www.totalresourcestaffing.com

We can't wait to hear from you!!!

Be Your Very Best

Good morning and Happy Monday. I hope that the start of a new week finds you all well.

Today I want to share a post about being the best YOU that you can be. Being the best employee for your employer. And being the best at what you do. It's easy to say, do better...be better...work harder...but HOW do we do that? How do we really make ourselves better employees and how do we make sure that the good shines through the crowd?

First, BE RESPECTFUL. This is something that should be obvious but is so often overlooked. Be RESPECTFUL. To everyone. Be respectful to your boss, greet them with a smile and a "good morning" when you see them. Offer to help with things that aren't already on your plate to help with. Be respectful to your co-workers. Whether they are higher or lower ranking....be kind to them. There is no room for attitude in the office. Be respectful to customers/clients. The customer is always right, correct? If you are following this rule, then even when a customer or client has a complaint or may be having a bad day themselves, you should still be respectful. Your smile and kind tone can go a long way. And even if someone doesn't show it right away, it will stick with them that when they were less than friendly, you were still showing them respect. Along those same lines, you should always be professional at all times. If you are not being professional, you are not being respectful. Employers, co-workers, customers or clients, they all want to know that they can count on you to be courteous and professional. Be that person and be the best at it.

TAKE YOUR JOB SERIOUSLY. It's OK to have a sense of humor, don't get me wrong, it's nice to laugh in the office. But if you are goofing off too much, or spending a little too much time chattering away and laughing all day, your boss will not think that you take your responsibilities seriously. And if you aren't taking your job seriously, the boss might start looking to someone else who will. No matter how good you are at your job, no matter how much you get done or how productive your day might be, if you can not take your job seriously, your boss won't take your work seriously.

BE ORGANIZED. Organizing your tasks will yield better results. An unorganized employee is someone that the superiors are less likely to come to for additional needs. If you are scattered and have trouble keeping your tasks in order, it will show in your performance. You want to be the employee that your manager and co-workers can come to when they need extra help, you want to stand out in the crowd for being someone that is able to take on extra tasks, not someone who can't even keep their own things in order.

And lastly, BE RELIABLE. Bosses want to know that they can count on you to be there. Don't show up on time, show up early. Don't leave right at your scheduled time. Staying even 10 - 15 minutes late to work on something will be noticed. Just like your tardiness and absences will be taken note of, so will the extra effort you put forth to be there early and stay late. Now, it should be noted that if you are staying late every day to get your work done, your time management skills will probably come into question. However, volunteering to stay late to help out a co-worker or boss is something that should be done regularly.

Hopefully these tips help you be the very best employee that you can be.

Please leave any questions, comments or concerns in the comment section below. We love hearing from you!!

No go out and make this week great!!

Casey

Being the Dream Employee

Good morning and Happy Thursday blog-land. I hope that this day, July 5th, finds you well, and I hope that you all had a safe and exciting Independence Day yesterday.

Today I wanted to blog about being the dream employee for your next (or current) manager. We all know that hard work and dedication goes a long way in the workplace. But what skills can you really develop and master in order to become that employee that stands out? I read a very good article the other day that highlighted several things that hiring managers are looking for. I want to just touch on a few here, but you can find the whole article at http://blog.emurse.com/2010/03/04/hiring-manager-dream-employee-part-1/

One of the most important things for me is Attitude. A lot of managers and supervisors pay close attention to an employees attitude. Zig Ziglar's famous quote, "Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude." is something that still rings true. You may not be the best at your job, but if you have a good attitude and strong work ethic, your superiors will take notice and want to help you along, rather than replace you for someone with possibly more experience in that position. Most  bosses prefer to hire someone who loves what they do, rather than someone who just tolerates the job. And trust me, most bosses can tell if you love what you do, or if you are just in it for the paycheck and are "checked out" most of the time.
Another thing bosses take notice of is your ability to Communicate. Communication is more than just being able to speak well. Of course, it is important to articulate and be clear in your communication. But more than that, it is important to show that you are a good listener and communicate back to people what they are telling you. Pay attention when someone asks you a question. If you do not answer the question that is being asked to you, your interviewer might think that you will not be able to take direction. Stop thinking about what you will say next and start paying attention to what is being said to you. Make eye contact, have good posture, focus on what someone is telling you and pay attention. When you are interviewing for a job, be sure not to spend the whole interview looking down at your notepad. And avoid yes/no answers, if you hold back too much it makes you seem like you are hiding something. Be honest and open. A strong business vocabulary is also important but avoid using too many buzzwords.
Intelligence is also an important factor in being hired or promoted. Are you a creative thinker, active problem solver, and do you have unique perspectives in challenging situations? It is not how "smart" you are but how well you use your mind that will set you apart from the rest. What kind of questions are you asking during an interview? You ARE asking questions right? Interviewers will not only look at how you answer the questions that they ask, but what kinds of questions you are asking yourself. Ask about the kind of technology the company uses and highlight your knowledge of technology that might be helpful to the company. Speak with examples. Just saying you have qualifications is not enough, you must provide concrete examples and how you were able to positively impact the company in that situation.
And lastly, are you the real deal? Managers are looking for honesty. Someone that is genuine and trustworthy. What they are not looking for is someone that is rehearsed. What they do not want is someone who will come in and tell them exactly what they want to hear, most of the time. Research the company that you are applying for, and do NOT ask what they "do" when interviewing. You should be prepared to ask and answer questions when you go in for your interview but you should have already done your homework and have questions ready.

The article that I pulled a lot of this from is 4 parts. It is very informative and Jeff Lipschultz makes a lot of good points. Be sure to stop over and check it out.

Once again if you have any comments or questions, add ons or concerns, please leave those in the comment section of the blog. Or you can email me at casey@totalresourcestaffing.com

I hope you all have a great and productive day. It's almost the week, make the rest of the week count!!

Casey

Available Positions

Happy Monday blog-land!
This morning I want to take just a few minutes and highlight some job opportunities that are available with Total Resource Staffing.

TRS is currently looking for a Marketing Assistant for a company in the Indianapolis Area. Qualified candidates should have culinary experience. Bi-lingual is a plus. The marketing assistant will be responsible for going to events, helping with set up, coming up with fresh new ideas and recipes as well as email correspondence and keeping track of the schedule for the Marketing manager.

We are also looking for a Flexo Operator in the Indianapolis Area. The right candidate for this position will know how to set up, run, and perform maintenance on the Flexo Machine.

If either of these positions are right for you, email us your resume at casey@totalresourcestaffing.com
We look forward to hearing from you!!

Casey

What are Employers Looking For?

Good morning and happy Thursday blog-land!
Today I want to focus in on some things that employers are looking for in new employees and how you can make those qualities shine.

First, let's touch on just a few things employers look for right off the bat. These are obvious things, but I just want to review them quickly.
*Reading, writing and communication skills - employers want to know that you will be able to effectively communicate with them and others on the team. No employer wants to have to sit over your shoulder to make sure you are able to follow written instruction or double check everything you write. If they had time to do that, they wouldn't have hired you.
*Punctuality - When an employer gives you a start time, make sure you are there and ready to start! Showing up late constantly, not finishing tasks on time, and not using your time management skills properly will force an employer to take measures to correct the behavior and can lead to loss of a job if the problem is not corrected. There are start times and deadlines for a reason, be sure to give yourself plenty of time to meet these requirements,
*Good hygiene - This should be a "no-brainer", but make sure you are presentable and have good hygiene when showing up to work. That is a discussion no one wants to have, especially a boss that has other things to focus on.

Now here some other things that are not quite as obvious, but that an employer is looking closely at and most likely taking mental notes.
*Interpersonal Abilities - Are you able to get along with everyone in the office? Can you work easily with others in your department? Or, do you have a hard time helping others out when they need it? Bosses want to know that everyone on his/her team can work well together and get along while doing it. You don't have to form friendships, but you do have to be able to set your differences aside to get the job done. If your boss is constantly playing referee in order for a task to be completed then there is a problem and someone might have to go, if you are the one causing the problems it will probably be you!
*Adaptability - Does change cause you stress? Sometimes in the workplace things can change at a moments notice, you have to be prepared for that. If you get "flustered" and lose your concentration and confidence when a curve ball is thrown, your employer will not be able to trust that you can handle stressful situations or last minute changes. And if you can't handle that, you are less likely to be promoted to a higher position (which almost always includes a new set of stressors all it's own) and may even be eliminated from your position so they can find someone else who is adaptable and can easily handle changing directions when needed.
*Competency - An employer wants to know that when they give you an assignment or task to take care of, that you are going to be able to do it. If your boss lacks the confidence that he/she needs in your competency, they will be less likely to trust that you can do the job they need you to do. Being competent is a biggie, you must show that you know how to do your job and that you can be trusted to do it well.
*Honesty - Now this is a big one. I have touched on honesty in writing your resume and during your interview. However, it is an even bigger deal once you actually get hired. Your employer needs to know that they can trust the things that you are telling them without question. If you are not honest about even the smallest situation, then how can your boss trust that you are being honest about the big stuff? Complete honesty is the key to a good working relationship. If you make a mistake, be honest about it and work with your boss to find a way to fix it and a solution that will insure it does not happen again. Sure, this may get you into some hot water for making the mistake. But if your integrity and honesty comes into question because you were not forthcoming with the mistake, that will cause even bigger problems for you down the road. Even "stretching the truth" or a "little white lie" will come back to bite you. Once your boss knows that you will exaggerate the facts or just flat out lie to make yourself look better or protect you from getting into trouble for a mistake, it is very very difficult to recover their trust. It is much easier to start out with trust and be honest no matter the circumstances than it is to try and regain that regain that trust when it is lost. Be honest, at all costs. If it costs you your job, at least you have the piece of mind that you were completely honest and can take that quality with you to your next employer.
*Attendance - This is another biggie. Sure we all have to miss work sometimes. Emergencies happen, we get sick, our kids get sick, something comes up that just prevents us from being able to go into work or preform our duties. However, if this is a regular occurrence, you need to look at why you are missing so much work and how to fix the problem. Most employers will tell you that if you are sick, stay home. They don't want to risk getting sick themselves or you passing your germs to other employees. However, if you are calling in once or twice a week, this just becomes more of a burden on the rest of the team. When you are not at work, other people have to pick up your slack. Sure you might not be getting paid to be off of work, but that isn't the only thing that your employer is concerned with. It is the strain that your absence puts on the other employers and that fact that your work is suffering. Once again, if others are doing your work for you, or your boss is picking up the slack on a regular basis, why does he need you? Aside from honesty, attendance is one of the most important qualities that employers are looking at.

Now, I did read in several articles that employers look for people who can multi-task. However, I would like to disagree with this. Sure your boss wants to know that you can handle a variety of projects with different due dates and different requirements. But multi-tasking is not all that it's cracked up to be. If you are multi-tasking, or focusing your energies on more than one task at a time, no one task gets your full attention. This is when mistakes start happening. You should set aside times to focus on each task separately so that you can be 100% focused on what needs done, not thinking about several different things all at once. Any assignment that you are given should get all of your attention and concentration while you are completing that assignment. Anything less will result in mistakes or less than desirable outcomes. You employer has to have the confidence that you are going to focus in and complete the job at hand quickly and efficiently. You can't be efficient if you are doing several things at once, at least one of those things is going to suffer.

Those are the top skills and qualities that I have found employers to look for in their employees. Whether you are a new hire or a "lifer", it never hurts to brush up on what is expected of you. The most important thing is to stay focused and work tirelessly on improving yourself and your work habits. Bosses will take notice of your hard work and will be pleased that you are consistently growing and evolving into a better employee. Push forward and strive to make each day better than the last.

As always, I encourage any and all comments, questions and feedback.
Have a great Thursday!!
Casey

Resume Writing Tips to Keep You from Getting Lost in the Stack!

Let me just start by saying that the current unemployment rate for Indiana as of April of 2012 was 7.9%. Now, that might not seem like a very high number….unless you are part of that percentage! In my last blog I talked about interviewing tips, but how do you even get to the interview part of the process if your resume can’t make it out of the stack? So, I would like to suggest some tips on resume writing to hopefully ensure that your resume doesn’t go from the stack, to the shredder without ever be considered.

In doing some extensive research on the subject I have found a few common Do’s and Don’ts that keep showing up over and over again. So let’s start with those. Some are very very obvious, like…DON’T lie! We touched on this in the last blog, when interviewing do NOT lie, it will be found out and never ends well. But sometimes when we are writing our resumes, we tend to want to embellish a bit. Do not, under any circumstances, lie on your resume. If you have some experience with a particular skill, state that fact. But don’t list it as something you are an expert at. When the time comes to demonstrate your knowledge of said skill, it won’t be hard to tell that you may have stretched the truth on your resume. But then, there are less obvious Don’ts that, maybe, you are overlooking. Don’t use more than 2 font sizes and types. Don’t use graphics, pictures or logos. Don’t use abbreviations, except for states. Don’t use the words “my”, “I”, or other personal pronouns. Don’t include personal information such as social security number, age, marital status, etc. Don’t forget to use spell check, but also do not solely rely on it for all corrections.

While we are on the subject of “Don’ts”, let’s talk about one more thing that I read over and over again during my research. You don’t need the objective. Seriously, you don’t need it. Objectives are rarely well-written and most of the times they take up space with some generic saying like, “seeking a challenging position” or “to obtain meaningful employment”.  So, just leave those out. If your resume is full of descriptive job experiences, education, and personal volunteer work or other skills that should be highlighted, then there is no need for an objective that will be skipped over anyway.

When you get to the employment history, go in reverse-chronological order. Start with your last job and work your way back. You should make sure that each job is properly spaced from the last so that it is easily read. If everything is jumbled together, the person reviewing your resume will likely scan it for keywords and toss it aside. There is not enough time in the day to try and decipher all of the resumes that come through email or snail mail, so make your resume easy to read and understand. Also, when you are describing what you did at that particular job, be sure to list specific accomplishments with details. Don’t clutter it up with the duties you performed. Instead, list the end result and the skills that were required to get to that result.

When you get to the bottom of your resume, don’t forget to add in your volunteer work, community service activities, continuing education, civic background, etc. This will give your resume some personality and will help highlight your focus and work ethic. Your character is being evaluated along with your experience pertaining to the job opening.

Do not think that one size fits all when it comes to resumes. If you are sending out the same generic resume to every employer, you are way more likely to have your resume end up in the trashcan or shredder than people who gear their resume to fit the job for which they are applying. You need your resume to be specific to the position, and you need a different resume for each position that you apply for. Studies have shown, and I have read countless times, that interviewers look at each resume for an average of 6 seconds. In those 6 seconds they need to see buzzwords and keywords that are specific to the position for which they are interviewing in order for them to look more closely at your resume. A generic resume with no qualifying content will most likely not get you a call for an interview.

Lastly, you do not need to put “References upon request”. If you do not have references on your resume, it is assumed that you will be able to provide them upon request. This one simple line is a space waster and also another generic part of your resume that isn’t needed. If you do not have room for the references on your resume, just leave that line off. However, with more resumes moving to 2 pages long, it would be prudent to have those references listed. If an interview sees that you took the time to list your references, then they know you are more likely to go that extra step in the workplace even if it isn’t necessarily needed, to add something beneficial that so many other people just leave out. But if your resume is already chocked full of relevant content and detailed examples of why you are a good fit for the job, references aren’t needed and you can provide them at a later date, when requested.

Hopefully these tips help when you sit down to write your next resume. Be creative; don’t use a format that is already made for you. Take the time to make your own. But don’t go overboard. There is a line between being creative and being too casual.

As always, I encourage and welcome any and all comments or questions. If you have other tips that I didn’t touch on, add them to the comment section! We always look forward to hearing from you.

Have a great week, make it count!

Casey

Interviewing

Happy Monday blog-world. I always like to say that mornings are a chance to make the day great. But Monday mornings are double special because not only do you get a new opportunity to make the day great, you get a fresh start at a new week! Use your Monday mornings to start off your week right and make this week even better than last week! Hard work and persistence reap great rewards.

So I wanted to use today’s blog to highlight some Do’s and Don’ts of interviewing. Any of us that have been out there looking for a job has sat through at least one interview. Some of us a lot more than that! But, how do you know what your interviewer is looking for when you walk through those doors? Whether it is a new job at McDonald’s or an Executive position downtown….interviews are the most important step to landing that job that you really want. After doing some extensive research as to what future employers are looking for and pulling from my own past experience, I have compiled a list of some important Do’s and Don’ts to follow the next time you get that big interview.

DON’T: Think that it is ok to show up late. The interviewer generally will not wait for you and if they do, they already have a preconceived assessment of how they think you will perform the job that is available. If you can’t show up on time for a simple interview, why would you show up on time to work every day?

DO:  Plan ahead. 9 times out of 10 you will run into either construction traffic, rush hour traffic, a detour, a wrong turn, no parking, ect. We’ve all had those times when we plan our drive down to the minute, knowing exactly where we are going and what time we will be walking through that front door for our interview, and then something unexpected happens. And it won’t happen on a day that we have nowhere to be and nothing to do. It will happen on a day when we have that very important first interview that could make or break our next big job opportunity.  You should always plan extra travel time “just in case” and make sure to give yourself plenty of time to park and focus before walking in the door. You should be walking in 5 minutes before your interview is to start and be ready to land that job!

DON’T:  Give little to no thought about how you dress. As a rule I have always heard to not dress for the position you are applying for, but dress for the position above that. Walking into an interview in jeans and a wrinkled t-shirt should never be an option, no matter what the job is. If you are interviewing for a job digging ditches, dress for the position that is ABOVE the guy digging ditches. And that guy probably wouldn’t wear flip-flops and shorts to an interview.

DO: “Dress for success” I know it sounds cliché. But trust me, interviewers are looking at you as you walk through the door and taking down mental notes. If you feel a bit over dressed, you are probably dressed appropriately. Now, don’t get me wrong, you CAN over dress. However, it is better to be over dressed than under. Never be afraid to put that extra touch on your interview outfit. A necktie might not always be needed where you are applying, but at least the employer will see that you are serious about the position you are applying for. Ladies, be careful not to go overboard on the makeup and hairspray. Also, limit the jewelry.  Yes, you want to look nice, but you don’t want to come across as trying TOO hard. You want to present yourself with confidence, not desperation.

DON’T: Stretch the truth. If there is one thing that will ensure that you do not get a call back, it is lying to an interviewer. If you feel the need to embellish on your skills or experience, just stop yourself. Though it may be true that you do not have the necessary experience for the job you are applying, lying about those skills will only make things worse should you get hired. Most employers do check up on your references and will find out if you are adding to the story of how experienced you are in a certain field. And if you do happen to squeak by, once you are at your new job and it becomes clear that you lied about your level of knowledge regarding something you have been assigned to do, don’t be surprised when the boss decides you “just aren’t working out”. Lying is never a good idea, especially when your future job depends on telling the truth.

DO: Be detailed about what experience you DO have. You don’t need to stretch the truth to make yourself look good. It goes a long way with interviewers if you can be clear and concise with your past work experience. And if you lack a certain amount of experience that they are looking for, they will let you know and you can move forward knowing what kind of training you need to get next. Lying might land you the job at first, but it will cost you the job when it is found out. Better to be able to come back to the table with more experience and skills than to be fired and not able to reapply at a later time.

DON’T: Forget to send a thank you note. After the interview is over and you’ve shook hands again and walked out to your car, take time to write down a reminder to yourself. “Hand written thank you note!” Sure you could send an email, make a phone call to check in, but nothing will grab your future employers attention like a hand written, personally addressed thank you note that comes in the mail. Be sure to send it out within 24 hours of having your interview. If the decision about the position is being made very quickly you may want to drop it back by the front desk and ask it to be sent to the person you interviewed with. If you have about a week before a decision will be made, drop it in the mail right away. Take the time to jot down a couple lines thanking the interviewer for their time and reminding them a little bit about your strengths. Sign and mail. Typed letters and emails seem much less personal and the interviewer will appreciate that you took the time to send them a note thanking them.

And lastly, DO be available! Answer your phone when they call, check emails often if they have indicated that is how you will be contacted, and be ready to start when you’ve told them you can. If they contact you to let you know that they have filled the position with someone else, be gracious and ask that they keep you in mind should something else open up. Thank them again for their time. Being rude or leaving a bad taste in their mouth will guarantee only that you do not get another interview or call should something else become available. Keep your chin up, something will come along!

Hopefully the tips I have provided can help in some way with your next interview. As always, I encourage any comments or questions you may have!
Once again, make today great!!
Casey Louks