The Bagg Group Blog

Remember the oversized, centralized IT department of 2001? Things have certainly changed since then! Experts at TechRepublic Live 2011 discussed changes that have taken place and how the IT world will progress even further by 2015. Find out how you can prepare for these exciting changes here:
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/hiner/what-the-it-department-will-look-like-in-2015/9306?tag=nl.e101

The Bagg Group Proves Recruitment Still Strong as Company
Expands with Purchase of Turn Key Staffing

Toronto, November 24, 2011 ….In a move that flies in the face of dismal unemployment stats, The Bagg Group (TBG) staffing firm is expanding with the acquisition of Turn Key Staffing, based in Newmarket, Ontario.  

Proving that stats tell only part of the story, Geoff Bagg, CEO of TBG has steered his company on a non-stop growth curve that has translated into greater job placements across the GTA, even during slow times.  Last year, business at TBG grew by 23 percent, and the IT placement division was up 44%.

Mr. Bagg notes that while Canada’s economy shed 54,000 positions in October according to Stats Canada, TBG, with offices in Toronto, Markham and Mississauga continues to field demand to fill positions.  “The national numbers give us a bird’s eye view,” explains Mr. Bagg.  “But on the ground, there is still work being done and people needed to do it.”

With Turn Key, TBG is breaking into staffing for the light industrial sector in the GTA, Barrie and Newmarket.   This will add to TBG’s placement of thousands of candidates annually in management, financial, IT, clerical, and call centre positions.  These placements include full-time, contract and temporary positions.

In an unusual twist, Turn Key insisted on a criteria for its buyer that is rarely seen.  Those bidding had to show they lead from the heart. “Turn Key has always put people first,” says former owner Chris Sadler. ”It was important to us to preserve our legacy and do right by our passionate staff by selling only to a firm that proved it shares our values.”

The Bagg Group beat out the competition in a heartbeat, largely because of the company’s longstanding emphasis on employee engagement. “It’s the secret weapon that has kept us largely recession-proof,” says Mr. Bagg.

“For our staff, work isn’t business, it’s personal.  Research shows that placing a candidate in a job that makes them happy has a positive impact on as many as 100 people, including colleagues, family, and community,” adds Mr. Bagg. “We never lose sight of that fact, and that’s made us the matchmaker of choice in every sector in which we operate.”   

It also has led The Bagg Group to be named a winner of the 2010 and 2011 prestigious Inaverno Best of Staffing List for excellence in service, presented in partnership with Career Builder.  Based on candidate and client surveys, only one percent of recruiting firms in North America are named winners.

Geoff Bagg bought TBG in 1999 from his parents, Keith and Mary Bagg, who founded it 40 years ago with a vision to build not just a business but a family of staff, clients, and candidates.  TBG has grown significantly under Geoff Bagg’s helm, but the unique sense of community remains.

That growth is seeing the Toronto head office move into larger space at 372 Bay Street. The new home of The Bagg Group is designed to maximize community.  The innovative award- winning two-story open space workplace encourages exchanges of ideas and information, says Mr. Bagg.  “And its four balconies overlooking Bay St. and Richmond St. offer breezy places for employees to chat together and shake off any cobwebs,” he laughs.

The Bagg Group is also the multi-award winner of ACSESS Community Service Award.  The company actively encourages volunteerism, supporting its more than 50 employees with time-off and donations to an average of 100 volunteer projects.

For more information, contact: Rosalie Ward (RosalieW@bagg.com).

When the Stats Canada employment figures dropped like a bombshell in November, the media asked Geoff Bagg, CEO of The Bagg Group, for his advice to help job-hunters weather the bad news. 

From his experience at the helm of The Bagg Group — which has a long history of placing people in the best companies, even during recessions — Geoff was quick to point out that numbers tell only part of the story.  And while it’s disconcerting that Canada’s economy shed 54,000 positions in October, Geoff noted that we are still 226,000 jobs ahead over this time last year.  

For the job-seeker, looking for full-time work, contract work, or a part-time placement in the GTA, the advice of The Bagg Group is don’t worry about statistics.  Instead, focus on proving yourself in an interview. 

Recruiters at The Bagg Group are busy.  Companies still have positions to fill.  However, as Geoff Bagg told Dan Matheson of CTV News, hiring managers are not willing to take risks right now.  They want to know they’re hiring the right person who can step into the position — someone who demonstrates proven ability, rather than someone who demonstrates good potential.

For candidates, this means the key in an interview is to “show, not tell.”   For example, a hiring manager won’t be convinced if you simply claim, “I’m a team-player”.  Instead, you need to offer proof by giving an example of a situation in which you showed collaborative spirit. 

At The Bagg Group, recruiters urge candidates to think SIR when responding to questions.

Situation:  Tell the interviewer of a relevant Situation.

Initiative:   Say what Initiative you took to deal with that situation.

Results:  Conclude with the Results of your initiative.

Remember, don’t waste valuable interview time detailing the situation in-depth.  The interviewer is only interested in the actions you took to resolve it.  By concluding with the results, you offer additional confirmation of your capabilities and knowledge.

Knowing how to reassure a hiring manager that you aren’t a risky hire, but instead a proven asset will set you apart from the competition.  It will require more preparation time to have a SIR at the ready for as many of the skills required as possible, but it’s time well spent.  

From the company’s perspective, hiring an employee is an investment.  Hiring the wrong person costs significantly in lost money and time, and possibly  reputation.  The hiring manager is under a great deal of pressure to make sure their choice of a candidate is certain not to be an expensive misstep.

Anyone can make claims about what they can do. But not everyone can or does substantiate their claims.  Those who do so give interviewers solid reasons to feel secure about their recommendations.

In this day and age of careful spending, proof sells —and now, more than ever, is the time for job-hunters in the GTA to prove what they can do.

To see Geoff Bagg’s interview on CTV about what it takes to stand out from the crowd, click here: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCWqM6Xse2c

It’s no secret that finding a great job can be far from easy, but technology companies confirm that they continue to hire and are always on the lookout for qualified people to enhance their teams. Check out what the Globe and Mail has to say about these positive trends in IT hiring.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/business-technology/tech-firms-still-hiring-bright-spot-in-ugly-jobs-market/article2227898/

We are recruiting shippers and receivers for jobs with our clients in the Markham and Scarborough region. Drop in to our Markham branch and register! 

When: Friday, November 18th, 8am-4pm

Where: The Bagg Group Markham Branch, 3000 Steeles Ave East, Suite 100 (corner of Woodbine and Steeles) 

Shipper & Receiver Positions Available!

Positions are located in Markham &  Scarborough. $12.00/hr

Qualified applicants must have: 

• Proof of Grade 12 Diploma or College
• Clear Criminal Background Check 

Please bring with you:

• Your resume
• Proof of Education
• 2 references
• 2 pieces of Photo ID

We look forward to meeting you!

The Bagg Group held its Annual Breakfast Brief, Boomer Bust, with panelists Gary Burkett of Fedex,  Lynn Roger of BMO and Warren Bell of Omers.  The HR experts spoke about the implications of having an enormous percentage of workers approaching retirement age.

There are many myths about the older employee, and the panelists debunked all of them.  They said the notion that the older employee is less engaged and committed, and is working with one foot on the golf links, is simply not true. To the contrary, the boomer brings a strong work ethic and experience to the company.  

A 2009 Ipsos Reid poll showed that one-quarter of Canadian baby boomers plan to delay retirement in part because of financial reasons but also because people are staying younger, longer.  Those in their late 50s and  60s said they still feel energetic and interested in contributing to the workplace.

What’s more, forward-thinking companies are offering such flexible arrangements as reduced hours, special assignments, temporary work, job sharing, part-time work, consulting and telecommuting as an alternative to full retirement,.

The ultimate strategy for success, say the panelists, is to focus on employee engagement, across the board. Mentoring programs, leadership training, and multi-generational teams that allow people to learn from each other are powerful tactics to promote engagement.

In Australia, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission has set up a website to dispel any concerns about hiring older workers.  The site uses facts and figures to make the case that mature workers are significantly less likely to resign, call in sick less often, and experience fewer work injuries.  

Australian studies show that mature workers deliver an average net benefit of $1,956 per year to their employer compared to the rest of the workforce – a result of increased retention, lower rates of absenteeism, decreased costs of recruitment and greater investment returns on training. 

 At The Bagg Group, recruiters focus on skills and attitude, not age, to match the right person to the right job.  The result has been more than 57,000 people placed successfully over 40 years.   The panelists urged the large audience to take the same approach.

The current economic climate means that a surprising number of managers “in the trenches” have been laid off. Has this affected you? TechRepublic offers excellent advice on getting your career back on track http://tiny.cc/pd4m4.