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

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/

Onboarding new IT hires?

Trying to learn your environment can be overwhelming for them. Minimize that stress – and help bring your your new IT staff up to speed quickly – by following these 10 points from Tech Republic as part of your onboarding process:

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10things/10-tips-for-breaking-in-a-new-it-staff-member/2807?tag=nl.e101

Increased hiring activity is showing up in all industries and across Canada, according to The Bagg Group staffing service, which has seen a 25-per-cent increase in manager and director searches this fall compared with last year.

TBG VPs Jackie Chua and Joanne Boucher are quoted in the Globe and Mail‘s review of management-level hiring trends, October 28, 2011.

Read the full article:  Executive Recruiting Picks Up as Confidence Returns 2011 October

One of the biggest obstacles when job-hunting is sticking with your plan to keep looking. 

At last count, in the US, there were an estimated 4.9 million workers who have simply given up and stopped looking for employment.  It’s a different story in Canada as our economy did not take as strong a hit as that of our neighbor to the south.  But that doesn’t mean those who are looking to find employment in the GTA don’t get discouraged as well.

If you stop looking for a job, all you’ve got working for you is chance.  It’s possible you’ll get a call out of the blue.  But keeping your fingers-crossed is not really an effective strategy for success.

So what can you do when you feel like stopping all efforts to find a job and turning on the TV instead?   The recruiters at The Bagg Group recommend using the buddy system.

There is scientific reason why working on a goal, with a partner, helps keep you on track.  According to studies done at the University of Tokyo, it physically reduces stress hormones.  According to studies at the University of Indiana, it increases commitment.   That’s reason enough to give the buddy system a try, and here are some tips from The Bagg Group recruiters on how to do it.  

• Pick a buddy:  It’s ideal if you know someone who is looking for work in a different field than you so you don’t feel you are competing.  But you don’t need to buddy with another job-hunter, anyone who you respect who has a goal they want to meet can be helpful. 
• Set a weekly plan together:  Meet regularly, but stick to an agenda.  This meeting is your opportunity to review what you have done to date to meet your goals, what has been working and what hasn’t, and what you plan to do in the next week. 
• Consider sending each other daily plans:  This is effective for two reasons.

1. It forces you to sit down every morning and make a list of what you would like accomplish by day’s end.  Working for a set list helps keeps you focused and gives you an important sense of achievement.
2. When you send your list to someone, you feel more motivated to do what you said you would.  If you know your buddy will email you at the end of the day to ask if you got through your list, you will be more driven to get things done so you can reply, YES.

 At The Bagg Group, recruiters have placed thousands of people successfully in full-time placements, contract work, and temporary placements.  That’s why we know persistence pays off.  And we also know that sometimes when you are walking a path and the going gets tough, it helps to have someone walking alongside to keep you moving forward no matter what.  

Geoff Bagg, President and CEO of The Bagg Group, recently faced the million dollar question when interviewed on Sun TV. 

What does it take to get a job nowadays?

Geoff’s answer came as a surprise to many.   While most assume you need a great resume to land a job, Geoff emphasized it’s not what is on paper that is the most important thing, it’s what is on your mind.  

To get a job you need the right “mindset” he said.  That’s a fact, based on the experiences of the The Bagg Group, which has placed more than 57, 000 people successfully over 40 years.

In the interview on The Roundtable with host Pat Bolland, Geoff was clear.  Mindset, he said, doesn’t replace a job-search plan.   However, it is what you need to make your job hunt successful.  Without the right mindset, you won’t make the cut, no matter how great your resume.

So what is mindset?   It’s an attitude that determines how you view and respond to situations.  The good news is that the right attitude will give you an advantage over the competition. And the better news is mindset is something that every job-seeker can control.

Before meeting with people, you can take a minute and make a very deliberate decision to project enthusiasm and curiousity, or anger and bitterness, says Stanford University professor Carol Dweck.

A few years ago,  Carol Dweck wrote a popular called Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.  The book identified two types of mindset:

1. The fixed mindset.  You have a fixed mindset if you believe whatever skills or talents you have today are all you will ever have.  Your thoughts are carved in stone. You don’t believe in potential or in change.  What you lack, you think you will always lack.  And you do not hold out hope that your situation, or other people, will truly improve.

2.     The growth mindset.  You have a growth mindset if you believe that you can learn from any situation, good or bad, and that success comes as a result of effort, learning and persistence.  It is within your reach. 

At The Bagg Group, recruiters note that whether you are looking for a full-time position in the GTA, contract work or temporary placement, if you have a growth mindset, you’ll make the right impression.

As Geoff said in speaking with Pat Bolland: “A lot of people don’t realize that almost everyone is out of work at some point.”  Not having a job, he continued, doesn’t mean you are not a successful person, it simply means, for whatever reason, you have come to a time when you need to find a new opportunity for yourself. 

When you recognize you are in a period of growth and learning, you are ready to send out your resume and speak with anyone about your future.

To see the interview with Geoff Bagg on what you need to succeed, click here. 

Where: The Bagg Group Markham Branch
3000 Steeles Avenue East, Suite 100, Markham, ON

When: Monday, October 3, 2011, 9:00am – 4:00pm.

We are recruiting for our Markham and East Scarborough clients for Customer Service Positions in the Financial Services industry and the Municipal Government.

Positions Available: Long-term and short-term temporary positions.

Pay Rates: Starting at $14.00/ hr

Experience Required:
- Previous Call Centre  / Customer Service experience
- Excellent communication skills
- Proficiency within a Windows environment

Bring your resume, SIN card and 2 references.

We look forward to meeting you!

THE BAGG GROUP
www.bagg.com

TBG’s President, Geoff Bagg, will be the featured interview on SunTV’s The Roundtable at approximately 8:40am on Wednesday, September 28. 

The topics to be addressed  include:
 
1) We are experiencing poor economic times with lots of people out of work. What can they be doing to improve their chances of finding a job?

2) What kinds of things can people do to make sure they retain their current job?

3) How can employers make sure they retain their staff?

4) The labor market in general and compared to that in the US.

Be sure to tune in!

Industrial and Warehouse employees needed!

We are currently holding an Open House for the following positions and have immediate openings for qualified candidates.

Forklift operators, Raymond Reach and Counterbalance
General labour and light industrial
Machine operators
Shipper receivers

When: Tuesday August 16 and Wednesday August 17
Time: 9am-3pm
Where: The Bagg Group – 30 Eglinton Avenue West, Suite 812, Mississauga

Shifts: Days and afternoons and night shifts are available

Please bring the following in order to register:

Your resume
Identification
Forklift operators must also bring their forklift licence.

We look forward to meeting you!

Picture this: An IT manager and his boss are interviewing a promising candidate.  As the manager provides some background on the IT department, his boss rolls her eyes and says, “For heaven’s sake, get to the point, nobody has all day to listen to this.”   

And with just that one sentence, a good candidate may be ready to speed out the door.   

Some might grumble that the candidate is too easily scared away.  But not so.  According to studies, research on the effects of rudeness in the workplace shows that it negatively affects those who observe it as much as those who are a target of it.  

Second-hand rudeness is not unlike second-hand smoke, it can harm everyone in the room.  And candidates interviewing for full-time positions, contract work or even temporary placements seek out healthier environments.

A few years ago, management professors at University of Florida carried out an extensive study on rudeness.  They found when employees just observed a boss browbeating a subordinate, their level of performance decreased.  The study concluded: “Simply observing discourteous behavior can erode the ability of fellow employees to think creatively, solve problems and act as team players.” 

At The Bagg Group, we have 40 years of helping clients at the best companies across the GTA interview the top talent that we refer to them.   When our clients set up interview panels, we offer these suggestions. 

Have a game plan:  Before the interview, all those in the room should be clear about who will ask which questions, and who is tasked to give what information.  Everyone should be aware of the length of time allotted for the interview. 

The reality is you may be unable to quell the rudeness of an abrasive boss or colleague.  But with a game plan, they will know what to expect and can decide when to come and go during the interview if they are impatient to be doing other things.  

Give interviewees a heads up:  Candidates want to prepare for interviews.  It is helpful to alert them ahead of time if they’ll be meeting with a number of people, and to give them the names and roles of each person.  Like any business meeting, people want to know who will be at the table before they walk through the door.  

Role model:  At The Bagg Group, we hold a long track record for great placements.  That’s because we never forget that a good fit isn’t just about getting someone with the right skills.   

The person also needs the right disposition for the relationship to be successful.  The way the members of your panel interact gives the candidate a sense of how people work with each other at your organization, and whether your company’s inter-personal dynamics are right for them.

While the Donald Trump blunt style of leadership may result in good ratings for The Apprentice, it wouldn’t do much for attracting and retaining great talent in the GTA.  

Browbeating just doesn’t help with the bottom line.  As management professor Amir Erez who co-authored the study simply says, “ Being nice to people has a lot of advantages.”