How to Choose the Right Temporary Labour Agency

Hiring a temporary labour agency is a great idea because it will provide your company with a number of benefits, including the elimination of recruitment and payroll, which are often a hassle to deal with. This will allow you to focus on projects that matter but in order for the agency to be helpful, you must choose the right one so that your organization runs smoothly and the following tips will help ensure you make the right choice:

Ask about their area of focus

Some agencies focus on general staffing, which is useful for companies that have a range of different positions but if you need to fill a specific one, you need to ensure you choose a field-specific employment agency. This will allow them to find employees with a specialization and will generally focus on one area. If you are in the construction industry, for example, you need to work with a firm that has an understanding of the processes involved in this field so that they can hire the right person with the skills you require to satisfy your company’s requirements.

Focus on their reputation

This is an aspect you need to research because it will say a lot about their professionalism and abilities. Examining their client base is ideal because you will be able to see whether or not the agency has long-standing clients, which is a great indication of a good reputation. Ask about the kinds of projects or companies they have provided the labour supply for so that you can see whether or not their skills would apply to you.

Look into their hiring practice and their recruitment process

Agencies have different hiring processes and some may use a computer-based screening method while others complete in-person interviews, so check to see if their practices align with your needs. The process can indicate how well a temporary employee will fit in your company and for this reason, it is important to consider this aspect.

Communication

This is a key aspect of your selection process, so make sure you look into this before hiring an agency. You don’t have to be informed of every little step regarding the hiring process but you should also not be left out of it completely, so ask questions during the consultation phase to see how well the agency responds. Transparency is very important and the way they answer your questions will indicate the type of service you will receive, so if you feel as though their communication skills are lacking, that agency may not be the best choice.

Trades Labour Corporation is one of the top employment agencies and can help you find or fill whatever position you are after. We have access to all of the jobs that are hiring in the Auburn, Seattle, Surrey, Vancouver, Saskatchewan and Winnipeg areas. If you want to team up with a recruiting agency you can trust, give us a call now!

5 Ways to Stay Organized and be Efficient During Your Job Search

how to Stay Organized and be Efficient During Your Job Search

Generally speaking, you’re not going to be applying to only one or two jobs at a time unless you feel absolutely certain that you are going to be successful in those applications, which will rarely ever happen for most positions. As a result, you’re going to have a lot of jobs to keep track of, and it might feel overwhelming remembering where you applied and when. We’re only human, we shouldn’t be expected to keep all of that knowledge in our heads on top of everything else we need to keep track of on a daily basis. It simply won’t happen, and you will forget to do things if you don’t get organized, which will result in lost opportunities.

Here are five good ways to ensure you are on top of your job searches, and following up with each potential employer in a swift and logical manner.

1. Keep an Application Log

There are a wide variety of digital tools available to keep track of information. Having a record of all your applications and their statuses can be very helpful to ensure you are on top of them. If you haven’t heard from a company for a while, your spreadsheet should allow you to reference when you applied, what website it was on, the job title, and a link to the job description. Extra points for copying the descriptions to secure them in case they get taken down.

These logs are not just useful for keeping track of your in-progress applications. If you get to the interview stage and more information becomes available (ie: the hiring manager’s name and contact information, salary, important dates, etc.), you can also introduce these into the spreadsheet.

While there are a lot of tools that allow you to organize your information, Google Drive and the Google suite of programs allow you to take your information with you. This can prove to be a very useful tool, especially if you get a call on the road.

2. Organize Your Inbox and Files

It’s great that you have started organizing your applications in your new files and spreadsheets, but you still have to keep them organized. You may have different resumes, portfolios, or cover letters for different jobs that you are applying to, which are easier to keep track of in their own folders. It is usually recommended to tailor your resume to each job description, so you may have a resume for each job you apply to. A system that keeps the resumes, cover letters and portfolios together for each job will let you see at a glance what was sent for each position.

Your email inbox is also important to keep track of, as you will likely have receipts and responses for several of your applications. Keeping them in multiple folders like “Applications” or “Interviews” can be very helpful for keeping track of your prospects.

3. Apply Through Company Career Pages

It is a good idea to apply directly to a company through its website, as it will frequently receive less traffic. Some larger companies opt not to post in generic search sites, as they wish to reduce the number of applicants to the select few who are actively seeking them out. This can work to your advantage, as you have fewer applicants vying for the position, while also opening up the possibility of an angle where you express your particular interest in their company.

4. Simplify Your Search

Sometimes you think you want to get any and all jobs out there, but it’s not about how many applications you can send out. Spending more time on fewer applications means that you get some higher quality exposure and make yourself much more marketable in the process.

5. Subscribe to Job Alerts on Job Search Sites and Recruitment Agencies

Job search sites and recruitment agencies are tailor-made to find you available positions that are relevant to you and what you are looking for. With a few simple keywords and filters, you can see every job on the website that fits the criteria.

However, these boards have more to offer than just providing you with a wealth of relevant applications whenever you may want them. You want to know the instant a job goes up so you can apply for it immediately. That’s why job sites have the option to alert you when a new job gets posted under your search criteria, so you can be sure that you are the first one applying to the position.

Trades Labour Corporation is one of these excellent recruitment agencies, allowing you to market yourself to a wide variety of potential employers in the trades who are looking for someone with your talents. We offer employment services in places like Auburn, Seattle, Vancouver, Winnipeg, and many more great locations. Create a profile today and find your employer match today!

6 Reasons To Hire Temporary Staff

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With an ever-increasing need for flexibility, temporary staffing is quickly becoming the go-to for a growing number of workplaces. More people are connected to the global network than ever before, and with accessible, faster connection speeds comes the advent of increased outreach. Finding an eager pool of candidates has never been easier, making temporary staffing a much more manageable and sustainable process.

We at Trades Labour Corporation make it our job to find you, staff, quickly and effectively, so you can get back to the jobs you need to be done with the right labour in your pocket. Here are six reasons why we believe temporary staff could work for you.

1. Maintaining high morale is important to you

Yes, turnover happens. Sometimes it can be an inevitable and necessary part of the workplace. With the potential for high rates of turnover, core workers might begin to feel concerned about job security if it occurs frequently enough, especially if they end up having to pick up the slack as a result. Temporary contractors can help to alleviate some of this stress and the need for overtime, letting your dedicated workers stay rested and fresh and keeping morale high.

2. You are looking to hire quality long-term employees

It might feel counterintuitive, but temporary staffing has been a proven method to find quality long-term employees. Sometimes it can be difficult to gain a sense for who your new hires are in a short amount of time, and constantly going through the full process of onboarding new employees can waste large amounts of time and money. This method allows you to test your new hires in your workplace, and see if they are a good match for your business. Think of temporary staffing like test driving a car, where you have the option to keep it if you like how it performs.

3. The number of people you need is constantly changing

A large number of companies operate comfortably on a 9-5 schedule on weekdays all year round, but there is also a good number who do not fit that model. If you are a business that depends on seasonal weather, or a certain amount of tourist activity, you will have fluctuating needs for your business.

4. Lots of short-term projects may require specialized temporary work

Consistently hiring staff and laying them off when their expertise is not temporarily needed doesn’t make sense as a model. Many companies in this situation have a list of contractors with specializations who can be hired for a project to get it done quickly and effectively. By hiring temporary workers for projects as needed, you can save yourself a lot of time and paperwork.

5. New projects may require radically different skill sets

Sometimes it can be very difficult to gauge what set of skills you need from your employees from month to month, or year to year. Temporary employees allow you to adapt on-the-fly to the ever-changing needs of new projects without having the pressures of going through a formal hiring process.

6. You always want fresh perspectives and new ideas

Each individual is unique, bringing fresh takes and ideas to a workplace, which could otherwise fall into a routine and produce similar results. New people can spark creativity or find efficiencies that existing employees can’t see, as they had already been a part of the system for too long to see the bigger picture.

Do these sound interesting to you? Trades Labour Corporation can help you find the talents you need, connecting employees and employers across North America, including Auburn, Seattle, Vancouver, Winnipeg, and many more. Register your business today!

Why Temporary Agencies Are Perfect For Events

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Staffing is always a challenge, especially when it comes to annual or semi-annual events. These might include a traditional staff holiday party at the end of the year, or a client appreciation event to give back to your valued patrons. Specialty-trained staff is required to ensure the event runs smoothly, sometimes requiring skill sets that your company is not set up to train. Having a dedicated hospitality department may not make sense for a business with infrequent events, and it can just be a hassle to go through the process of finding qualified candidates using typical traditional hiring methods.

Temporary agencies like Trades Labour Corporation are specifically designed to match the right skill sets with the proper expectations for employers in need. They take much of the added pressure away from finding the right candidates for the job by providing a pool of qualified candidates from which you can choose. These workers have already been trained in their respective fields, not only in terms of their job expertise but in all the health and safety requirements associated with the position. This means you can hit the ground running without the need for potentially lengthy and costly training programs.

In a candidate profile, they can list their expectations for length of employment, anywhere from a single event to an opportunity for longer-term employment. If single events are your focus, this does much of the pre-screening for you and saves you a large amount of time by avoiding going through a lengthy staffing process. Of course, this isn’t limited just to the expected length of employment, there are a large number of filters you can choose from to narrow down your list of candidates to find those who are the right fit for you.

Time is money in the business world, and being able to cut costs on staffing processes can also keep your event budget on track. Using temporary staff not only allows you to save on the process and training but may also save you on salary expectations, as you wouldn’t be hiring someone who may be coming on for a potential “special favour” who might want more for the trouble of being hired for a single-event service. Staffing agencies allow for few surprises, minimal negotiations, and expectations laid out from the get-go on both sides of the offer table.

Since we have established how temporary staff can make any event easy, you can now be much more flexible when planning your events. This method can shave off several months in the planning phase, which might allow for more spontaneous pop-up events that could allow you to address a relevant topic that appears in the news.

For any of your pressing staff requirements, Trades Labour Corporation can help you find the talents you need for all of your events. We connect employees and employers across North America, in prime locations like Auburn, Seattle, Vancouver, Winnipeg, and many more. Register your business today, and see what temporary staffing can do for you!

Three Steps to a Successful Job Search

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Searching for jobs is one of the most stressful parts of adult life. It can seem incredibly tedious, from crafting individual resumes to applying across hundreds of postings to endless rejections waiting for that one potential acceptance. However, job searching isn’t impossible. Keeping yourself proactive, professional, and positive gives you a decent head start in the whole endeavour; it’s also a process of self-discovery and a way to develop a strong professional network that can help in the long run. Here are three key areas to focus on when it comes to a successful job search.

Proactivity is Key

It’s not a good idea to just wait for job postings. Come up with a list of companies you’re interested in and reach out to them, inquiring about any potential employment opportunities. Outlining your interest in the company and the value you can have via a well-crafted email can go far.

Make Connections

Having contacts within organizations is incredibly useful and can propel your resume to the head of the pack before anyone posts online. Networking isn’t limited to traditional networking events; you can just as easily email a decision maker and request an informational meeting.

If it’s accepted, be prepared! Do plenty of research and have key questions ready to go. Even if you don’t immediately get a job, you’ll still have made a strong connection. If a job pops up, you’ll already be well on your way.

Recruitment Agencies

Given that networking can be a difficult thing to develop, recruiting agencies are incredibly useful tools with their own established networks and opportunities that aren’t often available publicly. Not only is it another search angle, but the right agency can also present you with roles aligned to what you’re looking for and what you can offer a company.

Trades Labour Corporation has provided advanced, industry-leading solutions for job seekers and employers for over 20 years. Although their head office is based in Vancouver, TLC provides job solutions to seekers and employers across Canada and the United States as one of the foremost recruiting and employment agencies for the trades job market; whether you’re in Seattle, Saskatchewan, or Winnipeg, TLC can help you find success. We’re the only owner-operated staffing source for daily or weekly blue-collar workers and TLC is committed to providing temporary, contract, or permanent staffing solutions. We find you the right staff or job solution for your area of expertise or to expand on your skills. From referrals and placements to payrolling services and work safe premiums, Trades Labour Corporation is your go-to agency.

How To Elevate The Candidate Experience

Salaries, benefits and holidays are all important in attracting candidates for new job positions; however, there is more to the process these days. Candidates that are in-demand will also look into the culture of the company and will be interested to learn about positive employee experiences. Your employee hiring process will be your first opportunity to make a good impression, so you need to focus on elevating the candidates’ experience to get them to want to join your team and your company.

It’s very important that you create a positive experience during your hiring process because this will convince a top candidate that your company is the one they should join because it is the right fit. A negative experience will do the opposite and turn them away, which will push them into accepting another offer.

In order not to lose top candidates, you need to improve and elevate their experience during the hiring process and the following tips will help:

Communicate

This is a very important aspect because clear communication is key and it is an essential component to a positive hiring experience. You need to provide the candidate with as much information as possible so that they understand how the process works and the elements that set you apart from other companies they may be considering.

Make sure you’re flexible

A lot of applicants continue working while going to interviews and attending multiple interviews may be hard. Showing the candidate that you value their time will be greatly appreciated and you can demonstrate this by being flexible and working with them to accommodate their schedule. This will show that you care and will also provide insight regarding how you treat your employees. It is a great way of demonstrating your willingness to work with employees to resolve conflicts.

Act fast

If there is a candidate that stands out and you are interested in extending them an offer, do not wait. Hesitation will cost you because it is a competitive market out there and time always matters. Remember that a verbal offer does not count and a physical offer is what will actually seal the deal.

Be honest

Some candidates may not be right for the job at the moment but may be perfect for another role down the line. Decline candidates in a timely manner and provide your feedback so that they understand why the position is not being offered to them. Your honesty will ensure that their impression of your company and hiring process is a positive one, which is very important because word spreads fast.

Trades Labour Corporation is an employment agency that can help you find your dream job. If you are looking for employment and searching through jobs in the Northwestern USA, near Seattle, Auburn and Tacoma we can help. We can also help you get working near most Canadian major cities, including Victoria, Vancouver, Surrey, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto and more.

Does Your Resume Pass The Skim Test?

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If you are planning on applying for a job, you should know that recruiters spend an average of about six seconds per resume the first time they pass through them. This information may affect your motivation; however, it’s important to understand that the skim test is only the first round of cuts and your goal should be to make it into the pile of resumes that earn a pass. These are the resumes that hiring managers are going to look at in more detail and it is at this stage that the real evaluation of your qualifications will start.

Passing the skim test is the most challenging part, but the following tips will help your resume pass the initial elimination round:

Separate information using bullets and headers

Large paragraphs are often harder to read because the human eye cannot process them as quickly, so make sure you separate sections on your resume with clear headers that communicate the information that will follow. Use bulleted lists wherever possible to highlight your skills and other important information.

List your strongest qualifications on the first half of the page

Optimize this space by listing the information that will make recruiters want to continue reading your resume. Whether it’s your last role or a list of certifications, make sure you list your best skills first because this will grab the recruiter’s attention.

Don’t include unnecessary information

If there is information that is not relevant, eliminate it from your resume. It’s important to show off your experience and qualifications but if the roles are not relevant to the job you’re applying for, it is a waste to include it and will make your resume unnecessarily long. Outdated volunteering or community experience and achievements dating back to high school should be eliminated, for example.

Make sure your resume is one page

It can be two pages if it’s absolutely necessary but anything more is not a good sign and will indicate that you have included a lot of outdated and unnecessary information. If your resume is longer than two pages, review it thoroughly to see where you can make some cuts.

Make sure you stick to a format that is simple and clean

Being creative will not set your resume apart and a font that is easy to read is always preferred. Handwriting and cursive fonts should be avoided at all costs and only use one or two accent colours at most so that your resume is easy to read. Do not include images and include white space so that your resume is not overcrowded.

Trades Labour Corporation is one of the leading recruiting agencies and knows about all of the jobs that are hiring in the Auburn, Seattle, Vancouver, Surrey, Saskatchewan and Winnipeg areas. If you are looking for employment in these areas and want to land your dream role, our agency can help, so contact us today!

Three Common Interview Mistakes And What You Can Do To Avoid Them

Temp Agency Vancouver

The job search can often be a complicated, extensive journey. Although the ultimate objective is to be hired, just being invited to a job interview is a significant feat. Transitioning from being a job applicant to a job candidate can be both exciting and overwhelming. That is often why some job candidates accidentally besmirch themselves and both their job interviews altogether. Don’t fall into that category of the candidate! Once you score a job interview, it’s important to do everything you can to prepare yourself. That includes learning about which interview mistakes to avoid and what you can do to ensure a successful interview.

Here are some of the three common interview mistakes and what you can do to avoid them.

1. Appearing Uninterested and Unprofessional

This one seems like a no-brainer, however, many job candidates make the mistake of appearing dull, spiritless and uninterested, even if that is not the case. Employers have no patience or time for interviewees that express their disinterest in the process, even if you do so unintentionally. Always demonstrate your interest in the business and the job. This requires you to do your research on the company and understand why you want the job. Dress appropriately and presentably, ensure your cell phone is switched off and focus your attention and respect on the interviewer. Ensure you get enough sleep the night before so that you are alert and attentive throughout the interview.

2. Coming Unprepared

It’s no secret that arriving unprepared and late to an interview will likely crush your opportunity of getting hired. Preparation is vital to demonstrate your interest in the job and leave a positive impression on the interviewer. You will also be able to answer questions and ask them more professionally when you are better prepared. Coming prepared to an interview involves the following:

  • Research and Understand Job: Ensure you analyze the job description, including each requirement and how you meet these qualifications. Reflect and write down situations in which you have demonstrated, met and exceeded these job requirements in the event an employer asks you to reflect on your experience. 
  • Have Answers Ready: You can easily Google commonly asked interview questions, especially for the job you’re being interviewed for, and have the answers ready in your head. Take notes of the company’s history, product, services and information, especially if they ask you, which they likely will.

3. Forgetting To Ask For Next Steps

You should never leave the interview with questions about what to expect, how the employer will follow up and the hiring process. Ensure you have answers to these questions as well as the contact information of the employer. Find out who the post-interview contact individual is and how to get in contact with them.

Trades Labour Corporation employment agency servicing most of Canada, Seattle, Auburn and Tacoma makes the job searching process easy and rewarding. We’ve successfully placed thousands of job seekers in full-time positions with some of the country’s top trades employers. Let us help you find the right employment for you! Fill out our employment application here to get started: https://www.tradeslabour.com/resources/TLC_Employment_Application.pdf.

Important COVID-19 Update

The impact of COVID-19 is still being felt by individuals and businesses across the globe. In these extraordinary times, it is heartening to witness the ways we’re coming together as a local and global community to flatten the curve of the virus and protect those at the most risk among us. Let’s all continue to do our part.

With that said, we wanted to provide you with some updates on TLCs latest response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Safety remains our top priority, and we are taking the situation extremely seriously by updating proactive measures to safeguard our employees, their families, you – our valued partners, and our communities.

We continue to modify branch hours, access, limit traffic and so much more. We evaluate the safety of each placement of our workers in all jobs while updating daily our policies based on the latest information available from health and government authorities. Trust that TLC is taking the best courses of action daily that we can to help protect our community, partners, and staff – you have our commitment to maintaining that standard.

We thank you for your patience and understanding, and we look forward to ramping up operations when its safe to do so to meet your needs – lets all hope that is sooner than later. Should you require more information on our response and policies on COVID 19, please contact your local TLC branch for details.

TLC is Staying Connected

TLC’s staff continue to be available for our clients and partners. Despite limiting traffic in our locations, we are still accessible by phone. For less urgent responses, we encourage you to reach your local branch via email.
We wish everyone good health at this time.

Temporary Labour Trends and Beyond — All You Need to Know

Labour trends are always changing and in today’s world, a lot of companies are hiring temporary employees to help with their workforce. Companies are operating on a project-to-project basis and filling in the gaps accordingly. Technology plays a big role in this and most industries are technology-driven, so the demand for specific skills is unpredictable and not always necessary. Certain talents may be required for a particular project but that demand can change once the next project begins, making the process of finding the right candidates challenging.

Many companies are turning to recruitment channels and agencies to help with the issue of talent management. Freelance management systems are being used to build data, which helps them find independent contractors who are looking for temporary work. Firms can use this data and design it in a way that will allow them to automatically search for suitable candidates through freelance management systems. The searches can be based on the project request and will deliver the names of candidates that would be best for that particular job.

Temporary talent is being needed more and more, and many businesses require more workers during specific periods. Their demand could be seasonal and temporary talent can help with the busy periods. Predictive analytics allows enterprises to estimate future demand using past information so they can hire temp talent accordingly and be prepared. Predictive analytics can be used for a number of things, including forecasting future job openings, predicting talent demand, analyzing resources and creating strategies when competing for talent with other companies. Data is a very powerful tool that allows businesses to be better prepared so that they can cater to their labour requirements.

One of the main reasons why companies are turning to managed service providers is because of their ability to receive multiple candidates from several different staffing agencies so that the company does not have to rely on only one agency to find the right candidate for the job. Another advantage of taking this route is the streamlining of recruitment operations. The request from the company will be distributed to multiple agencies but the interaction will be limited to one company, which will increase efficiency in the recruitment process and lead to lower costs.

Recruitment through social media and mobile apps is another popular trend and companies are using these platforms to connect with potential candidates. People are using their mobile devices to search for jobs, so it’s natural for staffing agencies to turn to this medium when it comes to recruitment.

Trades Labour Corporation is a reputable employment agency that specializes in recruiting the perfect candidates for specific jobs. If you’re looking for employment in Canada or the United States and want to know who is hiring, we can help. We are considered one of the best-recruiting agencies, so don’t waste any more time and contact us now!