ABR Blog

Superstars.  Overachievers.  High performers.

Whatever you call them, you know your company’s success depends on hiring and retaining them.  The following list will help you identify what sets the best and brightest apart:

1. They have found their focus.  High performers know their strengths and have found an expression for their talents in the workplace.
2. They are forward-thinkers – about projects and their own careers.  To thrive, they need to know how what they’re doing now will impact the future.
3. They are accurate appraisers – of peers, projects, and themselves.  They can spot talent in co-workers and chinks in their competitor’s armor.  Likewise, they recognize their own weaknesses and strive to improve them.
4. They are self-managers.  Research has shown that high performers consciously apply a systematic approach to every project they tackle.  This disciplined approach makes them more organized, productive, and fulfilled.
5. They are intrinsically motivated.  While money is undoubtedly important, high performers are fueled from within.  Their need to attain personal and organizational goals is often as great a reward as compensation.
6. They are optimistic.  High performers see the glass as half-full.  They tend to treat obstacles and setbacks on the job as temporary and therefore surmountable.
7. They respect other high performers.  Rather than focusing on hierarchy, high achievers operate within a society of mutual respect.  As a result, they will lend a hand to others with talent and help them flourish.
8. They are results-oriented.  These individuals won’t sit quietly and do a job just because they’re told to.  Top performers need to know how their efforts affect the organization’s “big picture,” and measure their efforts in terms of bottom-line results.
9. They take risks.  “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” is a personal mantra among high performers.  They do their homework, accept change easily, and are calculated risk-takers.

ABR Employment’s staffing professionals are experts at identifying high achievers who will perform well in your organization.  We offer a variety of recruiting and staffing services to deliver the best and brightest for you.

Congratulations – you’ve been invited in for an interview with a great employer.  This opportunity really has potential, and you want to nail the interview.  Now what?  Review this list of tips to make sure you have all your bases covered:

• Revisit your resume.  Make sure you know dates of employment, responsibilities, professional accomplishments, etc. for each position.
• Practice your answers to common interview questions, enlisting a friend’s help if necessary.  Common questions include:

           – How would you describe yourself?

           – What is your greatest strength/weakness?

           – How do you define success?

           – Why do you want to work here?

           – Why should we hire you?

• Conduct a self-assessment.  Make sure you can clearly communicate your current skills, strengths, weaknesses, motivations, interests and work values.
• Go online or visit the local library to learn all you can about the company’s mission statement, financials, organizational structure, products and services – so you can speak intelligently about them during the interview.
• Bring along extra digital and paper copies of your resume.
• Select an appropriate outfit, bearing in mind both the position and corporate culture – then dress one notch above what would be expected.  When in doubt, go with a business suit.
• Call a day or two ahead of time to confirm directions, parking, interview time and interviewers’ names.
• Do a practice run to make sure you know the route.  See how long it takes to drive there, factoring in rush hour traffic if applicable.
• Prepare a list of professional and personal references.
• Bring along breath mints, a small note pad and a pen – just in case.
• A day or two after the interview, drop off hand-written thank you notes to each person who interviewed you, thanking them for their time and emphasizing your specific qualifications for the position.

Share Your Experience

What interview questions have stumped you?  We’d like to know.  Leave your comment below, or contact us via e-mail.

Need More Interviewing Help?

We at ABR Employment Services want to do all we can to help you land the perfect opportunity.  If you need assistance or would like additional resources to help hone your interviewing skills, please contact us directly.

Just as you’d prepare a list of questions to interview a job applicant, you should also take the time to interview a potential staffing provider.  When selecting an agency, the American Staffing Association recommends that you consider several factors.  The following list will help you choose the right staffing firm for your needs:

1. Reliability.  Is the company well-established with a good reputation in the community?
2. Recruiting.  Is the agency’s recruiting program aggressive?  What kind of database does it maintain?
3. Testing.  What are the company’s testing and evaluation requirements?
4. Retention Programs.  How long do employees stay with the company?  If the company retains employees for a long time, you’re more likely to be sent qualified workers when you need them.
5. Professional Permanent Staff.  How experienced are the company’s permanent staff members?
6. Knowledge of Your Needs.  When you talk with the staff, do you feel confident that they truly understand your needs?
7. Prompt Service.  How quickly can they fill your needs?
8. Quality Control.  What type of quality control procedures are in place?  Does the company check back after your order has been filled?
9. Insurance Protection.  Do they have adequate insurance to protect you against workers’ compensation claims and other problems that might arise?
10. Guarantees.  Does the company offer any type of guarantee?  What happens if you are dissatisfied?

Now it’s our turn to ask you a question:  What is the most important factor you consider when selecting a staffing service?  You may leave your comment below, or contact us via e-mail.  The more we at ABR Employment know about your needs, the better equipped we’ll be to meet them.