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News & Events Archived News Staffing Insider President's Blog News & Events Staffing Insider Our Leadership Team Privacy Policy AODA Guide Login	News & Events Check back often for news about the Canadian employment market, upcoming events, and other interesting features! Proudly recruiting Canada's Workforce Design Group staffing feature in the Financial Post- November 16, 2011 Proudly Canadian, Design Group Staffing Inc. has contributed to the success of Canadian job seekers and Canadian business since 1976. The Design Group Staffing team of over 300 staffing professionals has earned a reputation for helping Canada work. Click here for the full article Internet Job Boards - Friend or Foe? By Steve Jones, CPC. March 11, 2010 for Working.com Photograph by: Handout, ACSESS The Internet and job boards have given you and the rest of the entire world an equal ability to discover and apply for all the same jobs. The Internet and job boards have given you and the rest of the entire world an equal ability to discover and apply for all the same jobs. Technology makes it easier for the qualified and the unqualified to clutter the field making it more difficult for you to stand out from the crowd. Understanding Internet job board technology can give you the upper hand when developing your resume and employment application strategy. Here are a few quick tips that will increase your job board application results: Tip #1 - Resume Key Words Most employers use indexed database technology where the words and phrases contained within your resume are stored and then searchable within the database. It is very important that your resume contains the words and phrases that an employer will likely use in their resume searching and filtering process. For example, you may have had the title of "Product Support Specialist" in a call centre for an electronics company. If your job search is focused around customer interaction then the words "Customer Service", "Call Centre", "Client Support", "Inbound" and "CSR" are common words and expressions that might work for you. On the other hand, if your career objective is more technically focused than people focused then you should shift the emphasis of words in your resume to describe the specific products and technologies that you are familiar with. You already have the headings in your resume like “Career Objective”, “Education” and “Career History” so why not include a heading called “Key Words” then list a set of key words that might match common words used by employers when using a database search engine. Tip #2 - .doc File Format Employers use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to store and sort the resumes and applications they receive. Most ATS are capable of handling Microsoft word .doc file formats but many have difficulty handling resumes in other formats such as PDF, .docx, wpd, html and other standards. These formats may have their advantages but not when attaching your resume to an on-line application form. If the words and phrases within your resume cannot be extracted by the employer’s applicant tracking software then you run the risk of never being noticed by a real person. Always submit your resume in the world's most common format. Tip #3 - Follow Up The biggest problem with on-line systems is the lack of human interaction. In the end, people will hire people to work with other people. Do your research and figure out who the human resources or hiring manager is and then send them a personal note pointing out that you have applied on-line. Include a professional letter that contains information that will motivate them to bypass the computer sorting process and go directly to your application. Try to make contact in person, over the phone or by email. We frequently hear people talk about how lucky or unlucky they are in their job search. Luck has nothing to do with it. Remember that the smarter you work, the luckier you'll get. The People Bank is an active member of ACSESS, the Association of Canadian Search Employment and Staffing Services and Steve Jones is President of both The People Bank and ACSESS. You can read this and other articles on Steve's blog, *Staffing Leadership.* ACSESS Launches New Economic Indicator Source: ACSESS News and Press MISSISSAUGA, ON, March 8 /CNW/ - The Association of Canadian Search, Employment & Staffing Services (ACSESS) in conjunction with independent research firm Staffing Industry Analysts, has released a ground breaking index that tracks temporary employment across Canada. ACSESS believes there is a close correlation between staffing industry performance and the state of the economy, which means this index could provide a "near real time" indication of how the Canadian economy is performing. Initial data covered the period July 2008 through December 2009, and monthly reports are being compiled commencing in 2010. Using July 2008, prior to the recession, as the benchmark index of 100 the following are some interesting findings: The Canadian Staffing Index continued to rise, cresting in October 2008 at a reading of 107 suggesting growth in the Canadian Staffing Industry of another 7% between July 2008 and October 2008. The recession started to impact Canadian Staffing Companies after this period resulting in a low reading of 65 in May 2009. This represents a 35% drop in revenues in the Canadian staffing industry. Since May 2009 there has been a steady, but slow recovery in revenues up until November 2009, when there was a small reversal from a reading of 78 in October to 77 in November, possibly caused by the introduction of Bill 139 in Ontario and its negative impact on employment. December continued the downward trend to a reading of 74 but this would likely be a seasonal adjustment based upon people working less hours due to the holiday period. As of December 2009 the index suggests Canadian staffing companies are still 26% below the benchmark July 2008 numbers (31% below the October high). This suggests a recovery is underway but, in line with other thinking, it is a slow and steady recovery. About the Canadian Staffing Index Each month's index data is collected and compiled by Staffing Industry Analysts, the premier research and analysis firm covering temporary employment and the contingent workforce. The data is provided by a representative number of Canadian staffing companies providing services in provinces across the country. The data is collected on a monthly basis, with the initial data capture going back to July 2008, providing real historical insight into the Canadian staffing landscape. The data sample collected is based on hours worked by temporary employees and is not seasonally adjusted. In the July 2008 benchmark month, the data represented more than 30,000 individuals employed as temporary employees across Canada. ACSESS believes that this "real data" supports U.S. evidence that the Staffing Industry is a barometer of economic performance, and will provide information for economists, politicians, analysts, researchers and journalists in addition to members of the staffing industry. Currently the data is available for the months July 2008 (the benchmark month) through to December 2009. Monthly updates will follow. About ACSESS ACSESS is the single voice for promoting best practices and ethical standards for the recruitment, employment and staffing services industry in Canada. For more information visit: www.acsess.org About Staffing Industry Analysts Staffing Industry Analysts is the premier research and analysis firm covering temporary employment and the contingent workforce. Known for its independent and objective insights, the company's proprietary research, data, support tools, publications, and executive conferences provide a competitive edge to decision-makers who supply and buy temporary staffing. In addition to temporary staffing, Staffing Industry Analysts also covers these related staffing service sectors: third-party placement, outplacement, and staff leasing (PEOs). Founded in 1989, the company is headquartered in Los Altos, California. For more information visit: www.staffingindustry.com. To download the Index, click here. Labour Force Survey The results of the February 2010 Labour Force Survey have been released. According to Statistics Canada, Employment rose by 21,000 in February, with large gains in full-time work partly offset by losses in part time. Unemployment fell 0.1 percentage points to 8.2%. Download the pdf version of the release here. Design Group Staffing's Platinum Membership of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies Design Group Staffing is once again proud to be a Platinum Member of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies. The platinum member designation is awarded to companies who win the Best Managed award for at least six consecutive years. This is a testament to the commitment of Design Group’s Staffing's personnel to staying on course during these difficult economic times, by providing excellent customer service, coupled with the unwavering dedication of its employees to mutual cooperation. The designation recognizes privately-owned Canadian companies that have been leaders in maintaining healthy and profitable client relationships by way of exceptional internal management and business strategy. Design Group was first awarded this status in 1999. It achieved Platinum Member recognition in 2005 for six consecutive years of inclusion in the 50 Best Managed Companies list and has continued to receive this status every year since. Mike Duff, President and CEO of Design Group Staffing, believes the 50 Best program is probably the most prestigious award a company can win. “What makes it unique is that it recognizes people throughout the organization – not just any one individual. For us, it is recognition of the caliber of people in our organization, the loyalty we’ve established with our customers and our ability to execute our plans.” The People Bank Halifax has moved! The People Bank Halifax moved to the third floor of the TD Building on Thursday, February 25th. In the heart of downtown Halifax, right across from the Parade Square, our new location offers easy access for visitors and candidates traveling by car and public transit alike. Our spacious new office features a modern boardroom and a state-of-the art assessment and skills upgrading centre. The new address will be: 1791 Barrington St Suite 300 Halifax, NS B3J 3K9 The People Bank is a Proud Sponsor of the Ontario Track 3 Association The People Bank continues its ongoing support and sponsorship of Ontario Track 3 Association for children with disabilities. Steve Jones, President of The People Bank, is the volunteer editor of the new OnTrack magazine supporting alpine sport for children with disabilities and special needs. Read the pdf version here. Fanshaw College HR Scholarhsip Allen Professional Search/The People Bank has created a bursary promoting the Human Resources program at Fanshawe College, London. This bursary will be given to two students at the start of the 2010 academic year and will be matched or doubled by the Ontario Government. Bursary recipients are chosen based upon academic achievements combined with the leadership qualities shown throughout their term in the Human Resources program. The 2010 bursary contribution to Fanshawe College is made in honour of 3M Canada, for the true partnership that exists between 3M and Allen Professional Search/The People Bank. 3M was chosen out of three finalists on the basis of respect for workers, communication between supplier and employees placed, community support, diversity in the workplace and a focus on health and safety. This bursary will be an annual event celebrated each October along with a Client Appreciation Seminar.