February 2010 « Laufer and Associates

Can you smell it? I think spring is in the air – either that, or the longer days are giving me that impression. With the longer sunshine hours every day, it seems as if our nation's collective spirit is also rising – there are more jobs, there's a greater sense of urgency in hiring, and I get the sense that folks just want to get over this long, dark phase. Fortunately, here in the northeast, our job market has not been as depressed as other regions around the country; we are hearing more stories of candidates receiving multiple offers and counter offers. Now may be the time to dust off that resume plant those seeds for your new spring career!

Combining Professional Skills with Personal Passion
Sucess Story: Kristin Famighetti

I am thrilled to have recently begun my new position. After deciding to leave my last job at Lesley University, I took a six month sabbatical before beginning my job "hunt". I spent these months increasing my volunteer work at a variety of children's charities and enjoyed the impact I made during this time.

I was very fortunate to connect with Julie Laufer in early January. She believed that this position at a nationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to improving education options for children would be a fantastic fit for me. After researching the company I was very excited about this opportunity. Julie guided me through the interview process by setting clear goals and keeping me well informed throughout the journey.

I felt like I was made a priority and that Laufer and Associates truly worked to get me my desired results. I am so fortunate to be in a position that combines my professional skills with my personal passion and I owe it all to Laufer and Associates! ~Kristin Famighetti

Finding the Perfect Match
Jamie Kimball, Our Featured Temp

I would like to thank the staff (especially my recruiter Kelly Shalk!) at Laufer and Associates for placing me in my current position.

Kelly took the time to listen and understand not only what I was looking for professionally but who I am as a person and was able to find a "perfect match." The staff at Laufer and Associates are always available to answer any questions that I have and I find everyone that I have had contact with to be pleasant, courteous and just overall friendly.

I have recommended Laufer to everyone I know who is looking for a job. In these tough economic times, Laufer and Associates is a great resource to have on your side. ~ Jamie Kimball

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!:
State of the Union Address

On Wednesday evening, January 27, President Barack Obama gave his first State of the Union address. He touched on many of the issues facing America, such as the two wars, health care reform, and the national deficit. His main focus, as Tom Foreman, political correspondent for CNN so eloquently states, was "creating jobs, jobs, jobs."

Throughout his speech President Obama made it clear the job creation was his administration's top priority. He outlined several measures, including tax credits for businesses who hire or increase wages and funding several infrastructure and development programs. He wants to increase America's exports and fund research and development for "clean energy," and "green jobs."

All these programs and proposals are aimed at helping "Main Street," or middle class America. As the official White house blogs puts it, President Obama is "putting Washington at the service of the middle class."

The President was vocal about needing these changes sooner rather than later. "I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay," Obama said Wednesday night.

What does all this mean for the average American? Well, if he delivers on his promises, jobs, jobs, jobs!

Last year President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. One of the main goals of the act was to create jobs.&nbs
; According to official government statistics at Recovery.govMassachusetts alone has created 9,227 with money from the act . While it's difficult to pin down an exact number of jobs created by the act, it's estimated that there have been 595,263 jobs have been created. With those numbers, it's safe to say this act has had a substantial impact on our economy.

Among other things the act gave $80.9 billion to building up infrastructure, $61.3 billion towards energy, which includes the "clean energy" jobs the President spoke of in his address, and $8.9 billion to scientific research. All these areas, along with health care and education that also got a boost in spending from the act, directly create jobs.

In 2010 Obama wants a "jobs bill," something akin to the Recovery Act, but more focused on job creation, rather than the entire economy. The supply of funds and tax cuts for businesses, in addition to government jobs, will bring in more jobs, which is sorely needed. Based on the trends of the funds from the Recovery Act, we are headed in the right direction.

What does all this mean for those of you working with Laufer and Associates? We are seeing an increase in job orders, not all of which are listed here, or on our public site; we suggest that this may be the time to dust off your resume and start considering your next growth strategy and how our team can help you to put this in action! Email anyone of our recruiters today to learn more.

Read the official White House blog of the speech here CNN's breakdown of the address here Tthe full transcript of the 2010 State of the Union is available here And a great Wikipedia article on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Acto of 2009 is here

Interview Tips!

In every interview there are a few questions that invariably come up. One of the more sensitive ones, and one that we've been asked advice on more that any other, is the "current salary" question. There is always a little room to beef up your resume, and you should, but does the same holds true when it comes to divulging your current salary. Is it best to fluff your figure a bit to be in line with the range of a potential position? Or, is it best to just give the exact figure?

Honesty is the best, and only, policy.

Being as accurate about this data as possible is important, since companies often hire background check companies to verify these details. Salary range is assessed by a number of factors: geographic location of the company, industry, "all-in" compensation, meaning: is there a bonus or commission thrown into the package; then, of course, candidate and market desirability – how many other companies want what you bring to the table? In this market, everything is tight, but companies still winnow through the dross to find the gold — and PAY for it!

So don't let your current low income dissuade you from shooting higher. Just state your need to make a move when the question comes up!

Don't Forget about our Referral Program

The rules are simple. Tell everyone you know about Laufer and Associates and have them view our website and contact us directly, or provide us with the names of qualified professionals. Once a person whom you have referred works as a temporary employee or gets placed permanently by Laufer and Associates at a client company, you will receive the cash amount listed below.

$100 Permanent Bonus — You are eligible for our $100 Referral Bonus if Laufer and Associates place your referral in a permanent position. Referral must stay employed in position for the length of our guarantee period, commonly 90 days.

$100 Temporary Bonus – You are eligible for our $100 Referral Bonus if Laufer and Associates place your referral in a temporary position. Referral must work as a temporary employee for at least 1,000 hours to qualify. There is no limit to the number of employees you may refer.

We love hearing feedback and stories from past and present candidates; please email them to [email protected].

Our experience has also taught us that great candidates often know other great candidates, so be sure to take advantage of our referral bonus program.

Sincerely,

Ellinor Chandler
Laufer and Associates