Category: Career Center

Being a “Temp” and working for a temp agency can be the perfect answer to your career and personal needs. Sometimes assignments are short or sometimes long term.  It’s an ideal way to pay bills or fill in your resume, while searching for a full time “permanent” job.

What an interesting way to ‘try out’ a position, experience a company’s culture, or experiment a new industry!  Temporary/contract positions can be more flexible than permanent, and the hours are not as restrictive as they are for full time staff.  Do your work and go home.  Enjoy a better work/life balance with a temp agency.

When you arrive, your computer may not even be set up yet.  Stay calm, patient, and professional!  Many clients in New Jersey and other states hire temps to cover for a staff member who is out on vacation or sick leave. 

You’re expected to hit the ground running, but one-on-one training may be limited.  If you don’t know something, ask!  A Supervisor prefers your question, rather than your mistake.  You’re not expected to know each routine or task on day one.

Be noticed as a hard worker and valuable member of the company staff.  Jump into each temp assignment given to you.  Dig in, ask for more, and don’t wait until you’re asked, especially if you spot a task that needs handling.

A temp agency client appreciates an enthusiastic employee!  As you finish an assignment, ask if they need something else, even if it’s outside of your job description.  Remember, you’re probably filling in for an absent staff member; however, they may soon discover a need for someone with your diligence to be added to the staff.

Refrain from complaining to co-workers.  Be friendly and cordial, but not too social.  If you have a concern, call your temp agency.  Your Recruiter is responsible for resolving an issue with the Supervisor on the job.

This is your chance to make a lasting impression on a Supervisor.  Follow these strategies to help you convert to “permanent”, with all of the benefits.

Always remember, “If you’re early, you’re on time.  If you’re on time, you’re late and late is unacceptable.”  Being punctual and on time is a sign of respect for others.  Tardiness is a sign of selfishness, so demonstrate your reliability.

Uniforce, your temp agency headquarters in New Jersey and Florida, wishes you good luck on your next Temp assignment!

Applying for a job is one of the most stressful endeavors, especially in this ever-increasing competitive job market.  So how does one make a resume stand out in the crowd of hundreds of candidates applying for the same job?  Keep in mind the warp speed at which an employment agency reads a resume.  This is truly the chance to shine on a document and take a moment to light your way!

Now is a good time to take advantage and work with an employment agency because of the 50-year low unemployment rate and shortage of unemployed candidates.  An employment agency searches for a well-crafted resume from the most qualified applicant to place at their client.  Recruiters are always open to continually engaging with available employees who are hoping to find a new opportunity.   

How one presents herself on a well-crafted resume will determine the perception of a recruiter at an employment agency.  Remember to highlight technical, customer service, and computer skills as well as work history and important accomplishments.  A recruiter instantly determines whether or not a candidate is qualified for the job.  Use each job description posting as a guide and craft the resume for each position by choosing certain keywords to instantly grab the attention of the recruiter.  Only apply for a job if the entire description has been reviewed.  Imagine the embarrassment when a recruiter calls saying, “Tell me where and when you used this specific skill.”  Suddenly you’re on-the-spot to disclose, “I’m not really familiar with that software”.

With regards to formatting text, choose a basic, simple, and clean font.  Arial and Calibri convert easily from device to device.  Fancy fonts are distracting and messy when transferred.  Keep the information in an easy-to-follow order:

Contact Information – Write your name and use an email address, even if you need to create a new one, which will present yourself as a business professional.  There is no need to include a home address, especially if applying for out-of-area jobs.  If you really want to stand out, include the specific position you’re applying for.  Leave off a photograph; save it for your social media sites.

Summary or Career Objective – Highlight what you will be offering to this company by matching the position you’re applying for, not what you’re looking to do.  You might miss an opportunity by mistakenly appearing to be seeking a completely different position.  Carefully read and review the job posting from the employment agency for relevant experience and skills required.

Skills – List hard key skills first such as technical, computer software competencies.  If a completed up-to-date certification is required for the job, get the original stamped document from the institution.  Even if it isn’t absolutely required – if you list it, present it.  Also, list soft skills such as communication, teamwork, time management, and self-development.

Education – Honesty is the best policy!  If you have graduated with a college degree, it’s usually understood that have a high school degree.  List the degree obtained, field of study, the school, and achievements obtained during your education, if they make sense for your career.

If your college degree is incomplete, list the courses taken.  If you are currently attending classes, write “currently enrolled” and “intended completion date”.  There have been cases where candidates listed the year which they wanted, but did not graduate.  The recruiter from the employment agency requested a completed transcript directly from that college.  When the response is “Sorry, she/he did not graduate,” it can be a disaster.  The hiring process fizzles with the client, as it appeared to be falsification of degree.  

Employment History – List in chronological order each previous employer and include the month/year started and month/year ended, as well as each company’s City/State location.  Avoid the common mistake of using a confusing Job Title that is so specific to a previous employer, but not relevant to the industry.  Intertwine your exceptional communication skills into your past positions, highlighting how you successfully created opportunities to grow with continual learning and joining members of your team for growth opportunities and reaching goals together.

If you were a top performer and were recognized with an award, highlight those meaningful responsibilities and achievements to an employment agency.  Showcase how you were treasured and kept on as a great talent!  If you were internally promoted or moved into other roles within the organization, demonstrate your flexibility and valuable qualities, especially the wish for continual career development. 

Share your tactics of how you improved group performance, helped your employer meet goals, and built a positive work environment for the team.

References – There is no need to list references on the resume.  A recruiter will request them if and when the interview process progresses.  Word to the Wise – never fake them.  A recruiter in an employment agency will call each one for their assessment of your work track record.

Also remember to have someone else review the resume for spelling errors, incorrect punctuation, and grammatical flow, before sending it to an employment agency. 

Start a new journey on your never-ending career path.  You never know where life will take you!

How a New Jersey Temp Agency helped me with my Career Change – from Perfume to People, an HR Manager’s Adventure!

The most common daily questions we get from callers are: “How do I switch my career?”, “I lost my job and I don’t know what else I can do” or “I want to explore my options and see what else is out there”.  Throughout our working years, we sometimes find ourselves in a role where we feel stuck, confused, or unsatisfied for so many different reasons.  For some, it’s the corporate culture, the commute, the hours, the boss, the department, the plane, train, or automobile travel for work, etc.  Sometimes we just wish to try out something new!  Why not?!  Hold on… the idea of starting a new career can feel daunting, like “Where do I begin, who do I call”?

A well established New Jersey Temp Agency entertains and takes career change requests seriously, especially since UNIFORCE Staffing Solutions did just that for their HR Manager, who herself began as their own Temp.  After energetically studying and becoming proficient in the languages of Spanish and French, she spent years travelling domestically and internationally, successfully involved in the launch of everything perfumed – fine fragrances, cosmetics, body and household products.  She “dreamt” new product development concepts, then worked with perfumers and chemists to conceive, scent and package them into tangible real products. She also wrote supportive PowerPoint presentation and presented live to product manufacturers, designers, and celebrities.  Yes, the creative work was invigorating, the clients were glamorous, and the travel allowed her to ‘see the world’ of Asia, Latin America, Canada, Europe (skiing with colleagues in the Alps), and many US States. Unfortunately, with her kids nearing the teenage years, the time came to calm the commute, spend time at home in New Jersey, and perhaps try something new and different.  “Whaaat?”, her colleagues exclaimed.

She had no idea that a local New Jersey Temp Agency could help with a career change using her current skill sets of creative writing, media design, public speaking, administration, emailing decks to worldwide affiliates, speaking English/Spanish/French, and finding, hiring, and training her own department staff.  It was luck that a friend had worked through the Temp Agency, Uniforce Staffing Solutions, to restart a career.  Maybe there was hope!

Thrilled to find and help this marketing maven with a career change, Uniforce Staffing Solutions recruiters thoroughly probed and uncovered a multitude of useful administrative and people skills.  The exploration gave recruiters a keen determination of how these skills could be marketed to a new opportunity, and at which clients, right here in New Jersey. This gave her hope.  Her crossover of expertise afforded the Temp Agency to hire her repeatedly for required projects and positions. In some assignments, she helped write the marketing plan at a college and at others, she handled administrative and layouts at designer label manufacturer. She also handled market research at a food company, and corporate front desk reception.

What an awesome opportunity to try out different industries, companies, products, and people!  They benefited by easily filling their positions with her, always receiving positive feedback about ‘consistent solid work ethic, effective interaction, always on time, never out’.  Why not use her everywhere, and Uniforce Staffing Solutions did!  Some clients’ assignments were staged to last a week or two, which turned into a month or two, some into a year or two.

In between assignments, this New Jersey based Temp Agency hired her to ‘woman’ their busy front desk, as their full time employee eventually retired.  Happily, this outstanding and several times “Employee of the Month” was invited to join them permanently, fully supporting the Team.  With past experience recruiting in the fragrance industry, she reignited this former skill by recruiting Temps herself, then segued into all areas of Human Resources as HR Manager of Uniforce Staffing Solutions.

Her product was perfume, now her product is people. Helping each candidate find a job allows them to feel good in many ways – the reward of a career change to HR Manager by a Temp Agency!

Not surprising, she is grateful and sincerely “Thanks” Uniforce Staffing Solutions, and they appreciate her as a welcomed addition. 

Yes, a NJ Temp Agency can help you with a career change!!

Companies with happily connected employees are likely to be successful and develop camaraderie with coworkers. They can become relaxed in a friendly environment and actually enjoy coming to work.  It uplifts the mood and boosts morale!  Partnering with a temp agency in your backyard such as Bergen County, New Jersey can help a candidate locate such a workplace.

Choosing a temp agency that has a large client base located in Bergen County with various corporate cultures enables a candidate to work with a recruiter who can make the best match.  They guide as the ‘go-between’ or ‘mediator’, pointing temps in the right direction.  The agency’s Recruiter has the expertise to match a temp’s skills and experience into a specific position because they are familiar with the internal corporate environment.  This awareness between client and temp agency empowers the transition of an employee’s soft skills into comfortable surroundings.

Creating close social relationships and having a best friend or two at work is comforting and relieves some of the day-to-day pressures.  Companionship helps an employee thrive through successful times and migrate through all the daily challenges that arise at work.   A positive alliance impacts an employee’s physical health as well.  A collaboration with coworkers helps an employee perform through difficulties, rather than just leaving the company dissatisfied.  It actually makes the day glide smoother.  Coworkers all tend to treat each other better after chatting and sharing interests over lunchtime.  Workers can gain a fresh perspective from personalities who are different from themselves.  A temp agency can help make the connection.

The benefit of a work friend goes far beyond lending a hand on a project.  It is important to have a go-to person at work as issues crop up.  If your friend leaves the job, you’ll have the perfect reference for each other.  Future opportunities may even emerge. 

Temp agencies understand that, if an employee loves what they do, the outcome gives beneficial performance results to the employer.

Temp agencies also know that Gen Z’ers and Millennials hold the highest percentage of workplace friendships, as they seem to understand a basic need for bonding, sense of belonging, and human engagement at work.  They healthily consider coworkers as ‘work family’.  Positive friendships at work contribute to longer service to one company, reducing the desire to ‘job-hop’. 

There seems to be a rampant sense of loneliness and depression among remote workers who work in a solitary environment, those not able to share face-to-face companionship at work.  Bergen County hosts a wide array of small and large companies.  Why not let a temp agency with a Bergen County presence make the right match. 

A temp agency recruiter can be a conduit to the impossible. An agency follows up with employees, checks in, and monitors an employee’s connection to the company while gauging job satisfaction, acting as a barometer for a temp in supporting their success. 

We hear time and time again from candidates that the job search is extremely frustrating. The complaints range from no feedback from companies with regards to resume send outs and interviews to limited information about the company that candidates seek employment. Enter the temporary employment agency.

With the help of a recruiter from a temporary employment agency, you may have a better chance of getting into a particular company or a preferred industry.   Imagine the exciting opportunity of trying out a variety of positions with the chance to acquire some new skills.  One of these jobs may even lead you down a path to something new or one you may not have known about or considered. These opportunities may exist either after graduation, or even after progressing in your original career path. 

Employment agencies have long, established relationships with companies, facilitating an easier access route for you to gain entry.  A recruiter at an employment agency may help alleviate the frustration of trying to employ yourself and avoid the ‘black hole of resumes’.  Most applicants never hear if their resume was opened or reviewed.  They never learn a solid reason for not being ‘considered for a position’ or why they were not ‘right for the job’.  Hours of applying for countless jobs online, wasted!

A Recruiter in an employment agency has the advantage of knowing specifically what the client is looking for and will only submit you to positions that are ‘the right fit’ for your skills and knowledge.  They also work diligently to match your salary requirements with the salary of an open job at a client company. A temporary employment agency helps you get your foot in the door.

Recruiters at employment agencies communicate daily with companies in various industries.  This makes the candidate job search easier.  Perhaps the employment agency will highlight your skills to market you into a position in a company that you would not ordinarily have access to.  Take advantage by using this connection of an employment agency’s Recruiter to get you placed into that new job!

Working with a Temp Agency provides a flexible work opportunity for most job seekers.  One may be in between jobs, wanting a more flexible schedule, or wondering if it’s advantageous to try  a change of career.  It’s a chance to acquire more on-the-job skills and a variety of experiences for a short time.

According to the Department of Labor, more than 3 million people in the US choose to work each week for a temp agency.

Of a multitude of reasons, here is our Top Ten List to work for a Temp Agency:

1. You will be matched to a career opportunity at a client who is looking for your specific skills. 
2. You will never be charged a fee as a temporary employee by the temp agency.
3. You will receive a weekly paycheck from a temp agency.  Benefits are available if needed.
4. You may be filling in a vacancy for a short or long term assignment.
5. You may be offered a full time ‘permanent’ job if the employee you fill in for does not return.
6. You may learn and acquire new skills which may lead to an exciting, alternative career (free on the job training in the latest technology tools).
7. You may enjoy meeting new people as you work on site at different companies through a temp agency.
8. You are exposed to working in companies in different industries, some you never knew existed.
9. You will hear back from your Recruiter at the Temp Agency, whether positive or negative news.
10.  You can make money when you need it, decline jobs that don’t interest you, or choose a part-time schedule.

It’s a win-win for the employee and for a temp agency! Learn more and become a Job Seeker

Learning something new every day is a worthwhile way to feed your knowledge and skills, especially when working a temp job.  With increased and sharpened skills, your employer and temp assignment manager will recognize you as a helpful support, a welcomed asset, and a really profitable addition to the company.

You’ll feel more important and well respected, and further dedicated to the position.

In striving for the pursuit of happiness on the job, the motivation of asking for additional tasks leads to an upbeat feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction.

“According to 2,400 professionals responding to a study done with LinkedIn:  Among these 2,000+ professionals a significant number (7%) are taking up to five hours a week or more to learn. They’re reading, taking classes, watching courses, or doing other things to advance their skills and careers. The Heavy Learners are more engaged, productive, and successful than their peers! How do these “heavy learners perform?” Look at the data. It will blow your mind. They are happier, less stressed, more productive, confident, and more ready to grow”.

Ask for a group brainstorming session – a simple entertaining break and focus away from the repetitive day’s work – this can challenge our brain, open colleagues’ creative minds, and let others see how one brilliant project idea is a gain for everyone.

Most temp jobs require some level of MS Excel. If you only know basic MS Excel spreadsheets, watch YouTube videos to master formulas, pivot tables and Vlookups.  If you haven’t used QuickBooks, study online tutorials and walk through the basic steps of the program.  If you’re in an office environment and enjoy writing, and no one has yet written a Blog for the company site, ask if you can submit a draft to your Supervisor. 

Happy employees emit positive energy to the group, and especially to the boss!

Power is knowledge!

As hospitals and physician practices require more specialty medicine skill sets in candidates, the focus and expectation of a Healthcare Employment Agency by clients is to also provide candidates with a specialty medicine background.  Healthcare organizations rely on a Healthcare Employment Agency as a business partner and provider, connecting skillful professionals who possess sharpened skills, valid up-to-date Certifications and Medical Licenses.  Each RN (Registered Nurse), CMA (Certified Medical Assistant) and RMA (Registered Medical Assistant) is expected to have acquired substantial knowledge and experience working with Doctors in more specific roles, in both front and back offices.

Each candidate is expected to be proficient, adept, and trained in a specialized Clinical area:  Oncology, Cardiology, Orthopedic, Neurology, Urology, and Opthalmology.  Candidates should contact a Healthcare Employment Agency to gain invaluable experience in a Specialty Medicine to learn the tools and techniques of the position.

In the past, a Healthcare Temp Agency staffing was much smaller and simpler.  Changes over the last 10 years have been apparent in the more complex healthcare industry.  The switch to electronic records technology, evolving regulations, and compulsory higher education, have allowed Nurses to acquire more responsibility within a Practice, helping to enhance the Doctor’s productivity with patients.  APNs (Advanced Practice Nurses) play an important role in addressing the shortage of Physicians. 

With the aging population, older patients are living longer with more acute and chronic conditions and diseases – heart, diabetes, kidney, cancer, and arthritis.  RNs will increase by 15% in this decade, including telehealth and remote telephone triage.  BSN Nurses practice at a higher level than those with an Associate Degree.  A Healthcare Temp Agency sources RNs within a specialized area for each particular Physician’s Office, and investigates through Agencies and Schools that this candidate holds all currently required Licenses and Certifications.

Clients like to “try before they buy.” A majority of employees working in Medical Offices, initially as Temps, usually convert to full time staff status after meritorious performance and commitment to the Physician’s Practice or hospital.  It is the obligation of a Healthcare Temp Agency to communicate the specialty medicine skills of its candidates and provide the most appropriate and useful talent where both the employee and client can grow together.