by Kerry Westenskow | Apr 11, 2018 | Job Tips
Tips to Give You a Solid Foundation to Excel at Your New Job
Just recently I witnessed my son go through soccer tryouts at high school. He is currently a sophomore and desperately wanted to make the team. Before tryouts I have watched him in awe do the little things that make all the difference to have his game ready. He practices daily on his own dribbling, juggling, shooting and fitness to make sure he and his game are in shape. During the week of tryouts, there were several nights of workouts, stress, and wondering if he had done enough to make the team.
So, it is with us when we want a particular job. We do the little things to be prepared and have the experience for the job we want. We will research, network, prepare a resume, and practice our interviewing skills. Finally, if all goes well, we get word we have done enough to make the team or land the job.
But then is it over? We can now surely rest and relax? Right?
Nope! Now the work really begins. There are so many things to learn. We need to learn new processes, assimilate into a new culture, progress and continue to work hard.
Let’s talk about a couple common pitfalls I see happen once the job is finally landed. My goal is to help you make your time on the job last.
Job Pitfall 1: Time is a Dangerous Comforter.
Don’t allow yourself to get complacent. Just because we have held the job for a while doesn’t mean we don’t have to continue to do the little things. Remember a career is a marathon and not a sprint.
For example – attendance. I see many people for the first month or so of a new job have good attendance, but once time sets in magically every excuse you have heard of is presented on why those same people can’t get to work on time. Punctuality is a basic attribute for any job. It shows reliability. It shows you are a person that can be counted on. It seems so simple, but conversely if we are not on time our employers start to question other aspects of our job. Why would we want to have such a little thing put a chink in our new armor?
Job Pitfall 2: Thinking You Know it All
If you ask a question will it make you vulnerable/less proficient? Will it weaken your position with the company because it shows you don’t know what you're doing?
No one knows everything. We all need the help of others at some time. I believe in asking appropriate questions and then learning from them. That said, try to not ask the same question over and over again. Show you are listening and learning. This will show you are looking to improve, do the job right, and complete the job in a timely manner. Don’t get me wrong there are times we need to slow down and think through a process to learn it, but don’t allow pride to supersede the ability to do the job timely and right.
Any athlete will tell you that to improve you need to perfect the basics of a sport. This provides a solid foundation that will allow you to take your game to the next level and excel. But even when you make it, you can't just sit back and drop into cruise control. You want to stay disciplined. So is the same with then new job you just landed.
Don’t overlook the basics – work hard, show up on time and do not let your pride stand in the way of progress. This will give you a solid foundation to excel at your new job.
Kerry Westenskow
EVP
Your Employment Solutions
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by Kerry Westenskow | Sep 6, 2017 | Management, Staffing, Your Employment Solutions
Having a Solid Foundation is Key to Success
Recently I had the opportunity to sell my old house and move. In some ways, it is exciting and fun to look forward to a new adventure, but on the other hand it is stressful and a ton of work. All of a sudden I am thinking about how solid and put together things are or what needs to be fixed at the new house. There seems to be an unending list of things that need to be fixed or “tweaked” a bit to make sure the house is working properly and in good condition. Not only at the new house but also at the one that we were selling. Man, am I glad it is over. Now I just have the next 10 years to unpack and put everything away.
During the beginning stages of the buying of the new home we hired an inspector who goes around the home and highlights all the good and bad, including the areas that show wear and the areas that need to be fixed. The foundation is always checked and focused on. Why? The whole home depends on it. As the foundation goes, so goes the rest of the house.
A Solid Business Foundation
The same principle goes for any business. There has to be a solid foundation for a company to be successful. It is a great idea to occasionally assess a business foundation to make sure you are headed in the right direction and building appropriately. During difficult times, the foundation is something the company can rely on. This is also true during the good times or growth of the company so that it has something solid to build upon.
At Your Employment Solutions, we have four main cornerstones which we have built our company upon.
Cornerstone 1 – Our Business
First, “Our Business.” This includes our mission statement of, “Delivering the right people on time the first time.” The ability to match the employee with the right client ensures success for both the client and the employee.
Cornerstone 2 – Relationships
Second is our “Relationships” with those we work with, both vendors and clients. As our relationships improve we create an environment where we can have open discussions for the improvement of the working relationship. There has to be honest and open communication to be able to maximize the objectives both parties are working towards. It is the only way to really get down to the core of the problem and find a solution.
Cornerstone 3 – Processes and Operations
Third, our “Processes and Operations.” These include the processes we use to properly vet, qualify and place our potential employees with our clients. Each client has their own qualifications to hire an employee. YES has to make sure we appropriately “on-board” our employees for each client by following their requirements.
Cornerstone 4 – Our Team
Finally, “Our Team” – at YES, we try to consistently train/develop our staff and empower each other to do what is right.
Having a solid foundation is key to success in business and in our own homes. A solid foundation gives us confidence and is something we can rely on in the good times and the tough times – it is something to build upon. If a foundation is not done right, or as we move further away from the foundation – mistakes will increase/multiply. The foundation YES is built upon is solid and as we continue to grow our four key cornerstones will help ensure our continued success.
Kerry Westenskow
EVP
Your Employment Solutions
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by Kerry Westenskow | Feb 8, 2017 | Customer Service, Staffing, Your Employment Solutions
The People-Centered Mission of Your Employment Solutions
At age 75, Harland Sanders, better known as Colonel Sanders of KFC, sold his successful franchise to a buyer who then continued to grow the company to global recognition. The Colonel was no spring chicken and he understood that the key to his success was the secret recipe of “11 herbs and spices.” KFC believed that the recipe was their biggest point of distinction and went to great lengths to keep the recipe confidential – even unto this day. They understood it was their greatest resource and they perfected it.
Just like with the white suit-wearing Colonel, Your Employment Solutions also recognizes one of its keys to success and it is reflected in our mission statement.
YES Mission Statement
“Deliver the right people, on time, the first time.”
That statement epitomizes our goal and purpose as a staffing company. YES’ employees are the key to its success and the ability to match and deliver those employees to the right client/job is paramount. As YES grows and expands its services to different sectors along the Wasatch front that philosophy will never change.
Origins of YES
This past year Your Employment Solutions (YES) celebrated its 20th anniversary. It’s amazing to think back to its start and how quickly the time has passed. Even more humbling, I can remember it all and have lived the experience with YES – I know I’m getting up there.
YES was started by a local moving & storage company who formed it as a resource to help during their busy season. I began work with YES early in 1996 and Reed Laws started later on that year when we strictly staffed for local moving and storage companies. Neither Reed nor I had any previous staffing experience, but we knew the quality of the employee was paramount to success.
Fulfilling the YES Mission
One of the ways we ensure the right employee is to qualify them with a variety of tests. With the help of many of our clients, YES utilizes tests/qualifiers to help determine the best fit for their needs. Some of the tests administered to potential employees include math, dexterity, order selecting, safety lifting, measurement, dolly, and physical capabilities. These tests try to mimic as close as possible some of the duties or motions the employees will be doing. They are used to help us match ability, desire, and experience for our clients.
Once the employee has been identified, delivering the employee is just as vital as the screening process. Each client has their own on-boarding process that needs to be followed. Delivering could be anything from a pre-employment drug test, a background check, safety training, company orientation, or to make sure they show up to the job with a particular type of work boot or safety equipment.
Staffing is a People Business
It has been said that people are the greatest asset a company has. Without question, that is true in our industry. The success of our clients is dependent on our ability to staff them timely and properly. Currently in Utah, due to low unemployment we are facing a tougher climate and with “NOW HIRING” signs showing up everywhere–the need for more qualified workers is great.
Regardless of the times, the fact remains that employers need the right person to fill their jobs to be successful. Yes’ ability to deliver that person is a prime component of our business model, and like the Colonel’s delicious secret recipe, we will continue to go to great lengths to perfect it.
Kerry Westenskow
Vice President
Your Employment Solutions
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by Kerry Westenskow | Dec 5, 2016 | Your Employment Solutions
Nominate a Family in Need of Holiday Cheer!
One of the missions of Your Employment Solutions is to give back to our community. We try to be actively involved in various charitable activities including volunteering with the Salvation Army and giving to Amigos of Honduras.
This year for the holidays we are looking for opportunities to anonymously help some local Utah families with gifts for the holidays. If you know a family in need, please contact us below and tell us how you think YES can help them. Your nomination will be kept confidential.
You can nominate anyone, they don't have to be connected to YES in any way!
Thanks for helping us help others this Holiday season!
Please submit your nomination by December 12, 2016. Our nominations are now closed. We received many requests and have chosen 6 families to assist during the holiday season. We will continue with this program in 2017.
by Kerry Westenskow | Jun 8, 2016 | Business, Staffing, Your Employment Solutions
Staffing has changed over the past 20 years. Here's my take.
I may be going out on a limb here, but I’m taking the obvious stance that the reason my opinion was sought out on changes within the staffing industry – over the past two decades – has clearly nothing to do with my age. I’m pretty confident it has more to do with the vast amount of acquired knowledge, wisdom and experience gained along the way as well as my purely enviable God-given ability to see things as they truly are. And maybe the other people all said no. Or have a 4:00pm dinner reservation at Sizzler. Or have died.
Either way, being involved in this industry and in the forefront of Your Employment Solutions’ staffing evolution since 1996 has proven one thing: although methods and procedures have been continually developed and improved, the core product we offer in finding the right person for the desired position and easing the burden of the client has remained the same. It’s all in our approach.
Finding The Right Job Applicants
My early days in staffing…
Looking back 20 years ago I was just starting out in staffing and things seemed very simple. All that was required to get applicants in the door to fill jobs was posting an advertisement in the newspaper. People actually still read the newspaper back then. If they needed a job, they would go to the classifieds (Alison, that is the portion of the paper where people would post wanted ads for apartments, cars, and jobs). Applicants would then respond to the ad by calling into the office and coming in to get tested and signed up for a job.
Today, the process is basically the same–but much more complicated. The newspaper is almost non-existent due to the rise of social media and the availability of internet access. We now post ads on Facebook, Twitter, Craigslist, Career Builder, Indeed, as well as continuing to post to Department of Workforce Services, online newspapers, and creating a presence on YouTube. There are so many more options to recruit and attract applicants. Finding out new ways to be visible and to stand out in the sheer mass of online information is the trick.
Adapting to Employment Laws
Another big difference I see with staffing over the last 20 years is the amount of federal influence in the industry. It is without a doubt, presenting a huge challenge to many staffing companies to find and hire employees due to increased regulation. Each time the government introduces new regulation, the pool size of eligible employees shrinks. The amount of paperwork associated with ACA is tremendous. Also, the introduction of E-Verify has complicated the hiring of employees for our clients.
The Future in Staffing
Truly, the skill needed today for staffing companies is a perfect blending of old-school efforts and a capacity to implement new technology and regulations. Unlike 20 years ago, most of the job application today can be completed online. However, face-to-face, person-to-person interaction will win out every time in finding the best people for our clients.
Your Employment Solutions truly understands the value of this lost art. We use bold and honest communication to make sure job applicants understand the requirements of a job assignment and that we know their skills and abilities. We have innovated our physical and mental testing and interview procedures to give us a clearer picture of the person we are sending out to our respective clients. We pride ourselves in building upfront, honest and enjoyable partnerships with our clients so that we fully understand their needs and the changes that they too are facing.
20 years has brought a lot – both challenges and advancements – in staffing. Our approach to stay up to date and our decisions to integrate the best of what is available now as well as from the past has allowed Your Employment Solutions to position itself as a leader in the staffing industry for the next 20 years to come.
Kerry Westenskow
Vice President
Your Employment Solutions
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