Tip #1: Be upfront about your employment gap.

It can be tempting to gloss over those five years you spent as a stay-at-home mom. But not including details about your employment gap is a mistake. First of all, it causes the prospective employer to make assumptions about what you’ve been doing. In addition, you’re missing out on an opportunity to position the gap as a positive. For instance, “As a result of my five years as a stay-at-home mom, I’ve learned to multi-task with ease.” You get the picture. So be sure to include the details of your employment gap – whether in your cover letter or on your resume.

Tip #2: Don’t forget to include community involvement on your resume.

Some people seem to think that if you don’t get paid for a job, it doesn’t count. This couldn’t be further from the truth! Community involvement is a valuable component of any resume. And who knows? The hiring manager may be involved in a similar activity, which will allow the two of you to connect on a personal level.

So whether you sit on a museum board, are a member of the PTA, or volunteer at your local library, be sure to include the details of any community involvement or volunteer activities on your resume.

Tip #3: Be honest in your interview.

When hiring managers see a gap in employment, they are automatically curious. So don’t be surprised if they ask you about it during your interview. Whatever you do, don’t fabricate the facts – just be honest about the situation.

Tip #4: Make sure your skills are current.

Haven’t used a computer in a while? Then it’s time to update your skills. Take a class at your community college or enroll in a career training course. Most employers don’t want to have to train new hires, and are therefore more likely to offer the position to someone who has the right skills.

Tip #5: Focus on the bigger picture.

The fact of the matter is that if you’ve been out of the Houston job market for a while, you may very well have a harder time finding a new job when compared to someone who never left. But don’t get discouraged! While you might need to take a job that’s a step down from your last position, think about the big picture and how this move will help you reach your ultimate career goal.

In the process of re-entering the Houston job market?

Please contact Murray Resources. As a leading employment agency, we can give you access to a variety of job opportunities with top Houston employers – whether you’re looking for a position in accounting, administration, or management. We can also work with you to craft a strong cover letter and resume, and help you to position your employment gap in a positive light. Contact us today. We can help.

But while cutting staff might be an inevitability in the near future, there are some steps you can take to try and avoid layoffs.

Step #1: Encourage attrition.

Do you have a number of employees who will retire in the near future? Think about creating and offering an attractive incentive package to those who qualify. Also, if you’ve had any employees who have recently quit or been fired, don’t fill those positions if possible. Reassign those duties to your existing workforce until you are able to hire again.

Step #2: Institute a hiring freeze.

If you’re experiencing an increase in demand at your company, it can be tempting to hire again. But you may want to consider placing a freeze on hiring until the situation has stabilized. If you have a seasonal peak in demand, or have employees out on maternity or sick leave, consider using a staffing company to hire temporary employees for the time being.

Step #3: Reduce hours worked.

While this is sure to be met with some protest and trepidation on the part of your staff, you may want to consider creating a four-day work week to lower the number of hours worked and salary paid. Assure your employees that this situation is temporary and will help the company to avoid future layoffs. To offset this, you may want to allow your employees to trade pay for company stock.

Step #4: Limit overtime.

Overtime is expensive if you’re paying it to your full-time employees. Instead, think about hiring some temporary employees to get the work done. It may cost much less in the long run.

Step #5: Encourage job sharing and leaves of absence.

Allow full-time employees to become part-time employees and share their job roles with each other. Or, if you have an employee who you know wants to take an extended trip to Europe, or write a book, ask him or her to take a leave of absence without pay, but with benefits, for a period of time.

Step #6: Tap into the power of temporary staffing.

Take on more projects and increase productivity – without an increase in overhead – by using temporary employees. Once the project is complete or work flow starts to slow down, simply release the temporary workers.

At Murray Resources, we’ve helped many employers throughout Houston to weather the tough economy by taking full advantage of strategic, temporary staffing. If your company is currently in a position where layoffs seem imminent, please contact Murray Resources. We may be able to help you avoid them.

Here’s a list of 15 important questions to help you get started:

Questions to Ask About the Temporary Employment Agency

1. How long have you been in business?

2. Why types of Houston employers do you work with?

3. What are some examples of the job opportunities that you fill?

4. How much do your services cost? (Hint: If the employment agency tells you they charge job seekers for their services, then it’s time to say good-bye. Reputable employment agencies don’t ask applicants to pay for placements in temporary job assignments.)

Questions About How the Process Works

5. Will you contact me when a position I’m suited for becomes available, or should I call to check in? How often?

6. What happens if I want to turn down a job opportunity? Is that allowed?

7. What if I accept a temporary job opportunity, but realize after a few days things aren’t working? What should I do?

8. If I show up to an assignment and the company decides they don’t need me, do I still get paid?

9. Will I receive training? Do I have to pay for the training? (Again, if the answer’s “yes,” it’s time to turn and walk away. A reputable employment agency will not ask you to pay for training.)

10. What if the Houston employer you place me with wants to hire me full-time? Can I accept?

Questions About Pay & Benefits

11. Approximately how much do the jobs I’m qualified for pay?

12. How do I track my hours?

13. How often will I be paid?

14. Do you offer any benefits, such as health insurance, to temporary employees?

15. Do you pay overtime to temporary employees? If so, what’s the rate?

Make sure you get the answers to these questions – and any others you may have – before committing to a particular temporary employment agency. And if you want to add Murray Resources to the list of Houston temporary employment agencies you’d like to possibly work with, then please feel free to contact us to learn more. Or, to get an idea of the types of positions we can give you access to, take a look at our current job openings in and around the Houston area.

Reason #1. Save money.

Do the math. Determine how much you currently spend on payroll management. Be sure to figure in costs like printing and distributing checks and completing tax forms. Then compare those costs to the rates of a firm that offers payrolling services, like Murray Resources. The fact of the matter is that many small to medium size Houston businesses will generally save money by outsourcing their payroll function.

Reason #2. Improve accuracy.

Payroll mistakes are painful because they can cause major issues with Uncle Sam. By outsourcing your payroll function, you won’t have to worry about late filings or incorrect paperwork.

Reason #3. Leverage expertise.

Tax and employment laws are constantly changing, and most Houston employers don’t have time to keep up with them. By outsourcing payroll, though, you can take advantage of the expertise offered by a payrolling firm – without having to make a considerable investment in terms of time and effort.

Reason #4. Enhance productivity.

Managing payroll takes up a lot of time. By outsourcing payroll, you and your employees can focus on performing more important, revenue-generating activities.

Reason #5. Increase Dependability.

When you outsource payroll, you don’t have to worry about the employee who handles this task going on vacation or taking sick leave. By working with a payroll services provider, there will always be someone available to make sure your payroll function is handled accurately and on time.

If you have any questions about outsourcing your payroll function, or would like to know our rates for payrolling, please contact Murray Resources. As a leading staffing services firm in Houston, we have the knowledge and experience to manage your payroll with ease and reliability. Contact us today to learn more.

#1: With temporary staffing, your fixed expenses can become variable.

Instead of hiring a full time employee, a temporary worker can supplement your core staff during a seasonal peak or busy time period.

#2: With temporary staffing, you can bring in expertise when you need it.

A temporary employee can provide you with a very specific skill set that you may only need for a certain project.

#3: With temporary staffing, you can reduce benefit costs.

Legally, temporary employees work for the staffing firm, not for your company. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about offering benefits, like health insurance or paid time off.

#4: With temporary staffing, you can lower overtime costs.

When you have an abundance of work that needs to get done, rather than having your full-time staff work overtime, hire temporary employees for a limited amount of time.

#5: With temporary staffing, you can reduce training costs.

Hire temporary staff that already has the skills and experience you need, so you don’t have to train them.

#6: With temporary staffing, you can find qualified people faster.

By working with a temporary staffing agency, you can eliminate the time and cost associated with advertising, screening, interviewing, and testing candidates.

#7: With temporary staffing, you can reduce unemployment claims.

Again, since temporary employees work for the staffing agency, not for your company, you don’t have to worry about an unemployment claim. All claims impact the staffing agency’s unemployment rating, not yours.

At Murray Resources, we can help you assess your current workforce and then develop a staffing plan that will help you enhance flexibility, increase productivity and lower your employment costs. Learn more about our temporary staffing strategies today.

Not on LinkedIn? Then you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to promote your skills and search for jobs in Houston. In fact, the professional connections you make on LinkedIn can truly give you an advantage in your job search – and in your career.

Here’s how to get started:

Create your profile.

Think of your LinkedIn profile as your online resume. Create a detailed profile, including past employment, education, and qualifications. Also be sure to include keywords (such as Houston civil engineer) so that you will be easily found. If you have a professional headshot, you may also want to upload that to your profile.

Build your network.

The more connections you make, the more opportunities you will have. With that said…don’t go crazy with your connections. Only connect to people you know and trust.

Reach out.

Let your network know that you’re looking for a job in Houston, TX. The more people who know you’re looking, the faster you may be able to find a job.

Get recommendations.

Recommendations from people you have worked with in the past carry a lot of weight. A variety of positive recommendations will put you in the best possible light to potential employers in Houston.

Search jobs.

Use the job search section to find job listings you may be interested in.

Ask & answer questions.

The Answers section in LinkedIn is a great way to increase your visibility, as well as enhance your credibility within your particular field. Respond to questions, and ask a question if you need information.

Check if a company is still hiring.

Many companies today have their own pages on LinkedIn. So if there is a Houston company you’d like to work for, go to their LinkedIn profile and check out their “New Hire” section to see if anyone new has recently joined the company. Also, look to see if you know any of the company’s current employees so you can make a connection.

Get to the hiring manager.

If you do know someone at the company, ask that individual to forward your resume to the hiring manager. Hiring managers are much more apt to review a resume that comes from someone they know.

Find out about the company.

Again, if you know someone at the company, ask them for the inside scoop on getting hired at that company. If you don’t have an “in” at the company, then take a look at the profiles of existing employees to get a better sense of the backgrounds and experience of people who already work at the company.

Searching for a job can be a daunting challenge. But by leveraging the power of social media, you may be able to find the job of your dreams a lot quicker. And if you still need helping finding the right job opportunity here in Houston, TX, please contact Murray Resources. As a premier employment firm serving the Houston area, we can connect you with a variety of Houston job opportunities in fields such as administration, engineering, accounting/finance, and sales and customer service.  We look forward to helping you!

Why is that?

Because when a company suffers layoffs, many times, top performers become demoralized and overworked – and eventually leave in search of greener pastures. Don’t let this happen!

So how can you retain and inspire your hard working team? Here are some steps to follow:

Be open.
When times get tough, people tend to draw their own conclusions if they don’t have any other information to go on. Even if you have some bad news to share, it’s better to be forthcoming than to withhold the information.

Involve employees in creating solutions.
It’s time to rally the troops and enlist them in developing solutions. Have a meeting about the biggest challenges your company faces over the next year and invite employees to develop some solutions.

Know that actions speak louder than words.
Your employees are going to begin to doubt your credibility if you keep telling them that things are looking up, but then operate as if the sky is falling.

Meet with employees one-on-one.
Review the current situation with each employee individually and lay out the challenges and opportunities you see for them ahead. Also be sure to clearly outline your expectations of them. If you see layoffs in the future, let your employees know specifically what they can do to help offset them.

Provide market pay.
While it may not seem like a good time to be handing out raises, you may run into big problems if you’re under-compensating your employees. Honestly evaluate your pay and benefits to make sure you’re offering a competitive package – particularly to your top performers.

Celebrate successes.
Make sure that you celebrate important milestones with your employees. Doing so will create an environment of positive reinforcement.

During times of crisis, true leaders emerge. It may seem easier to sit back and let events take their course. But, in the process, your team may fall apart. Now is the time to step up, inspire, and re-energize your team!

If you have any questions about managing employees during tough times, please contact Murray Resources. As a leading employment agency serving Houston, TX, Murray Resources can help you develop a retention plan for inspiring and retaining your top talent. Contact Murray Resources today to learn more.

The job of every manager is to provide their employees with the tools they need to be successful and thrive.  One of the best things you can do as a manager, is provide your employees with honest, constructive feedback. Developing proficiency in this area is essential to building good relationships with and motivating your team.  To help get you started, here are four tips for providing feedback the right way:

1. Be proactive. Nip issues in the bud and avoid messy interpersonal tangles that result from neglected communication.  If you meet with employees regularly to give feedback, it conveys, “Your success is important to me, so I want to be accessible to you.”
2. Be specific. Although it’s not easy to provide negative feedback, it’s important to be as clear as possible by giving specific examples that illustrate your point.  Instead of saying, “Your attitude is bad,” say, “When you miss deadlines, then cross your arms and look away when I discuss it with you, it gives me the impression that you don’t care about the quality of your work.  Can you help me understand this behavior better?”
3. Develop a progress plan. Be clear about the specific changes in behavior that you expect in a specific period of time, and follow up as scheduled.
4. Link employees’ performance to organizational goals. Reinforce the value of your employees’ contributions by giving specific examples of how their work and positive behaviors serve the organization and its customers.

If you’re looking for more great ideas to spark performance in your team please give Murray Resources a call.  As Houston’s leading Staffing and Recruiting Agency we can help ensure you get the best return on your human capital investment.

Nearly every business in the world could benefit from workforce flexibility.  But what many professionals don’t realize is that “temps” can be used for more than just fill-ins for sick and vacation time.  In fact, when used strategically, temporary staffing can improve productivity, increase capacity to handle spikes in workload, and provide access to specialized skill sets–all without increasing your fixed expenses.

So how can you maximize the efficiency and productivity of your temporary employees? Follow these 5 key steps:

Step #1: Determine the type of person you need and define required skills.
Meet with managers and those who will be working with the temporary employee to determine which skills are ideal for the position you are trying to fill.  Examine top performers you already have on staff to determine what skills have made them successful.  And finally, work closely with your staffing agency and provide as much detail as possible.

Step #2: Work with an experienced staffing agency.
Find an agency that has experience in your industry.  Not only will an experienced staffing agency know where to look to find the right person, but they will also be able to help you determine things like an appropriate pay rate for a particular position.

Step #3: Provide a solid orientation and training program.
Include information such as working hours, breaks and lunch schedules, any safety regulations or company rules, and contact information for direct supervisors. You may also want to assign a core staff member or supervisor to help orient the temporary employee.  Also, find out what type of training and orientation your staffing agency can provide.  Good staffing agencies will offer guidance on how to best bring temporary employees up to speed so they can hit the ground running–and they may even conduct initial training and orientation for you.

Step #4: Communicate clearly and openly.
Make sure your temporary employees understand what’s expected from them.  Encourage employees to ask questions and make sure they know who to direct those questions to. 

Step #5: Check in regularly.
Be sure to take a minute or two at several points throughout the first day to check in and gauge progress.  Set specific days/times you plan to check in throughout the week to answer any questions and monitor progress.

Bringing a temporary employee on board at your company can offer a host of benefits–as long as that employee is managed properly. And from our experience, hard-working and properly managed temporary employees often become leading candidates for full-time openings.

Discover more about temporary staffing and other employment options that Murray Resources offers>

Houston, T.X. - Murray Resources, Inc. congratulates Terrie Spencer for earning the Certified Temporary-Staffing Specialist (CTS) designation by the National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS).

Terrie Spencer joins the ranks among an elite group of CPC’s and CTS’s across the Nation. Both designations are nationally recognized throughout the personnel services and staffing industry.  Earning the CPC demonstrates extensive knowledge in employment laws, changing regulations, proper ethical standards and best business practices. While achieving the CTS demonstrates an in-depth understanding of discrimination law, family leave act, ADA, drug testing, joint employee, contract issues, and standards of business practices established by NAPS.

“Terrie’s accomplishment is important to our firm and boosts our competitive position in this ever changing marketplace,” says Marsha Murray, President of Murray Resources, Inc. “There is a continual battle to differentiate yourself,” says Murray, “and our highly-motivated and trained placement consultants allow us to have one of the highest client retention rates in the industry.”

Murray Resources is dedicated to lasting relationships with its clients built on a foundation of trust. Certifications such as the CPC and CTS are well regarded by the corporate world and provide confidence in their placement specialists.  Murray Resources takes great pride in employing staffing specialists like Terrie Spencer with extensive industry knowledge and nationally distinguished certifications.

Murray Resources, Inc. of Houston, Texas, (www.murrayresources.com) is a full-service Houston-based staffing firm, whose mission is simply to be the best personnel and staffing agency serving the greater Houston market. Founded in 1988 as Memorial City Personnel, it is a well respected, nationally certified 100% woman-owned business having served more than 1,200 clients and maintains well over 3,000 candidates in its roster pool.