Top 10 Reasons To Work With Express

According to a study commissioned by Express through the Gallop Organization, 83% of companies surveyed picked "shortage of talent" as their #1 pressure.  There's much more to hiring than simply filling an empty position. When 60% of expenditures are labor related, it's important to hire employees that stick.

We get asked all of the time - why would our company utilize your services?  I can think of many, and quite frankly, it depends on your unique situation as a company.  As a locally owned business, we have become very involved with our client's staffing needs.  Each of them are different.  Below are the top 10 reasons you should consider using Express. 

1. We find talent which isn't available through traditional recruiting methods.

A strong staffing firm partner will have a network of both active and passive job seeker candidates.  Those passive job seeker candidates are not necessarily looking for positions which are posted on job sites, but are relying on us to inform them of openings.   In order to be successful with passive candidates, you must be trained to handle them properly and you must excel at maintaining that relationship.  Most company recruiters simply don't have the time it takes to invest in those passive job seekers. Our recruiters have relationships with over 130 local companies (in 2014 alone) and candidates see that as an advantage over simply applying to one company.  

2. Increased flexibility as a business.

Temporary needs can present themselves in a variety of situations.  Vacation, medical leave, sick days or a large, unexpected project can all necessitate the need for extra help.  Express can find you qualified candidates quickly to come in and adapt to your job requirements.  Most of the time, we only need a few hours of lead time.    

3. Save time by allowing us to do all of the footwork.

You don’t have to spend the time advertising and reviewing hundreds of resumes and applications.  Our job is to provide you with the most qualified candidate after a thorough selection process based on what you have said your requirements are.  If you are talking with them, we have already screened them for the basic requirements of your open position!

4. Save money!

Many small to medium sized business owners are hesitant to utilize a staffing service because they think the fees are too high.  Placing an ad on an internet job board, the time it takes to review those resumes, the time it takes to phone screen and interview - all of these things cost money and sometimes lots of it.  Our services save money beyond those though.  If you have a seasonal busy season, you don't have to pay unemployment insurance to those employees that are with you only for a short time.  This will reduce your liability and could reduce your experience rating.  It may also reduce accidents by avoiding overtime for your current staff.  

5. You have an opportunity to evaluate an associate's performance over time.

I have long contended that you get somebody's best performance on day 2.  Day 1 jitters are gone and they now know where the bathrooms are so they are focused on impressing you.  After day 2, their performance will slowly decrease and you finally get to see their true work ethic after 90 days or so.  Our evaluation to hire program allows you to "try before you buy" and evaluate their performance, rather than making a hiring decision based on an hour long interview.  This also allows the associate to evaluate your company and determine if they want to work there long-term.  

6. We are trained in hiring best practices.

This is what we do every single day.  We are trained in best practices for posting positions, interviewing and determining long term fit.  The fact is that most managers and supervisors hire only occasionally and are not trained in best practice techniques, nor are they considered experienced hiring managers - they are managers who hire from time-to-time.  Have you ever been in an interview and didn't know which question to ask next?  If it's not part of what you do every day, then you shouldn't expect to be a master at interviewing.  

7. We confirm the candidates' skills.

How many times have you been told by a candidate that they are proficient with Microsoft Excel?  How many times have you hired that person and realized that your definition of "proficient" must be different than theirs?  We have a system, aptly named Prove-It, where we evaluate their ability to perform a variety of tasks on specific software.  If it is not a proprietary software, we probably have the ability to evaluate their ability.  

8. You avoid the scenario of hiring in haste.

Here is the dilemma some of our clients have faced.  The economy is improving and they now have a need for people...beware of hiring in haste!  If you only recruit when you have openings, you can't possibly get the best because the pressure to hire somebody immediately causes you to be less selective and often results in a bad hiring decision.  Have you ever gone to the grocery store on an empty stomach?  We recruit every single day and not only when we have an opening.  We proactively check references, verify employment and evaluate their skills before we submit their information to you!  This allows you to hire quickly and not have to wait 30-45 days while your online job board ad runs.  

9. Express has proven to be a strategic business partner in this community

As a business owner, I will not do business with somebody who cannot provide a list of references and/or recommendations of their work.  We partnered with over 130 local businesses in 2014 and some of them have provided a letter of recommendation for us.  Please take a minute to check them out here.  

10. Express is locally owned and operated

Each Express office is individually owned and operated, which provides many benefits to our clients.  We are deep rooted in the community and take pride in establishing a reputation of doing business the right way - with honesty, integrity and a sense of purpose.  While we will never be able to eliminate mistakes, being a locally owned organization means we react to them differently.  This isn't just a job for our franchise owners, this is their reputation and livelihood, and you'll be treated as such.