Tag: hiring

When it comes to operating a distribution center or warehouse, it takes a lot of moving parts and people to keep things running smoothly. As a staffing agency that specializes in warehouse work, we are often asked what kinds of jobs we have available. Hopefully this list will help answer that question. Here are some of the common types of warehouse jobs that Horizon Staffing typically staffs.

General Labor

The most common warehouse job that Horizon Staffing fills is general labor. Responsibilities of a general laborer can include loading and unloading, picking and pulling orders, packing and fulfilling orders, and managing, retrieving and organizing stock. Responsibilities can vary based on the company, but these are just some of the general responsibilities.

Machine operator

There are several different types of machines that are essential to warehouse functions. Some include Stand-up forklifts, sit-down forklifts, and Electric Pallet Jacks (EPJ). These job positions often require the applicant to have relevant and recent machine operating experience, but some companies are willing to train a dedicated general laborer when it comes time hire a machine operator.

Stand-Up Forklift

Sit-Down Forklift

EPJ

Obviously, not all machines look the same. So, the forklifts pictured here might not be the ones our clients use in their warehouses, but these are the types of machines you will see in a warehouse.

These two positions – general labor and machine operator – are the main types of warehouse jobs that Horizon Staffing typically hires for.

Occasionally, we do get clients who are looking to fill administrative or supervisory positions. For individuals searching for these kinds of positions, we always recommend that the applicant complete the application process, even if we do not currently have a position available.

When we receive an order for a specialized position, we typically look within our database of applicants first. If we don’t find a qualified applicant in the database, then we list the position on different job boards. You may never know we were hiring for the position you were looking for if you aren’t in our database.

Are you looking for work? Our application is right here on our website! We hire in the Atlanta and Savannah areas.

shine during an interview

The biggest mistakes that you can make in an interview are lying and not being yourself. Yes, your qualifications matter. But they don’t matter near as much as your authenticity. If you want to shine during an interview, you need to know and do these things.

Research:

We’ve said it before, and we will say it until the end of time. Do your research before you go into an interview. Research the company, its history, purpose, management, etc. Look up recent news articles about them and any press releases. Knowing your facts and being able to showcase that in the interview will give you so much confidence and help you put your best foot forward.

Practice

There are several common interview questions that you need to be prepared to answer. Those include things like “Tell me about yourself,” “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” and “Why do you want to work here?”

Practice your answers to these questions so that you aren’t spending the entire interview trying to think of answers. Just be careful not to over practice so that you sound like you’re reading from a script.

Be honest

While an interview is meant for you and the recruiter to get to know each other better, the recruiter did their research on you just like you did on the company. They performed reference checks and reviewed your resume. If they haven’t done that before your interview, you can bet they will after, so don’t lie. Don’t embellish your work experience or qualifications. They will find out and it will not be good for you.

Be yourself

You were called to the interview because the recruiter wants to get to know YOU. Not the person you think they want to see. The most important thing you can do to shine during an interview is to be yourself.

Do you have any more tips on how to shine during an interview? Drop them in the comments!

benefits of using a staffing agency

There are many benefits of using a staffing agency. A staffing agency is inherently designed to benefit companies who hire new employees frequently or are constantly searching for specifically qualified candidates.

Staffing agencies typically have a niche or specialty that they exclusively hire for. For example, Horizon Staffing, located in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia, specializes in light industrial positions. That means that if you need to hire for your distribution center, you should consider giving them a call, but if you’re a hospital looking for nurses, they probably won’t be able to connect you to the right candidates.

No matter the company, location, or position there is a staffing agency that can help connect your company with qualified candidates.

What do staffing agencies do?

Staffing agencies build a database of candidates. After meeting with a new client (hiring company) to get the specifics of what candidate the company is looking for and descriptions of the positions that need to be filled, the staffing agency then combs their database for candidates who match these specifications.

If one is not found, the recruiters then advertise the position to receive new applications. These new applicants undergo a screening process to determine their qualifications, skills, and eligibility to work.

During this entire process, the client does not have to do anything. When the staffing agency locates a qualified candidate, they then send them to the client for either a second interview or to start work immediately.

If you’re looking for more information about staffing agencies, check out the American Staffing Association for current statistics, trends, and news regarding staffing agencies.

Benefits of a Staffing Agency

1. Time:

Staffing agencies have spent years building their database of candidates. They have access to significantly more candidates than you will find with a simple job search. Where it could take you weeks to locate a qualified candidate, staffing agencies could have the right person sitting in their database.

Not to mention, all of the paperwork that comes with a new employee would be handled by the staffing agency. Not only are you saving time finding the candidate, but also after they are hired.

2. Expertise:

Another benefit of using a staffing agency is their expertise.

While you know best what candidate you need, staffing agencies know best how to find them. Because their sole job is to search through applications and locate qualified candidates, they know the market and trends. Even though staffing agencies have specific niches, they come into contact with more than one type of group of people, unlike a company’s human resource department.

Not to mention, your HR department probably has other responsibilities and can’t dedicate 8 hours a day to searching for a new employee. Staffing agencies can.

3. Cost:

This goes hand in hand with saving you time. If your HR department doesn’t have to dedicate the time to find a new employee, you don’t have to allocate the money to pay them for it. Also, costs related to marketing the open position would fall to the staffing agency instead of you.

4. Network:

It’s already been said, but let’s say it again. Staffing agencies have built an extensive database of job seekers. They have access to a larger network of candidates than the average HR department. While some positions will need to marketed, many positions are filled with existing candidates within the staffing agency’s database.

5. Retention:

There is a reason staffing agencies are commonly known as temp agencies, but it probably isn’t what you think. They aren’t called ‘temp agencies’ because their turnover rate is high. Rather, the name comes from the fact that most employees hired through staffing agencies start as a temporary employee.

After a trial period where they are able to learn the process, company, and position before they are offered a permanent position. When you hire through a staffing agency, the employee is on the staffing agency’s payroll, not yours, until they become a permanent employee. This means that if the employee quits before becoming a permanent employee, this doesn’t affect your turnover rate.

6. Providing resources and guidance:

Staffing agencies have experienced recruiters who know the ins and outs of the hiring process. They provide resources and guidance to job seekers including resume and cover letter tips and dressing for an interview.

Learn more about the benefits of using a staffing agency for job seekers here.

interview leave-behind

You probably go into an interview with very little in your hands. Your phone is in the car, keys in your pocket, and your resume is tucked inside a notebook you will use to take notes during the interview. What if I told you that you’ve forgotten something? Not sure what it is? Let me help you. You need a leave-behind.

What is a leave-behind? I can hear your panicked voice already. You’ve been preparing for this interview, and you want it to be as successful as possible. That’s why you want to put together a folder with content that you plan to leave with the interviewer at the end of the interview.

You more than likely submitted samples of your work when you applied, but the interviewers may not have seen them or might not remember what was your work. For that reason, you want to pick some of your best samples. Showcase your writing skills or graphic design experience. If you’ve managed social media, bring some analytics that highlights your talent to reach an audience. All of these should be found in your online portfolio, but it is much more convenient for the interviewer if you have physical copies to show them and discuss during the interview.

Here are some key things you should include in your leave-behind.

  1. Folder – Don’t ever leave a stack of loose papers. Head over to Walmart and get yourself a cheap folder with prongs and a pack of plastic paper cover dividers. You won’t impress them by buying the most expensive folder and professionally laminating each paper. Something cheap will do.
  2. Resume – ALWAYS have a copy of your resume. ALWAYS. When you go into the interview, they will likely have a copy of your resume already. Bring several copies anyways. Some interviews are conducted with panels, and nothing is more inconveniencing than having several people lean over one sheet of paper. Print several copies, and put them in the front pouch of the folder.
  3. References – As you know, your references should not be on your resume, so print out your references and put them as the first page in your leave-behind.
  4. Writing samples – If you have a lot of experience writing, or the position you’re applying for requires a skilled writer, you NEED to provide proof of your writing skills. Pick 2-3 of your best writing samples, and include them in your leave-behind.
  5. Graphic Design – Graphic design is a sought after skill these days. Many positions require applicants to have some knowledge of graphic design programs like Photoshop and InDesign. Show the interviewer that you have the skills they’re looking for by including 3-4 samples of graphic design work that you have done.
  6. Analytics – Creating compelling social media posts is impressive, but to impress, even more, provide analytics of social media accounts you’ve managed. Include the following and engagement when you started compared to when you left.

What NOT to include in your leave-behind

  1. Your selfie – You may think that having your picture in your leave-behind will help the recruiters remember you, but it can cause more harm than good. Including your image can open up the door for the interviewers to make a decision based on bias. You want them to call you back because of your qualifications, not your face, so focus on your skills and experience instead of your appearance.
  2. Your address – No interviewer on the earth needs to know your full home address. While it’s fine to provide the area that you live in to assure the interviewer that you can make the commute to the office, they don’t need to know exactly where you rest your head at night.
  3. Bad samples – Your goal is to impress the interviewer. Providing samples with grammatical errors or poor design will only guarantee that you don’t get a callback.
  4. Plagiarized work – While it may impress them in the interview, the truth will come out, and let me just tell you – recruiters talk with other recruiters.
  5. Group work without attribution – This falls under plagiarism, technically, but it needs to be stated separately. If you were not the sole author or creator of a piece of work, you need to attribute it to all contributors to the project. It is okay to provide group work in your leave-behind, but make sure you highlight the portions that you worked on the most.

Do you include something in your leave-behind that didn’t make our list? Put it in the comments below!

There are so many ways to share job listings or apply for open positions. We’ve broken it down and explained some of the most common job boards today.

ZipRecruiter – Most people don’t know this, but ZipRecruiter is actually a search engine much like Google and Bing. ZipRecruiter is great for job posting because it pushes your post to 100+ job boards but keeps all your applications in one place. Unfortunately, it doesn’t post to large job boards like Indeed, Monster, or CareerBuilder, but you can share your job on LinkedIn for an extra charge. It is simple and easy to create a job on ZipRecruiter, and their prices are reasonable, which is always a plus. As far as job seekers, it can be a little more difficult to find the specific job you’re looking for, but with the right search terms and an updated profile, you can find the job of your dreams on ZipRecruiter.

Indeed

Indeed gives you the ability to post jobs for free (terms and conditions apply), and is easily used on mobile devices. It also allows you to sponsor listings and get them in front of jobseekers quicker. Indeed is one of the largest job boards with over 250 million visitors each month. For job seekers, you can upload your resume and send it easily to recruiters.

LinkedIn

While LinkedIn could be viewed as a professional’s Facebook, it is also a job board. The downside to posting your open positions on LinkedIn is that there is no free option. However, if you’re looking for someone with specific experience, you may want to consider paying to post on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a great platform for professionals to network and share industry information, but it is also ripe with young professionals looking for entry-level positions and experienced professionals looking to make a career change.

Facebook

Yes, Facebook is a job board. Though Facebook is predominately used to connect socially, it allows companies and individuals to connect professionally as well. You can create job listings, for free, on a business page, and share them across Facebook Jobs and employment groups. You can also boost your job listing on Facebook and have it reach more people much faster. Compared to other job boards, boosting your job on Facebook is a cheaper option.

Monster.com

While a little bit pricier than other options, Monster has a lot of really great features. One of the most impressive is the Job Fit Scoring that scans your interests and skills and tells you how much of a match you are for certain positions. Monster also offers free resume assessments to make sure you are putting your best foot forward with your resume. The price might be a turn off for some recruiters, but there are more users on Monster than Indeed. The cost might be worth it. You decide.

There is more research that you could do to decide which platform best works for you, but there is an easier option. Staffing agencies do the research, job posting, resume screening, and more for you! Rather than spending months trying to find the right candidate from thousands of applicants, hire a staffing agency that will only send you the most qualified applicants who are screened and ready to work. Save your company time and money that could be used in other areas of your business.

Staffing agencies are great for job seekers also. Instead of sending your resume to the closest 100 marketing companies or applying to every warehouse in the area, find a staffing agency that staffs in your industry and send them your resume ONCE. They will match you with an employer that is looking for someone with your skills.

If you’re thinking about using a staffing agency but still aren’t sure, check out this great article that further explains the benefits of staffing agencies.

You already know you want to hire a staffing agency? Perfect! Give us a call today at 912-355-5966 to find out how we can help you achieve your goals!