Written by:
SarahJane DiMichele
ABL Employment Inc.
Manager for Staff Training & Development
1) Needs vs Wants: Decide what you *need* and what you *prefer* in a job description: there’s a difference. When a staffing coordinator considers a group of candidates for a position, they take into consideration everything you’ve said about your skills, experience, work-style preferences and availability. If you put too many restrictions on the kinds of opportunities you will consider, you will get fewer calls because your file will not show up in a data-base search for that kind of work. If you are flexible for shifts, travel area, work duties, or work environments, *say so* in your interview. Alternatively, if you know you will absolutely never say yes to a job paying below X dollars per hour, or a job in a particular kind of environment, *say so*… that way the staffing company doesn’t contact you with things you don’t want to hear about and this saves both parties time.
2) Your contact info: Update your staffing company with your NEW phone #/email/mailing address/banking info: these details help us get your T4’s, Records of Employment and pay cheques to you safely, and on time. If you forget to update us, you could end up not receiving these (and other) important documents and updates.
3) If you’re NOT on assignment – stay in touch: Make sure you touch base once a week to update the staffing company on your availability for shifts each week: this keeps your file updated and “hot” for any upcoming opportunities. Likewise you Mhould notify the staffing company if you are temporarily unavailable that week. That way you don’t end up with a full voicemail box with job offers when you’re out of town!
4) If you ARE on assignment – stay in touch: We want to know how your first day went, and we want to hear from you weekly thereafter… we want to make sure you have any questions about the job answered promptly, and we want to know what you’re learning and who you’re working with. Let us know how you feel about the assignment, so we can help you get the most out of your position. If you don’t like the assignment you are working on, tell us exactly what it is you don’t like, *and* what you do like, so we can make the necessary adjustments for the next assignment we offer you. We really do value your feedback and want your input.
5) Avoiding Payroll Problems: The #1 reason for payroll errors is caused by sign-in logs not being used properly. You *must* accurately record your work hours, and *make sure* you sign in and out properly at the jobsite. We always recommend keeping a record of your hours in a little pocket notebook or agenda for your own peace of mind too. If the job you’re on doesn’t use a sign-in log, or you are on the road with a delivery truck for example, you must call in to ABL’s office once a week (Monday mornings are a good day) so we can track your payroll hours accurately. If you do notice a mistake or missing hours on your pay cheque, review the days and hours you worked during that pay week, make a note of which department you worked in and who your supervisor was that day. If you can remember what kind of duties or products you dealt with, or who your colleagues were that day *before you call the office*, this information will help us narrow down where the hours were missed and get them authorised more quickly by the worksite so we can fix the problem for you.
6) Avoid missing a paycheque pickup: Set up direct deposit and email paystub options immediately after registration with a staffing company. ABL Employment, for example, prefers our associates to use Direct Deposit whenever possible, so we can get your pay to you on time and have it accessible to you sooner. ABL will not automatically mail out your pay cheque, unless you have expressly requested it. We prefer to keep the cheque in our office until you can collect it personally.
7) Refer a friend – Help someone you care about get a job, and get a referral bonus while you’re at it! ABL offers a $50 referral bonus after your friend’s first 80 hours of work are completed, so long as you are both in good standing with ABL at the time. Contact your ABL office for more details!
