Bill Peppler on unemployment in Orlando 2012
Bill Peppler from Kavaliro speaks regarding the high unemployment rates in Orlando and the ways to find a job. He recognizes specific industries that aren’t hurting and the importance of hitting those markets now.
Read More...Mark Moore on preparing for an interview
Kavaliro President Mark Moore on preparing for an interview. He highlights what specific actions you should take before walking into the office and how a lack of preparation can be the worst thing to happen to you in an interview.
Should You Hire New College Grads?
Graduating college is a milestone that a lot more people are experiencing today in our society. Many businesses turn a blind eye to recent graduates. They fear their lack of experience and question if they are competent enough to fill an existing position that housed a more experienced employee. Being a recent college graduate myself, I have witnessed that in this difficult time, more students are seeing their parents or family members being laid off. This has definitely caused a stir and forces students to become more practical and driven. College graduates may not have the most favorable experience, but they are hungry to work and that is something to definitely consider in the hiring process.
1. Hungry and Driven: Students are well-aware of the growing competitive market around them, and something to be said about our youth is their energy and strive to win. Survival instincts kick in when they see the world of unemployment around them, so recent graduates are thriving with motivation. After being in school for many years and fresh out from a long stint of learning, it only makes sense that these recent graduates will still have that same desire to learn, which is highly beneficial.
2. Experience and Career-Focused: Many students gather experience elsewhere other than their field of work. I know personally, my parents instilled in me the importance of gaining valuable knowledge and a strong work ethic doing part-time jobs and volunteer work. Not only did it help me get a grasp on being financially responsible, but it gave me the maturity and expectations to bring forth once I was ready to tackle a full-time professional career. Internships are becoming more accessible for students as well, because businesses are able to create jobs at a low cost which are great tools for gaining know-how experience that is essential when pursuing a career.
3. Comfortable with Technology: We live in a generation where social media is prominent. New graduates expect to work with technology and learn rapidly at that. In a world where Facebook and Twitter are our core means of communication, what better way to bring into a company someone who has extensive knowledge of the latest communication tools. Not only does it benefit your company with fast growth, but it also gives older employees the chance to learn and profit from this high-value quality.
Now more than ever is the time to consider hiring new college graduates. Many employers don’t think of recent grads as hiring material for their business, but it is time to think again. They are fast-learners with a willingness to discover what it takes to be successful. Coming from an educated background, they can provide a continuous learning attitude as well as bring new innovation for the future that can be very valuable for businesses. You may never know what you are missing with a candidate if you stop short of their recent graduated status. It might benefit you in more ways than one.
-Natalie Castellana, Executive Assistant at Kavaliro
Read More...New Year, New Salary
Now that a new year is upon us, that means that it’s time for a new salary budgeting plan. With everyone still a bit wary of the economy and what lies in store for us in 2012, many companies are struggling with how far they should go. However, after hitting record-breaking lows in 2011, salary increases are expected to rise. Also, with more companies reporting improved confidence with their budgets, they are looking to lead or at least match market pay rates despite the still weakened job market.
According to early surveys conducted by Mercer, Towers Watson, WorldatWork, Hay Group and ERC on 2012 salary increases, companies are projecting higher pay increases compared to the past two years. Most companies are planning for salary increases between 2.7% and 3.0%. These results can be used as credible references for your company’s own salary planning needs.
Source/Projected Increase:
ERC: 2.7%
Mercer: 2.9%
WorldatWork: 2.7%
Hay Group: 3.0%
Towers Watson: 2.7%
According to the Economic Research Institute, with the recession projected to be starting to come to an end, 2012 is expected to be the year in which companies start to review why certain jobs are paid what they are. That being said, these companies will most likely be turning to the market for answers to help them stay current with employee compensation.
Do you know why you pay what you pay?
For starters, take a look at the 2011-2012 Kavaliro Employment and Salary Handbook for an outline of some of the most trending jobs and their current/projected salaries for the year. There is also a lot of helpful advice on how to retain employees and manage employee satisfaction in other ways than simply compensation.
Next comes the debate on how to distribute raises. How does your company usually do this? Do you give across the board raises, raises based on performance, or some other method?
Traditionally, many companies have given across the board raises, which often can send mixed messages to employees. Knowing that everyone will get the same salary increase despite dedication and performance can hinder an employee’s motivation and prevent them from reaching their full potential, which in return prevents your company from reaching optimum performance. That is why differentiation based on performance with compensation plans has become a popular way to recognize and reward employees that are loyal and a “cut above the rest”.
Basing your salary increases on job performance can also help to motivate your employees. Knowing that they have to work to be rewarded can help anyone always do their best work. Like stated in Kavaliro’s 2011-2012 Employment and Salary Handbook, instituting regular performance reviews can also help employees feel more accountable for their work and motivation to succeed.
It can also help to have employees complete self-evaluations to gain insight into areas that they feel they need to improve on and areas where they feel strong, so you can discuss and work on these areas together. Increasing communication with your employees is another way to increase employee satisfaction. When employees feel heard and appreciated for what they do, they are more likely to remain loyal to their employing company.
So, how do performance based salary increases work?
If you decide on an average increase of 2% for instance, you might give top performers as much as 4%, and lower performers as low as 1% or less.
A survey conducted by WorldatWork shows that employers are planning to give average pay increases of 3.7% to top performers, 2.4% to average performers, and less than 1% to bottom performers in 2011.
Now, more than ever, it is important to keep up on market trends to help you make decisions for your company, not only for employee compensation purposes, but for most financial decisions. It has become a way for many businesses to survive the recent economic instability. That is why Kavaliro remains committed to studying the most recent employment and business trends, and relaying them to you!
Read More...The 12 Days of Job Hunting
Don’t let the Holiday Season influence you to put your job search on hold! Instead you should use this time to get a head start on landing a job for the New Year! Many businesses know what jobs/needs they will have open for Quarter 1 of the New Year, and now is the time to get your foot in the door. Take this time to prepare yourself for any opportunities that will be available in the upcoming weeks by following this 12-day guide!
On the first day of job searching, find the right career for you! Taking a career aptitude test is a great start, try this one.
On the second day of job searching, update (or rewrite) your resume! Check out our guide to writing a winning resume.
On the third day of job searching, recognize the important role of social networking in job searching and join/tailor your personal profiles! It is estimated that around 50% of employers search potential applicants on social sites, so be seen (in the right light) today! Here are some thoughts by two of our recruiters to get you started: John Putoff and Matt Rowles.
On the fourth day of job searching, search Kavaliro’s open job database to find the right job for you! You can even apply directly from the portal and create a profile with your resume so our recruiters can help you find a great fit!
On the fifth day of job searching, contact a Kavaliro recruiter to start applying for jobs!
On the sixth day of job searching, work on improving the 10 most desired soft skills.
On the seventh day of job searching, give yourself a mini work makeover! Make sure that you are dressed for success with this guide and tips from recruiter Angel Diaz!
On the eighth day of job searching, work on your listening skills! Having good listening skills not only helps you to ace your interview, but is a quality that makes you a valuable employee! Here are some quick tips on how to improve your listening skills.
On the ninth day of job searching, research the companies you have applied to. One of the best ways to prepare for your interview (and later, potential employment), researching potential employers/companies presents you as an empowered and dedicated applicant/employee. Taking some time to go that extra step can pay off in the long run, even by way of being able to strike up a conversation during your interview about a current company project, etc. that can speak to your skills if they bring you on board!
On the tenth day of job searching, practice running through possible interview questions! Try to be prepared for any questions you may be asked. Here’s 100 example interview questions to help you along.
On the eleventh day of job searching, learn to ask great questions! Don’t think that you should only be answering questions in an interview – an interview is also the time for you to gain more insight into the company and position you are applying for so you can determine if it feels like a good fit for you. Opportunities for advancement, management/decision-making styles, internal politics/company history & direction (a good time to bring up key points from your research), the types of projects you would be working on, and backgrounds of clients you may be working with are all great examples of the types of questions you should ask.
On the twelfth day of job searching, send Thank You notes or emails to your interviewers. Thank them for their time and express your excitement about the position and any important take-aways you had from the interview.
Follow our job feed Twitter account!
Read More...What Constitutes Real Success
Recently a friend described a local business owner to me as being successful. So being inquisitive, I asked what made him successful.He replied, “He is rich!”
Certainly attaining wealth is an important factor, but I believe that there are other important factors that make a person successful. So I decided to explore the definition of the word success and offer my findings for your review, consideration and comments.
-Success to a mother means having a healthy child that matures into a respectful, kind and caring person.
-Success to a father is when he arrives at home after a day of work, and he is warmly greeted with “daddy’s home”.
-A wife considers it a success when she receives appreciation for all the work and support that she constantly provides to her family.
-A husband considers it a success when he sees a smile on his wife’s face.
-A teacher considers it a success when a student understands new ideas and concepts and has the ability to clearly express their viewpoints effectively.
-A student considers themselves successful when they receive an outstanding report card and know the answer to a difficult question, or when they are accepted into the college of their choice.
-A doctor considers it a success when he/she cures someone or performs a complex or delicate surgery.
-Politicians considers it a success when they are elected, or re-elected to public office, or when a constituent tells that they are doing a good job.
-A performer considers it a success when they receive a standing ovation, or receives a good review.
-An athlete considers it a success when they or their team wins an event, or when they sign a multi-million dollar contract.
-An attorney considers it a success when they achieve a settlement for their client or when a client is found not guilty.
-A police officer is considers it a success when they save a person’s life or when they solve a heinus crime.
-A fireman considers it a success when they save a person’s home or rescues someone from a dangerous peril.
-A priest or minister considers it a success when a parishioner tells them their sermon had a special meaning to them.
-A employee considers it a success when their work is appreciated and their salary is commensurate with their knowledge, skills and abilities.
-An employer considers it a success when at the end of fiscal year their revenue/profits exceeds their expenses.
lastly, my two favorite quotes on success are by Henry W. Longfellow and Albert Einstein:
-”The talent of success is nothing more than doing what you can do, well. Try not to be a man of success, but a man of value.”
Read More...Beta-Eta’s 40th Birthday
This month marks the 40th anniversary of the Beta-Eta chapter at UCF. Three of the four members of the Kavaliro executive team are all alumni of the chapter, and in fact met there – President Mark Moore, COO John Mahony and Managing Partner Bill Peppler.
The University of Central Florida was founded in 1968, and the fraternity system came into being soon afterward. The Beta-Eta chapter was installed on November 28, 1971. The Grand High Alpha Award is presented to a chapter that has maintained superior operations and fraternal spirit for a minimum of three consecutive years and is thus recognized for sustained excellence. A chapter may receive this award only once every three years. Our Central Florida brothers have been so honored in 1974, 1983, 1987, 1990, 1993, and 2004. Click here to read more.
Read More...Kavaliro: “Fueling the Community” Food Drive brings successful results as new school year begins
Thank you to everyone who participated in this quarter’s “Fueling the Community” Food Drive, it was a great success! Working with dozens of participants in Central Florida, we were able to collect: 884 boxes of Mac & Cheese, 567 individual servings of Mac & Cheese, 262 containers of sauce, 437 boxes of pasta, and 403 miscellaneous items to help our communities most needful families as another school year begins.
Our Charlotte office raised money, which Kavaliro matched, to donate $185 to Eagles Nest Summer Camp to support our troops with nutritional and toiletry items!
To learn more about Kavaliro’s “Fueling the Community” Food Drive, take a look at these articles:
- Staffing Firm Kavaliro is Fueling the Community
- Local staffing company holds food drive for school kids
- Food drive in full swing for struggling students
Local businesses who are interested in participating in future “Fueling the Community” Food Drives should contact:
Lisa M. Moore
Community Relations Director
Kavaliro Staffing Services
Email: lmoore@kavaliro.com
Phone: 407.739.7394
Media members who are interested in covering this community outreach project should contact:
Cristina Calvet-Harrold at 407-832-4814 or at cristina@kavaliro.com.
Read More...Staying Connected – High Tech in the High Country
By: Bill Peppler
Recently, while on vacation with my family in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, I got to thinking about how technology has changed the way we stay connected with our offices. As driven professionals, it is only natural for us to feel a bit detached from the businesses that we put so much time and effort into on a daily basis, especially when we are away for an extended period of time.
In the past, my standard vacation routine included a daily phone check-in with the office to catch up on any issues or occurrences that may have popped up while I was away. Beyond that daily check-in, I relied on co-workers to contact me in the event that something important came up. On some occasions, that did not occur, and I would return to the office with an unexpected major undertaking to attend to.
In recent years, however, advances in technology have alleviated much of the worry associated with that detached feeling. With the widespread adoption of smart phones, tablet devices, and video conferencing software, and with telecommunications networks seemingly improving by the day, the barriers to staying connected have all but been eliminated.
A recent blog post on GIGAOM.com, written by guest writer Eric Kintz of Logitech, touched on a similar topic, the evolution of the “new office”. In the piece, he notes that “the new office is an airport lounge on a tablet, a midnight video call on the kitchen counter, a shared table at the office or a collaboration pod for ad hoc meetings.” How ironic it is that I read his post from my iPad, just before checking my e-mails and approving a few documents, all while overlooking the mountains from the porch of my vacation home.
Now look, I understand that a vacation is a time to relax and regenerate yourself, to disconnect if you will. Staying connected can be a slippery slope, and I, for one, don’t plan to allocate a big percentage of my vacation time to staying up with office ongoings. However, as a passionate business person who truly cares about the needs of my clients, consultants, and co-workers, I feel better knowing that the connectivity is there, and that I can be reached in a number of ways no matter where I am.
So, what are your thoughts on this subject? How do you stay connected with work while you are away, if at all? How much connectivity is too much, and where do the lines between personal and work time become blurred? We want to hear from you. Join the conversation by commenting below.
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