A lot can happen in 20 years. Technology has advanced leaps and bounds, social movements have altered the way we interact with one another, and regarding a topic we’re particularly keen on – the American Workforce Landscape has changed drastically. TAC Employment Agency is celebrating our 20-year business milestone, and along the way, we’ve seen a paradigm shift in how people and companies conduct work. Let’s take a dive into what the workforce landscape looked like 20 years ago, what it looks like now, and how it may look in the 20 years to follow.
As a Reno recruiting agency, we used to have to go solely off paper resumés and phone calls to screen potential hires. The whir of the fax machine was ever-present, and administrative tasks could take several people and departments to complete. Interviews were held strictly in-person, and people were assigned jobs that mostly revolved around individual machines that performed a particular function.
Now, most of this action lives on computers. We have access to digital worker profiles and powerful recruitment tools, enabling us to find a strong match between prospects and companies looking for talent. Candidates still do phone interviews, but now we also have the power to conduct interviews through video calling platforms, which add another layer of communication intimacy.
In the future, we’ll likely see even more digital tools that enhance the employment search experience. Not only that, smart machines will take over tasks previously thought impossible, becoming your future coworkers. With advancements in collaboration tools and artificial intelligence, new digital environments will be leveraged to share and store vital applicant information and bolster workforce solutions. Overall, we’ll hopefully see a shift towards reducing the strain on our labor market and utilize all of our available talent to its greatest potential. If applicants’ skills, jobs, and locations are matched more efficiently and with greater precision, the future will look bright!
The cultural snapshot of the workforce 20 years ago is almost unrecognizable today. Stuffy office attire, the once a year holiday party, and bosses that barked orders while sitting in their corner office were a staple of yesteryear. Additionally, it wasn’t uncommon for individuals to stay with a company for a large portion, if not all of their careers. And perhaps the most dreaded invention ever concocted: the cubicle, had a grip on office culture.
Thankfully, the reign of comically small cubicles has been declining, and we now see more open-floor layouts that foster relationships and healthy minds. Companies have also realized that people should be celebrated for their accomplishments with more than just a single holiday party. Individual growth that occurs when employees outgrow their positions and move on to other companies are also being addressed in a more positive light. Office lunches, group outings, and employee perks are now woven into the heart of a company’s culture. And it doesn’t hurt when the boss leads alongside their subordinates instead of shouting from afar. With this shift in our work day thinking, people are honing in a better work-life balance and bringing their best selves when clocking in for the day.
Looking to the future, we’ll hopefully see office cultures that people truly resonate with, cultivating heightened pride in their work. With more individuals opting for remote work, the next decades will likely involve increased efforts to encourage inclusivity and recognition of employees from afar via virtual platforms. People will seek opportunities to tie their mission, purpose, and passions with their workplace. At the end of the day, work won’t just be a nine to five, it’ll be a place employees will show up to provide value for society and don’t mind working hard to do so.
In the two decades prior, the workplace was a wasteful environment where little thought was given to consumption habits. Enormous amounts of paper were used, employees commuted in gridlock traffic, and the office itself was often a huge energy sink.
With the current move towards a more digital work ecosystem, we’re making strides towards greater workplace sustainability. Everything from flexible work schedules that reduce traffic, to fewer physical print files, to smaller office spaces are lessening the impact our workplaces have on the environment. After all, we spend a hefty chunk of time at work, so it’s worth addressing sustainability to better our planet as a whole.
In the next twenty years, the trend towards a lesser impact will hopefully continue. Staff will be able to login virtually via laptops that use far less electricity than desktops. Warehouses can integrate sensor-based mapping and inventory control to make optimum use of smaller floor plans. And ideally, offices will move to areas with better transportation links to make them more accessible to the workforce via public transport.
In our twenty years as one of the most experienced employment agencies Reno offers, we’ve found that change is inevitable. Through it all, we’ve been the go-to company for HR consulting services, executive search solutions, and employment services. While these services have evolved to fit the times, we have never wavered in our commitment to our clients. While the next twenty years are uncertain, we plan to use our vast industry knowledge to adapt to the needs of our workers and provide value to the workplace of the future.
Contact The Applied Companies to let us help you with your workforce needs of the future.
About The Applied Companies®:
The Applied Companies® strives to collaborate with employers looking to grow their workforce with professional, reliable, and ambitious individuals. The goal at TAC is simple: we want to help alleviate the stress of looking for a job as well, and make sure that our candidates are compatible with a role that’s right for them. For over 20 years, TAC has been an active member of the business community. With a Northern Nevada focus and national expertise in temp and direct hire, recruitment, executive search, human resources, PEO, and payroll administration, TAC provides businesses with solutions that are right for their organization.
As for working with job seekers, now is the right time to find employment with your local employment agency. We’re sharing some tried and true tips when it comes to finding your dream job and acing an interview:
You’ve wowed a company with your impressive cover letter and resume, so naturally the next step is either an in-person or phone interview.
First, a friend, family member or partner can help you practice through a mock interview and can be a great starting point to your job interview prep. This gives you a chance to receive feedback on your answers, posture, appearance, and nonverbal communication. Even paying attention to your handshake can make a subtle difference!
Another suggestion to gain confidence for the interview is to research the company and the individual(s) interviewing you. Learning about their roles and personal interests through their LinkedIn profile or through the company’s website allows you to mention highlights during the interview to give you common ground while standing out.
Print out extra copies of your resume so the interviewers can have a physical copy to keep referring back to. Make sure to bring a pen and professional notebook, in addition to your A-game: after all, people tend to hire other people with a positive and upbeat personality!
If you dress to impress, you’ll make a great first impression. We suggest choosing an outfit that is a step above the office standard to show professionalism, and conservative business attire is appropriate for every setting.
Above all, make sure to get a great amount of sleep and properly fuel up on the day of. Stick to healthy foods for breakfast or lunch, and hydrate throughout the day to prevent a dry throat when speaking.
Providing a portfolio and letting the interviewer take a look at previous projects can make a great first impression. Stick to asking questions about the job responsibilities, qualifications, or other key details about the position. This is also a great time to learn more about the culture of the company or the department, and what the structure looks like. Remember, this is also your chance to interview the company and see if this is a good fit for you and your values.
If an interviewer asks about any of your strengths and weaknesses, it’s sometimes hard to come up with an answer at the moment. Being honest and self-aware of any issues is a great start, but combining it with an action plan lets you stand apart from other candidates. On the contrary, finding a few traits that you tend to utilize in your work is important. Are you a problem solver or more numbers driven when it comes to tackling tasks? Is time management something you are really good at, too? If so, explain these traits and how you do in specific situations with them as a way to wow the interviewer.
Lastly, consider why you want to work for a place and what about the role is most appealing for you. Out of all the companies hiring, why did you choose this one? Hearing about why you specifically chose them can really score some bonus points with the interviewer.
After an interview, it’s important to elevate yourself as a candidate by keeping your name fresh in the company’s mind. It shows that you are eager for the role, especially if it’s a competitive field.
At the end of the interview, make sure to get the contact information of the hiring manager and ask questions that will give you a time frame for the decision making. Questions like “How many days will you need to make a decision?” Or “Will there be a second interview?” can help. Send any supporting documents like a page of references, written assessments, or background check approval.
Sending a thank you email is a fantastic way to stand out. Doing so will demonstrate your interest in the job, and showing appreciation is a good look during the search process.
It’s typically better for an interviewer to bring up the topic of salary and benefits, and always try to end on a positive note. Other questions not to ask include wanting to know about promotions and reviews. Any questions that beg “What’s in it for me?”, be it for hours, benefits, salary or growth, will be answered within the process and not on an initial interview. Many people interviewing for jobs must keep in mind that an offer doesn’t always come from the first step.
Lastly, interviewers often ask questions that ask you to share situations that you found difficult at previous positions. This helps them understand how you might respond in similar situations at this workplace, so prepare by reflecting on a few scenarios ahead of time.
For many people in Reno and Sparks, they took time to reassess their careers during the pandemic. Here at TAC, we saw this first hand as our trained professionals learned more about the workforce, search recruitment, and professional employer organizations as well.
We truly enjoy helping top-level candidates find the right position, the right culture, and the right company to thrive in.
Connect With Our Employment Agency in Reno
As many American business owners and employers are aware, the state of our workforce has changed rapidly since the start of the pandemic. Unfortunately, many people were forced out of their positions to limit the spread of COVID-19, putting several industries out of work for some time. Occupations involving face-to-face customer service became obsolete for a majority of the quarantine lockdown, causing millions to file for unemployment.
Today, these job positions are coming back into demand, but our workforce has significantly changed post-lockdown, leaving most of these job openings unfulfilled. To fully understand the current state of the workforce, we need to analyze the Nevada unemployment rate and assess some of the obstacles faced by employees and employers.
With that in mind, the TAC team wanted to take a deeper look at what is affecting the changes in the workforce and what your company can do to better understand and be prepared for these changes. We will first be analyzing the state of Nevada unemployment rate versus that national data and then dive deeper into what your company can do to stay ahead of the game.
In April 2020, the national unemployment rate skyrocketed to over 14 percent, the highest its been since the Great Depression. The current state of the workforce has improved some over the last year and a half, but the numbers are still relatively high. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate was at 4.8 percent in September 2021.
In comparison, Nevada’s unemployment rate was and continues to be recorded as the highest in the nation. In April 2020, Nevada’s unemployment rate was a staggering 28.2 percent, which was double the national average. Since then, the rate has dropped significantly, but Nevada’s current unemployment rate remains above 7 percent. We should acknowledge these rates are driven largely by Southern NV. The unemployment rate as of September in Reno is 3.5% which is back to pre-pandemic levels.
With the numbers continuing to decline, we are seeing some improvements in the workforce. However, these statistics aren’t the only aspect of the workforce that has changed.
To understand what this all means for your organization, working with a professional workforce administration company, like The Applied Companies, can help set your company up for success. TAC has been part of the Reno community since 2002 and prides itself on thoughtful solutions and authentic relationships.
Our Reno staffing solutions help employers in need of a professional, reliable, and ambitious workforce. We work to provide you with quality candidates to help you grow your business and decrease turnover to save you time and money. Connect with us today for help growing your team.
Too often candidates and employers make the hiring process much more complicated than it should be. The principle that more job seekers and hiring authorities should adopt is Occam’s razor, which advocates for simple assumptions to be used in the hiring process. Not only will this principle simplify the entire recruitment process, but it can also help employers find better candidates, and helps candidates better prepare for interviews. However, if you need further assistance in the hiring process, utilize our human resource consulting services which help candidates and employers find the best option for employment. Or, take a look below to learn more about how you can simplify the hiring process for yourself by not making complex assumptions.
William of Ockham created the problem-solving principle known as Occam’s razor, a theory that expresses a simplified way of coming to a more beneficial conclusion. His theory states that when considering the best possibility, the one with the fewest, or most simple, assumptions should be chosen. Today, this principle can be effectively used in the hiring process because it acts as a model for both candidates and employers to follow. For example, if more people made fewer assumptions during an interview, they would be able to get to key details more quickly and with less frustration. Not only would the recruitment process and interviewing be much more simple for both parties, but it would also provide better results.
Both the applicant and the hiring authority can benefit from making simple assumptions during the hiring process. Here’s how:
Typically candidates make too many assumptions about their resume. These commonly incorrect presumptions are that their resume will be read, the person reading the resume will already know what to look for, and lastly that the reader will understand the message they are trying to convey. However, using Occam’s razor will allow candidates to better prepare their resume for what employers are actually looking for. Candidates should write their resume with the simple assertion that “I am a good employee and this is why.” This uncomplicated assumption will make their resume more clear and garner them more interview opportunities.
And when it comes to the interview process, applicants should remember to also keep things simple. Your main goal as a candidate is to sell yourself to your potential boss. By straightforwardly explaining “here’s what I’ve accomplished and done for others and here’s what I can do for you,” you’ll easily get the attention of your interviewer and have a better probability of being considered for the job.
Using the simple assumption theory also helps interviewers, or hiring authorities, make uncomplicated assumptions that alleviate the stress of recruiting a new employee. Employers should consider these four simple assumptions:
These questions are uncomplicated and direct which allows hiring authorities to make better decisions in a shorter amount of time. This simplifies the entire process and typically provides better end results as well.
Another crucial way to find the best candidate for an open position is to test their critical thinking skills. To do this, start by giving your prospective candidate a business-related problem that would pertain to your company. Then ask them to solve the problem and analyze their results. When doing this you want to look for two key things - what their answer is (if it’s right or wrong) and how they came to this solution. The most important thing to figure out is how they think, so look for creative and surprising responses that you think will be a good asset to bring to your company.
Also, don’t be afraid of politely pushing back during an interview. A critical thinker will defend their answer and give reasons to back up that defense. This shows the type of personality that is beneficial to have on your team and displays whether or not the candidate is confident in their own abilities.
If the hiring process leaves you feeling overwhelmed, then connect with the experts at The Applied Companies. Our human resource consulting services are designed to help candidates and employers alike throughout the recruitment process. We help candidates find their ideal job and assist businesses in hiring appropriate employees. Whether you’re looking for a career or searching for the right candidate, we’re here for you.
If you’re looking for people to hire, an employee referral program can have many benefits. That’s especially true in today’s environment, in which employment is at record levels. It can be difficult to find qualified people, and the search can be extensive.
If you have employees who go above and beyond in their work, and they know more people who could help your organization grow, having an established referral system makes those connections possible. What benefits could your organization gain from setting up a referral system?
Most employers do not spend time thinking about the interviewing process, which can be a strategic error in the long run. Far too often, the process is overly reactive. Interviewers and hiring managers jump to a quick decision and hire one of the first candidates available as opposed to hiring the right candidate. They end up with an unstructured interview process that may or may not net the best candidates.
There’s a real need to use the interview process to identify the best candidates. The cost of employee turnover ranges anywhere from 40 to 70 percent of the position’s annual salary for service sector jobs. For supervisory positions, the cost may be over 100 percent of the annual salary.
Everyone approaches an interview with some level of anxiety and worry about whether they will get the job or not. Making a good first impression is key, so managing the start of the interview with confidence and carrying that throughout the hiring process goes a long way.
What can you do as an interviewee to prepare for success and land your next job?
What can you do if you’re not getting candidates who are highly qualified for the positions you need? With unemployment continuing to reach historic lows, it can be tough to find the right people for the right jobs, so you face stiff competitive for high-level candidates.
If you’re struggling to find qualified applicants in Reno and across northern Nevada, The Applied Companies’ staffing team can help you build a comprehensive solution. What strategic steps can you take to attract higher quality candidates to your job openings?
The winter holidays are a great time to check out activities for the whole family. Nevada is full of special wintertime fun for all ages and all interests. Here are seven of our team’s top holiday activities around the Reno area and across northern Nevada!
How do the rates of pay you offer employees stack up with those paid by competing businesses? If you aren’t aware of what the going pay rates are, and the pay is low, it can hurt your business.
In addition, many businesses, especially small and midsize ones, may decide to offer somewhat low pay rates, feeling they want to achieve greater cash flow and profits before raising salaries. That’s not a good idea in the long run, either.s
Have you made a mistake and hired a poor performer for an open position? It can be very painful to realize that the person who choose at the end of a lengthy hiring process isn’t actually working out — or is actively causing problems.
Fax: (775) 853-5466
HOURS OF OPERATION
Monday - Friday:
8:00 AM - Noon | 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Saturday - Sunday:
CLOSED
