Joe Taylor needed a program manager for a key development project.  He started searching for candidates, but was unsatisfied with what he was finding.  Later that day he saw his old friend Steve Morgan.  Steve had just been laid off and was looking for a new job.  Joe only knew Steve socially, but thought he was a good, solid guy and always enjoyed seeing him.

Joe invited Steve to interview for the open position.

It became quite clear during the interviewing process that though Steve had industry experience, he had never led a project before.  This job would be a stretch for him, but he was eager to try and very enthusiastic about the job.  Joe decided to give Steve a try.

It is still early in the game and unclear whether Steve will be able to manage the project, but what is clear is that Joe put himself and his company in a risky situation.  Joe has maybe a 50/50 chance of Steve working out.  If he does work out, then it will be a win for Steve, Joe and the company.  But if it doesn’t work out, then the company will have lost valuable time on completing the project, Steve will have “egg on his face” and Joe may lose a friend when he has to fire Steve.

Of course, even the most qualified hiree can fail and a good personality often wins the day.  However, the best situation is a qualified hire with a good personality.  If you settle for less than that, you are taking a risk with the project and the company’s finances.

Continental excels at finding you the right person for the job, with the skills you require and the personality that fits your corporate culture.  Cut your risk with new hires and call Continental.

• Minimum Education – Bachelors’ Degree
• Functional Area – Cell Engineering
• Years of Experience – 2 or more

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assist in new battery chemistries development activities.
• Operate analytical equipments such as XRD, SEM, ICP
• Assist in the development and testing of battery cells and packs
• Operate battery test equipment (Arbin, Bitrode and Maccor)
• Generate test plans, test matrices, and test reports
• Report on project status and make presentations as required
• Assist in patent research to benchmark competition
• Participate in design reviews and design analysis.

ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE & SKILLS:

• Battery development experience highly desirable
• Experience in test plans, matrices and test report writing.
• Bachelors Degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science or a related discipline but Masters or PhD degree preferred.
• Must be able to work effectively in a team environment.
• Excellent planning, organizational, analytical skills.
• Ability and desire to achieve in-depth knowledge of the industry and customer base.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• The ability to work effectively in a rapidly changing environment.
• Work experience in the automotive, powertrain or battery industry a plus.

To Be Considered For This Position Please Send Us Your Resume Using The Form Below.

That is why we recommend a probationary period – usually 90 days. We will often start the employee at a slightly reduced salary or reduced benefits during the period. We ensure they receive the appropriate on-the-job training and company orientation. Then we see how they perform.

In many jobs it is useful to develop a metric that will measure their performance. Both you and the employee need to know what is expected.

After the probationary period it is important that you sit down with the employee and review their performance. Then you must decide whether to make them a permanent employee or terminate them. Sometimes you may want to simply extend the probationary period, which leads to our next hiring mistake, “Keeping staff that do not excel during their probationary period” coming next month.

Where Do I Network?

Well the easy answer is EVERYWHERE. But to be more specific, you will want to network anywhere you come in contact with groups or individuals who could potentially help your professional career.

Chat Rooms and Web Forums:

Think of these like your online water cooler. These online watering holes can range from highly professional to very informal. Find some online chat rooms or forums that focus on your skill set. If you are an engineer find one that is geared towards engineers.

Social Networking Websites:

These sites now make it easier than ever to stay in constant contact with your friends, family and colleges. They turn everyone you know and everyone they know into a giant web of contacts. Websites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter let you tell everyone what your interests, goal and qualifications are while keeping in touch and up to date with what everyone else is interested in or doing. More information in E-Networking can be found here.

Job and Career Fairs:

Job and Career fairs offer you the opportunity to see what is out there and get your resume in the hands of several potential employers all at once. But don’t be fooled into thinking that this is just a quick meet and greet. This is basically your first interview with these companies. You must be at your best. Do your research on the companies that are attending. Also, seek out the recruiting/staffing companies. They are often the only link to getting a job a certain companies.

Recruiters & Staffing Companies:

It is a good idea to develop and maintain a relationship with as many recruiters and staffing companies as you can. And this doesn’t mean send a resume and wait. You really should send a resume, then follow up through phone calls and try to come in for an interview. This keeps you top of mind with the recruiters. It also gives your recruiter a chance to get to know you as a person and not just a resume.

Also, if a recruiter calls you, consider them a friend for life. Take their calls if possible or call back as quickly as possible. Make it clear that you welcome their calls at all times, not just when you need a job.

Everyday Life:

Everyone and anyone you meet or talk to in your everyday life has the potential to help you with your professional life. Just like you, they all have a network of employers, professionals, friends and family that they could easily refer you to when/if you are looking for a job. Don’t waste the opportunity to get to know them and what they do. Ask questions and be genuinely interested. This could lead to conversation about your career, interests, skills and background. But be careful not to just go into who you are and what you do. You don’t want to come across as needy and self-serving.

Now that you have a basic understanding of Networking and its importance, get out there and build your professional network.

Need More Info or Assistance? Contact Continental Professional Staffing & Services.

How Do I Network?

What you may not realize is that you are actually networking anytime you interact with anyone who can potentially assist you or whom you can assist in some career related way. But what is important to realize is that how you network is just as important as where and when you network.

I read it best from a writer named Brandt Smith, who writes for Wealth and Wisdom, a blog focused on helping you achieve wealth and life balance through entrepreneurship.

A strong network doesn’t just happen. It takes time, effort, and patience. Here are seven tips for creating and maintaining a group of contacts:

Key #1: Build it before you need it

Building a network is a lifelong process, and relationships take time to develop. If you wait until you need help, it may be too late. The odds are you already have a network, but have not developed it to its full potential. Start with your family and friends. Move on to business contacts, members of your church, club members, etc.

This is your base network. If you have weaknesses, get to work. Call up the old friend from college. Email a buddy from your old job. Add business contacts to your Christmas card list. Attend industry events and talk to as many people as you can.

Key #2: You must make a deposit before you have the right to withdraw

Just because you have a name and number doesn’t mean a person is part of your network. You must first help them before you can ask a favor. View it like a bank account. Can you take out money if you never make deposits? I’ve known people who try to do this. After about two requests they are no longer welcome. Pretty soon they are on their own and have a reputation for being self-serving.

Something as simple as saying thank you can be a major deposit in your network bank account. If someone gives you a hand, make sure they get credit. See an article in the paper they would like? Cut it out and send it to them, or put them in touch with a resource that can help them with a problem.

Key #3: Give more than you receive

This goes hand-in-hand hand with number two. Strive to maintain a positive (and growing) balance. Compare this with personal finance. You must always make more than you spend.

Key #4: Be open and genuine

People will spot it if you are phony. Relax and be yourself. Just make sure you keep away from volatile topics like religion and politics! To make the most of a network, you must sincerely like people and enjoy helping others when you are able. Say “yes” when you can, but also know when you have to say “no”.

Key #5: Follow up and stay in touch

Even the best contact will get old and stale. I like to view a relationship as two people tied together by delicate strands. Each time you make contact adds another strand. If you stay with your initial meeting the connection is tenuous. It is only when you have hundreds of these strands woven together that you have an unbreakable cable.

Key #6: The devil is in the details

Even the experts have trouble remembering all the details. Write things down. If you get a business card, take notes on the back after you finish your conversation. Use that pad of paper at the meeting. What is their spouse’s name? Do they have kids? What ages and genders? What college did she attend? What is his birthday?

Key #7: Your network doesn’t end with your contact

Each of your contacts has their own network. Don’t be afraid to call and ask “do you know someone who can help?” If you are doing the steps above, they will be glad to make the introduction.

Keep these tips in mind and you too can build a strong personal and professional network. (these tips and Brandt Smith’s full article can be found here)

View Tap Your Network: Part 3 (Where Do I Network?).

It has been reported that 80% of jobs available never get advertised. So how do you find them?

The answer: Networking.

According to CareeXRoad’s 8th Annual Sources of Hire Survey (Feb 2009), referrals made up 27.3% of all external new hires.

So, you may be asking, “what is networking?”

“How do I do it?”

And, “Where do I network?”

These are all great questions and the rest of this article will provide the answers, along with a few resources to help you network with the best of them.

What Is Networking?

To put it plainly, networking is developing and maintaining, personal and professional contacts with a variety of people who might be helpful to you and your career. And what is really important about this definition is the “developing and maintaining” part. Networking is not just contacting everyone you know when you are looking for a job. Networking starts long before you ever need a job. Networking happens in your everyday life. You probably don’t even realize you are doing it. Every time you talk to another parent at your child’s soccer game, you are networking. Every time you talk to your neighbor, you are networking. Attend a trade show…networking. Talk with someone waiting in line at the grocery store…you guessed it…networking.

Networking happens constantly in your day-to-day life and if leveraged correctly, networking can be the difference between unemployment and your dream job.

Tap Your Network: Part 2 (How Do I Network?) will be posted 7-7-09

1. 1. Employees: When the economy turns around, how are you going to re-staff your company? Using a staffing agency, you can take advantage of their large databases of already screened candidates, saving you time and money. Today, 89% of companies in the U.S. use temporary staffing. For most companies, temporary staffing represents a chance to control costs. For example, a company can save 20%-35% of salary they pay for permanent employees in taxes and benefits.
2. 2. Employee Benefits: The world of employee benefits can be quite confusing as there are many options, costs and laws in this area. Continental HR Specialists dedicate their time to understanding and administering this area, so you don’t have to. We review and compare Health Insurance Plans, 401(k) plans and other types of employee benefits annually to ensure that our contract employees get the best plans for their money. Also, benefits keep employees happy, giving you less turnover.
3. 3. Human Resources: Benefits administration is time consuming and expensive. Continental’s customized HR packages are tailored to your unique staffing needs. Our services include a menu of employee related functions, such as recruiting, hiring, managing employee benefits, and processing payroll. Our goal is to make it easy for you to recruit and manage top-quality employees, allowing you the time to concentrate on your core activities.

To Speak to Someone at Continental about our Staffing and Professional Services call 765.778.9999 or simply complete the form below.
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