Job Market Barometer

Unemployment Rate

Help Wanted Index

Source: The Conference Board

According to Mike Poskey, Vice President at ZERORISK HR, it is important to incorporate risk management into your interviewing process to help minimize your firm's exposure to employment practices liability.

To minimize the risk of discrimination lawsuits, its interviewers should be familiar with topics that aren’t permissible as interview questions. For example, you shouldn’t ask a female applicant detailed questions about her husband, children and family plans. Such questions can be used as proof of sex discrimination if a male applicant is chosen for the position, or if the female is hired and later terminated.

It is also important to avoid making statements during the interview process that could be alleged to create a contract of employment. When describing the job avoid using terms like "permanent," "career job opportunity," or "long term."

Stat #1
According to the Associated Press, about 16% of American companies offer flexible spending accounts. Unfortunately, only 18% of the 37 million eligible employees have elected this benefit.

Stat #2
CareerXroads’ Gerry Crispin states that the average cost per college hire is close to $4,100. With about 500,000 college students getting jobs annually via the courting efforts of corporations, it’s more than a $2 billion effort.

Working for ... Benefits?
By Rachel Walker, Managing Director, TWC

With reports of the economy making a comeback, many companies are in growth mode and that means more jobs, new positions and a renewed focus on recruiting and retention.

While the recruitment game is still primarily driven by cash compensation, value-adds are becoming increasingly important. Benefits in particular, including healthcare coverage and related costs, are one of the top recruiting and retention tools. Employers need to approach and implement benefits creatively in order to attract, hire and retain personnel.

Read more...

Asking the Right Questions: A Skill You Can Learn
By Linda Resnick, President, CEO Resources, Inc.

The best way to determine whether a senior-level candidate "fits" is through an in-depth interview and an extensive reference checking process. On the interview side, executive search professionals need to combat candidates’ canned responses by keeping the interview process fresh.

Although interviewing is as much an art as a science, it can be learned. What is important is to focus attention on subtle cultural and managerial issues. Those issues are, more often than not, the predictors of success in any organization.

In my experience, I have found these 12 questions to be most “telling"...

Full article...

TRION Benefits Services Checklist
Compliments of TRION, A TWC Strategic Partner

TRION, one of the nation's largest privately-held benefits firm, advises clients on the strategy, design, financing, delivery, communication and ongoing planning and management of all health and welfare programs.

To help its clients fully understand benefits services, TRION has developed a Benefits Services Checklist, with over 90 items in 14 different service areas that companies should be receiving from their benefits firm.

The checklist...