Good News from Goldman Sachs and An Increase in Temp Workers

Jobs increase as investing in the homebuilding industry transitions from “neutral” to “attractive” in Goldman Sachs report.

In a recent Bloomberg article, Real Estate Reporter Prashant Gopal highlighted a Goldman Sachs report that marked US homebuilders an “attractive investment as the housing market starts ‘strong’ recovery.” With the Commerce Department reporting new houses selling at a pace of 369,000 in May, June saw a record plunge in mortgage rates and the continued evaporation of existing homes that led to a 4.7 percent increase in the construction of single-family houses. The recent surge has led Goldman analysts to estimate new-home sales reaching 700,000 in 2014.

According to Gopal, Goldman analysts are connecting the positive recovery to “supportive government policies and a decline in the so-called shadow inventory of homes.” The shadow inventory of homes refers to the supply of foreclosures and shorts sales still projected to hit the market. Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada and Texas report a 15 percent decrease in shadow inventory, while also reporting a 34 percent increase in demand. Goldman analysts attribute this to the supply of foreclosures being swallowed up by investors, “limiting shadow inventory and creating a floor for home prices.” “We expect any further decline in inventory,” write the analysts, “to serve as a platform for price appreciation, further aiding sales.”

In a June article for Bloomberg entitled “Arizona's New Housing Crisis: No Workers,” Gopal also described the impact this increase in new-home building has had on jobs, as Arizona contractors report an unprecedented shortage of skilled workers. One of the places hit hardest over the past few years, Arizona is now “scrambling” for workers to keep up with the demand for new homes. This scramble for workers should be considered in light of the June jobs reports that indicate, according to USA Today, a 25,000 raise in temporary workers—nearly a third of June’s 80,000 payroll gains. As concluded in the report, “many businesses are using contractors and other temp workers on an ongoing basis to better meet fluctuating demand and enlist workers with specialized skills for short-term projects.”

JWilliams Staffing has definitely felt the convergence of these new reports, with new positions and openings pouring in from a variety of locations—most recently including Los Angeles, San Diego, Tucson, Fort Worth, and Denver. Whether you are looking for employees or employment, there could not be a better time to visit JWilliamsStaffing.com.

Job Simulators: The New Interview Technique That Makes Experience Necessary

A couple years ago, companies like Google started using offsetting brainteasers in interviews to test applicants’ quick logic. The days of prepping for an interview by memorizing your answers to the expected questions and polishing your resume with buzzwords like “team player” and “motivated” were over. You now had to show your problem solving skills in real time. Ack!

Well, the brainteasers have stepped aside, thank goodness. But, employers have found a more effective way to interview applicants, by using job simulators. Applicants are put into real-time simulations for their potential job duties, the new “show us what you’re really made of” interview technique.

Certainly, there are job simulators that we’re already familiar with. Pilots spend time in flight simulators before going up in a plane and some luxury car companies test new safety features via driving simulations. But more tailored simulators are appearing on the interview scene. For example, Scenetap’s interviews take place in a bar, where they let interviewees loose to see how they interact with staff, other employees, and complete strangers. An important part of the job these applicants want is to build relationships and sell product, so Scenetap needs to see how they perform in real world situations. Some employment agencies use virtual simulators for roles such as customer service, where applicants interact with customers in a virtual environment and the employer can then evaluate their performance.

Why Simulation?

These days, most people can make an impressive resume and rattle off satisfactory answers to interview questions. Employers are keen to this and are tired of hiring people who look great on paper and perform well in interviews but can’t actually do the job. Real-time simulation forces applicants to prove their ability right there on the spot, saving the employer from hiring the wrong person.

If you are a current jobseeker, don’t fear. Job simulation is good for both the employer and the applicant.  Three benefits to applicants who must survive these simulations are:

• They allow you a chance to “try on” the job to see if it is a good fit and know what will be expected before you commit.
• If you are prepared for the job and do possess the skills listed on your resume, your performance will reflect that real world knowledge.
• They help weed out those applicants with professionally written resumes but no job experience, so you are likely to have less competition.

How to Prepare

The best way to prepare for simulations is to have been in the situation before and know how to respond—that is, to have previous experience in the role. Today, applicable experience speaks much louder than graduating summa cum laude, though having both is a powerful combination. Applicants with proven experience in the role are in high demand. But what if you don’t have any? A great way to get solid experience under your belt is through temping. Temping provides you an opportunity to learn about a position, apply yourself, and if you’re a good fit, seek a full-time role. 

JWilliamsStaffing is your resource for temporary employment opportunities. We have one of the highest temp-to-hire conversions for personnel staffing in the real estate industry. While some roles require a real estate license, others do not, and we're here to help place you in the right job. We offer excellent training and assistance to help you be successful, learn valuable skills, and build a career. Check out our jobs board to see open positions and apply online. Let our employment services help you start getting experience today!

JWilliams Staffing Publishes Second Annual Guide on Building Industry Compensation and Benefits

With home-buying activity the highest it has been in two years and interest rates at record lows, home builders are requesting the most permits in years, and as new construction increases, new jobs are being created. As California builders step up their hiring, they will find indispensable information in the newly-published 2012 Building Industry Compensation and Benefits Guide from Irvine-based JWilliams Staffing, Inc.

Featuring data on more than 100 relevant industry positions, the guide is designed to aid both companies and employees as they reevaluate work and assignments. Contributions from builders and developers throughout Califor-nia helped assure timely and relevant data, according to JWilliams Staffing founder and CEO, JoAnne Williams.

"Our second annual edition couldn't come at a more auspicious time," Williams says. "It will give both employers and job seekers an understanding of current, competitive salary and benefit packages that will enable them to make informed decisions as the industry accelerates the pace of home building activity."

John Burns, CEO of John Burns Real Estate Consulting, Inc. in Irvine, California, agrees with Williams that making informed decisions is more critical now than ever. "Companies that made hiring decisions based solely on gut feel are gone," he observed, "and they are being replaced by builders who are not only experienced, but who have also created new processes and procedures."

The new guide provides a year over year comparison of compensation with basic job summaries along with salary levels for a wide array of positions within the industry. There is also a section devoted to compensation according to size of the firm, making it easy to compare key responsibilities and salary levels at a range of firms. This year's industry-wide overview of employee benefits provides a more comprehensive summary based on feedback from the 2011 survey.

The guide also features an informative article by Tom Miller, president of The VisionLink Advisory Group, that discusses the importance of establishing a long-term "value sharing" plan among management and staff. Miller ex-plains why immediate compensation is only one motivating factor for employees committed to overall business growth and success.

"After a long period of low turnover, employers might expect their top talent to leave for -- or at least explore options in -- greener pastures," Williams says. "Companies must plan for a possible rise in attrition and move faster to start filling the talent pipeline. One of the most reliable ways to do that is through an effective value sharing strategy."

Williams and her team worked with the California Building Industry Association in compiling the Building Industry Compensation and Benefits Guide. In future editions, they would also like to incorporate information from other building industry associations around the country, providing the industry with a reliable assessment standard.

The Guide is available through JWilliams Staffing, Inc., at www.jwilliamsstaffing.com. Substantial discounts are available to BIA members and to those builders who participated in the survey.