Job Advice

Facing Unemployment? Ready For a Change?

Mary Springer

Partner

September 26, 2023

Being unemployed isn’t easy, but it’s something most people face during their careers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, older workers reported more than five separate unemployment spells during their lifetimes. In addition to stressing your wallet, being unemployed can also trigger feelings of anxiety, depression, anger, and hopelessness. But the good news is that you’re not alone in the job search! That’s Good HR is here to help people who are seeking their next professional opportunity.

The top causes of unemployment

There are almost as many reasons for unemployment as there are people who are currently unemployed. Sometimes people leave their jobs because they’re caring for a child or an elderly parent. Some receive the dreaded “pink slip” that tells them they’re no longer going to be employed by their company. Some people leave their jobs with a valid reason, only to discover they’re ready to return to the workplace in a few months.

Roughly speaking, unemployment can be traced to economic recessions and depressions, technological improvements and job outsourcing. In addition, some people will intentionally choose to leave their jobs. Not every job is a good fit, and we hear different stories from people who come to us for job placement:

They’re bored. We always advocate for being proactive and talking to management – there may be other positions in the company that can light that spark again. But if nothing is available, employees may decide to look elsewhere.
They’ve maxed out on pay. Some positions have a salary cap that is non-negotiable.
There are few opportunities for growth. If a current position doesn’t have any pathways for professional development, employees may need to take matters into their own hands and create a new journey.
Coworkers are leaving. If colleagues are handing in their resignations at a pace that seems faster than normal, that can be a red flag.
They’re worried about losing a job. Layoffs are still a thing, even in today’s competitive hiring market. Also, not every job is going to be a great fit for every employee. There’s a reason why we say “The Match Matters” at That’s Good HR. We work to place people in positions that will maximize their skills and talents and keep both the employee and the employer happy and satisfied.
Their mental and physical health is suffering. Professional stress can manifest itself in digestive upsets, headaches, anxiety, depression, or several other conditions. Switching jobs may be just what the doctor ordered.

That’s Good HR can put the pieces back together

Regardless of the reason, being unemployed can be a distressing period. While it’s tempting to send a resume to every opening you can unearth on the internet and job boards, you may be more successful when you partner with That’s Good HR. As a top Indianapolis area staffing agency with more than 20 years of experience, we specialize in placing candidates in positions with top local employers. Yes, our name is That’s Good HR, but our available jobs include positions in administrative, accounting, customer service, medical administration, and human resources.

We take pride in going the extra mile for our candidates and clients. When our recruiters connect with clients, they first take the time to have a conversation. Once they’re familiar with your story and skillset, they will work to match you with employers who are looking for someone just like you. This personal approach ensures that we’re doing more than filling open positions in the Indianapolis job market. We’re making good matches, which includes prepping candidates for an interview and following up to ensure the relationship works.

If you’re unemployed – or if you’re ready for a professional change – check out what’s listed on our job board. Or, submit your resume now, and we’ll review it and get in touch if you’re a good match for one of our open positions. Don’t let a fear of change keep you from reaching your true professional potential. Reach out to That’s Good HR now to start writing the next chapter.

About TGHR

20 Years of Staffing Stories: Mary Springer

February 20, 2020

If you had asked Mary Springer in college if she wanted to own her own business, she would have told you no. At the time, she was preparing herself to climb the corporate ladder, most likely in the area of finance. Upon reflection, she has always been metrics-driven and self-motivated, which are two vital skills for any business owner.

Upon graduation from Purdue University, armed with a degree in financial planning, she moved to Ft. Wayne to start a management training program to become director of finance for an educational institution. While she enjoyed the management aspect of the job, Mary was eager to move back to Indianapolis. Moving back without a job would be tough, so she found a new job in a way that many people get a job – through networking. A college friend had recently talked to a national staffing firm with a local presence in Indy and thought the job sounded like a good fit for Mary, not him. He was right and Mary worked at that staffing firm for six years and then was recruited to open the temporary staffing division at a new, locally based staffing firm that was just starting out – That’s Good HR.

There are some aspects of the staffing business that have remained the same since 2000, but many have changed. In 2000, there was an online job board – Monster.com, while today there are plenty to choose from like Indeed, Zip Recruiter, LinkedIn, Career Builder and more. The online job boards have provided access to more people, but everyone has that access. Mary recruited at college fairs in her early days, a practice that is still done today. And the number one thing that has stayed the same through the years is the fact that staffing is about connecting the right person with the right job at the right time.

Social media has also changed the landscape of staffing. As Mary points out, back in the day when you put an ad in the paper, the people responding didn’t have a LinkedIn profile that was readily available – not to mention that they were still reading a printed newspaper regularly. Online job boards and social media sites like Facebook have changed how we talk to people. In fact, That’s Good HR has only been on Facebook for the past decade! In today’s fast-paced world with technology at your fingertips, Mary remarked that finding that personal connection is harder, but she’s up for the challenge.

The biggest challenge in the past 20 years was the recession of 2008, as it was for many businesses. In theory, the staffing industry is “recession-proof” since when the market goes down, many companies hire contractors and there are more people looking for work, which is good news for staffing firms. But the recession of 2008 was different and forced more than 170,000 small businesses to close during the first two years of the recession. That’s Good HR was forced to reduce staff and do more with less resources but was able to not only survive but thrive amid a dismal economy.

As That’s Good HR continues to reinvent itself to meet the changing needs of the local landscape, Mary looks forward to what the next 20 years will bring. And the end of the day she is most proud of building a place where people want to come to work and help people find jobs to achieve their goals every day. Cheers to 20 years!

Do you have a story about how That’s Good HR has impacted you in the past 20 years? Let us know as we are sharing staffing stories all year long as part of our 20^th Anniversary Celebration!

TGHR News

How to Look 20 Years Younger

January 20, 2020

As part of our in-office holiday celebration, we celebrated with a lunch and our own anniversary spin on a white elephant gift exchange. Since we knew our 20^th anniversary was approaching, we themed our exchange as time-tested drug store beauty finds. The catch was they could not be more than $10 and had to be something you personally used. Some of the products our staff has been using for almost 20 years! Here are our picks if you want to freshen your routine up in the new year – here’s hoping they make us look 20 years younger!

Some staffers shared items that have been using for years as part of their daily skin care routine. Owner/CFO Greta uses Almay Gentle Oil Free Makeup Remover Pads. She loves them so much, all three of her daughters use these too. Payroll Manager Kirstia Cropper uses Dickinson’s Witch Hazel morning and night after she washes her face and has been doing so since high school! VP Partnerships Tiffany swears by Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion. She uses it year-round, not just in the winter months!

Everyone wants to look well-rested and Staffing Specialist Ashley uses Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer to accomplish that on a daily basis. Staffing Specialist Kate likes to pop on a pair of Hydrogel Eye Masks if she did not get enough rest. To save time in the morning, Marketing Director Susie uses Not Your Mothers Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo to freshen up and get out the door! Front Office Admin Emma always looks bright and fresh thanks to her highlighter, which is Maybelline Face Studio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter and her preferred shade is molten gold.

To enhance her eyes, Owner Mary swears by L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara. Staffing Specialist Madison uses Ardell Pro Brow Razors to shape her perfectly coifed eyebrows, which helps her eyes pop. Account Executive Amber keeps a pair of Tweezerman Mini Tweezers in her purse to shape her brows on the go! In Senior Staff Accountant Meaghan’s purse you’ll find Blistex DCT (daily conditioning treatment) for lips.

Every day, Staffing Specialist Lana uses Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion and Staffing Specialist Lindsey uses Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil on her face before makeup. Staffing Specialist Staci reminded us all that we need to clean our makeup brushes and she does so with e.l.f. Brush Shampoo.

Feel free to share your best beauty finds with us or tell us we look 20 years younger!

Staffing

When is Sharing NOT Caring? When it Comes to Sickness…

Greta Cline

Partner, CFO/COO

November 12, 2019

It’s cold and flu season, which means germs and bacteria are EVERYWHERE. It’s important to keep yourself healthy. So how do you combat these germs?

Clean your desk! According to studies, more than 10 million germs can be found on the average work desk, which is 400 times more bacteria than a toilet seat. Totally gross, right? Use cleaning wipes to routinely wipe down your desk surface, phone, keyboard and mouse. Do you have a co-worker out sick? Wipe down their desk too!
Sharing is NOT caring! The saying goes “sharing is caring”, but not when it comes to illness. If you are feeling sick, don’t share coffee mugs or food with others.
Wash your hands! It’s the advice we have heard from parents and teachers hundreds of times over the years. But when washing your hands, make sure not to touch the soap dispenser. In a article from Cosmopolitan Magazine, it states that the University of Arizona found that a a fourth of office soap dispensers are contaminated with fecal bacteria. You’ve been warned!
Stay clear of the kitchen! The microwave, water cooler, and coffee pot handle could be plotting against you. Do you have to give up coffee? We, at TGHR would not suggest such a thing, but give it a wipe or use a paper towel to pour your coffee.

We hope you stay healthy during this cold and flu season! If you have an employee out with the flu, don’t stress and give us a call. We can send a temp even if it’s just for one day. We’ll supply the employee, you supply the cleaning wipes – teamwork!

Tips

Improve Your Desk Health

Lindsey Curtis

October 30, 2019

Are you slumped down in your office chair as you read this? Have you been staring at the computer screen all day? When was the last time you stretched your arms? Approximately 86% of American workers sit all day at work and some believe their office chair is hurting their health. Don’t let this be your fate! Try these simple suggestions to improve your health throughout the day.

Get those steps in! Use the stairs to get to your office – even if it is just a few floors. Take a lap around the cubicles a few times a day to get your blood pumping. In addition, try a walking meeting. This format was a favorite of Apple founder Steve Jobs and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has adopted this meeting style.

Take a break! Experts recommend taking your eyes off your computer screen every 15 – 20 minutes. Take a minute or two to focus on something in the distance to give your eyes a rest.

Reach for the stars! Or rather stretch a few times a day while at your desk. WebMD recommends simple stretches like shrugging your shoulders and circling your arms to refresh yourself.

Organize a fitness class with coworkers! Grab your coworkers and get a work out in together. Many fitness professionals will come to your location. Or find your favorite workout online and share it with others. TGHR had a trainer lead an outdoor workout for our team on a beautiful sunny afternoon. Working out is always better with friends – at least we think so.

There’s an app for that! There are apps to remind you to take a break during the work day, apps that give you simple stretches and even an app that can monitor your posture. Check out these ingenious apps to improve your work health.

Want more? Check out SHAPE magazine’s tips of 8 things you should do if you work at a computer all day.

Ready for your next desk job now that you know how to care for yourself? Check out our recently posted positions.

Staffing

Don’t Get Spooked…The Why Behind Ghosting

Mary Springer

Partner

October 10, 2019

It is said that time heals all wounds but ghosting still hurts no matter how long it has been. Ghosting is not a new phenomenon, it has been around for decades and still leaves a sting. Why does ghosting hurt so much? Psychology Today points out that being rejected stimulates the same receptors as physical pain. Being “stood up” or ghosted makes a person question not only the other person, but also themselves.

So…why do people ghost and simply not show up without an explanation? It is a technique to avoid confrontation or seemly uncomfortable situations. In addition, when people ghost they are thinking more about themselves and their situation than the other person. This often happens when a person is job searching, especially in a tight job market with a qualified candidate.

Electronic forms of communication such as email, texting and even social media, has made ghosting even easier. It is possible that a candidate’s interaction with a company has only been through email, which makes it easier for the person to ghost. One of the ways that TGHR can help is through our time-tested candidate screening process. We meet in person with all the candidates that we present to you, which helps create that personal connection.

Do things still come up? Of course, but you do not need to be spooked – it is our problem, not yours. We shoulder the responsibility so you can save your scares for Halloween. We will not ghost you – 20 years of staffing Indianapolis proves it!

Job Advice

Can You Ever Recover from a “NCNS” Situation?

Amber Crosby

October 6, 2019

Our #1 priority at That’s Good HR is finding great candidates for great clients. It’s what we do every day and we do it because we know we can help people. That assistance includes helping people avoid one of the biggest mistakes that can be made. That mistake is getting labeled as a “NCNS”.

The term “no call, no show” (NCNS) is attributed to a person that doesn’t show up to an assigned place or time. This could be for a day of work or for an interview. It is deemed as highly unprofessional and often can have repercussions beyond just that one day. This situation should be avoided at all costs but ghosting becomes more prevalent in a tight job market. If you find yourself in a seemingly impossible situation that will result in a no show, you need to make every attempt to communicate to your manager or hiring manager and recruiter. In this situation, over-communication is best – call, email AND text (yes, all three). Your job – either keeping one or getting one – is your priority and TGHR can help you manage that priority.

Is it possible to recover from a no call, no show situation? Yes, but it is extremely difficult. First, you need to have a valid reason for your manager or the hiring manager. This needs to be true and monumental, like an unfortunate death in the family. But stick with the truth, fabricating an excuse will make the situation worse down the line.

Next, you’ll want to apologize to any coworkers if you are currently working. Your absence likely impacted them, and an apology would begin to repair broken trust. If you are currently working, you need to know the applicable policies that are in place. Is there a no tolerance policy? What are your company’s repercussions? Knowing the policy will help you understand the consequences you will inevitably be faced with.

Finally, don’t forget to communicate with your recruiter. They need to be made aware of the situation as soon as possible. The same courtesies need to be extended and a valid reason needs to be shared. TGHR recruiters are experts in staffing and experts in knowing when something does not add up, so be forthcoming as an attempt to salvage the relationship.

Bottom line – it’s best to avoid this situation altogether. If there are extenuating circumstances, relationships with your manager, hiring manager, co-workers or recruiters may be able to be salvaged, but do you really want to take that risk?

TGHR News

No Secret Recipe to Leadership

Mary Springer

Partner

July 8, 2019

When you bake a cake, you follow a specified recipe to create a perfect desert. Different ingredients can be combined to create various flavors – all delicious in their own way. I believe there is no secret recipe for being a great leader. Different combinations create different types of leaders – one just as good as the next – like cake. The secret lies in discovering what your leadership strengths are.

To discover my team’s strengths, we use the #1 international bestselling book StrengthsFinder 2.0. Gallup first introduced this simple tool in 2001. It was the result of Gallup’s landmark 30-year research project that ignited a global conversation on the topic of strengths. Almost 20 years later, millions of people have used this approach to discover their top five strengths, which in turn helps them to become a better leader.

Knowing our team’s strengths, helps us understand everyone better and strengthens our company as a whole. Everyone of our team members is a leader in some capacity and as the company owner, it’s my job to develop and nurture my staff so they can reach their leadership potential.

Each TGHR employee has their own “recipe” of strengths. Understanding where we overlap and differ has provided a common language we use to communicate with each other every day. Although each recipe is different, there are some leadership characteristics that are shared by our staff – responsibility, communication, achiever and woo.

According to the StrengthsFinder, leaders strong in the responsibility theme are committed to values such as honesty and loyalty and take ownership of what they say they will do. These are key values to our company and the pillar of why I started TGHR – to do staffing better.

People strong in the communication theme are good conversationalists and presenters. They can quickly and easily put their thoughts into words. This is not unexpected since our business consists of talking to our candidates and clients every day! We interview candidates all day long and need to be able to be superior conversationalists to discover their strengths and explain those strengths effectively to our clients.

Achievers have a great deal of stamina and work hard. They derive satisfaction from being productive. Since one of our company mottos is “work hard, play hard”, it comes as no surprise that this shows up in our team’s strengths!

Woo is another strength that pairs perfectly with being in the staffing industry. People strong in woo love meeting new people and are fulfilled by making connections with people – which is perfect for staffing! Our team loves matching the right candidate to the right client job.

I am fortunate to lead a team that takes pride in their strengths and thrives on discovering the strengths of others. If you do not know where you excel as a leader, I highly recommend you discovering your strengths! Let me know how I (or my team) can help.

About TGHR

National Volunteer Month: TGHR Cares

April 24, 2019

April is National Volunteer Month and our staff celebrates by helping not just this month, but all year long.

Multiple TGHR team members volunteer through ministries at their place of worship. You’ll find Payroll and Operations Manager Kirstia Cropper coaching CYO volleyball and serving on the Parish Council for St. Mark’s Church and helping at St. Vincent De Paul. Senior Accountant Meaghan Smith gets her whole family involved by packing a “care bag” each month and bringing it to Eastern Star Church and adopting a family at the holidays. Marketing Director Susie McKenna and CFO Greta Cline have taught Sunday School at St. Alphonsus and Staffing Specialist Ashley Paramore spends her time with the children’s ministry at Brookside Community Church. Ashley has also volunteered through Northview, most recently at the Hope Center. You’ll find Account Executive Amber Graves welcoming you to Traders Point Church. Amber also volunteers at Wheeler Mission and has been known to hand out bags with hotel toiletries to the homeless.

Other TGHR staff members volunteer right where they live. Division Manager of Temporary Services Kate Stephens is a proud Broad Ripple Village Association Board Member. She champions the Beautification Committee and organizes groups to keep the Village clean and vibrant! You also can find her behind-the-scenes at most Board Ripple fairs and festivals.

Greta Cline, CFO and Co-owner, is currently serving as vice president and treasurer of the Boone County Dairy Promoter Board. Greta also has taught Zionsville history through the Sullivan Munce Cultural Center and organizes a Toys for Tots toy drive gala annually. Marketing Director Susie McKenna also hails from Boone County and works as a Board Member for the Boys & Girls Club of Boone County and elevates her soccer mom status as a Board Member for the Zionsville Youth Soccer Association.

Other staff members find joy in giving back to organizations where they have a personal connection. Division Manager of Temporary Services Lindsey Curtis used to work at Make-A-Wish Foundation, and she’s stayed involved with the organization through volunteering. Staffing Specialist Madison Schacht benefited from being a part of Delta Zeta while she was in college and now heads back to her alma mater, Ball State, to serve as Alumni Relations and Academics Advisor for Delta Zeta at Ball State.

We’d love to hear what organizations you are involved with and where you volunteer to make Indy a better place!

Job Advice

Four Simple Steps to Prepare for a Second Interview

April 11, 2019

You have gone to a job interview and left with the sense that the interview went well. Then your recruiter calls and says the company would like to talk to you again. Your first thought may be “why?”, but this is often a necessary step in today’s tight job market. How do you prepare? Here’s four simple steps to ensure you rock the second interview, just like you did the first time.

Dress the same. Whatever professional outfit you wore for the first interview, match that level of professionalism in your follow-up interview. Don’t assume that you should be more casual when meeting with the company for the second time.
Prepare questions. It is possible that you will be meeting with different people than you did the first time you interviewed at the client company – your recruiter can let you know. If this is the case, you can use some of the questions that were asked in the first interview. However, make sure you have at least three new questions to ask of your interviewer.
Be prepared. Whenever you are headed to an interview, you should be prepared. Your recruiter at That’s Good HR will help you with this step. For a second interview, review your answers from the first round interview, because it is possible that you might be asked the very same question. Check out these answers to the 31 most common interview questions.
Write a thank you note. It’s always a good idea to follow-up with a thank you note. Write one to each person you interviewed with. If you do not know what to say, not a problem – we’ve got you covered. An example can be found on our online resources page.

If a company is interested in talking to you for a second time, take it as a compliment. It means they liked you and want to get to know you more before moving forward. Once your second interview is complete, let your recruiter know and hopefully they will have good news for you shortly. Best of luck the second time around!