BOLT Staffing Service, Inc.
October, 2009 
Greetings!

We've all heard that success in business depends on a positive attitude.  Survival, on the other hand, demands a clear eye on the realities surrounding you.  Ask General Custer.  As much as we'd like to join those in Washington proclaiming the bottom of this recession, the truth is, it all sounds like hollow self-affirmations here in the North Bay counties.
 
We'd love to tell you business is great, people are wonderful...etc., but the fact of the matter is things are still slow.  We continue to see reductions in staff, elimination of extra shifts, vanishing overtime, general cost cutting and consolidation as Bay Area businesses adapt to the realities of our local economy.  If you take a drive in the wine country you can see an indication of this with grapes still hanging on the vines.  Many producers are leaving grapes on the vineRaisins on the Vine rather than bear the expense of harvesting and processing them into more juice to store.  We've seen our competitors closing offices and lowering their profiles in the area.  That is no cause for us to celebrate; it is a reflection of very difficult times that are largely unprecedented in California.
 
However, in all this, there is a silver lining for any employers with a  stabilizing business cycle.  We are seeing lots of seasoned, skilled people with longevity, great references and a great attitude ready to move on with the next phase in their lives.  We have some examples of such exceptional people below.  Keeping with the agricultural metaphor, there is lots of low hanging fruit in the local job market.  If you have any reason to think about adding staff do it now! 
 
In fact, one mistake employers make is assuming they can drag their feet making hiring decisions.  It's natural to think that since practically no one is hiring in this climate, why rush?  However, if you interview someone you like, remember others will probably feel the same way about them.  Besides, anyone you'll want to hire isn't going to stop looking for work just because they got a good feeling after meeting with you.  Still, it pays to be cautious.  If you find yourself wanting to hire, but you just aren't sure, remember that's what agencies are for.  The margin you pay us is insurance against the unknown.  Whether you decide to go with a temporary employee, a temp to hire or a payroll service* employee, hedging your bets against surprises from the either new employee or the economy, is money well spent.
 
Not only can we provide you with top talent, we know this marketplace in ways the big guys can't.  Seeing local business people face to face every day, we know what employers can expect to pay in this dynamic marketplace.  Using a local agency like Bolt assures you that you'll never pay more than necessary to get what you want.
 
So as you look around at signs of shrinking markets, municipalities laying off staff, and other signs of a continuing contraction, remember there is an abundance of talent looking for a new home.  That's the opportunity that will determine the future of many companies.
 
  
Name: Holly
Positions held: Office Manager, Executive Assistant, Marketing Assistant
Softwares used: MS Office
Reference: "Nothing but fantastic things to say about Holly...[she was] always early, super friendly...100% dependable...forward thinker...
Salary Requirement: $19+/hr
Geographic area: East Bay
Education/Certifications: BA English and Certified Notary Public

Name: Rebecca
Positions held: Administrative Assistant/Receptionist, Sales Associate
Softwares used: MS Office, Pagemaker
Special skills: Bi-lingual in Spanish 
Reference: "Very organized, great worker, always on time, always puts in the extra effort."
Salary Requirement: $14+/hr.
Geographic area: Concord, Vacaville and Vallejo
Education/Certifications:  BA International Relations, Magna Cum Laude
 
Name: Kristy
Positions held: Bookkeeper, Accounting Assistant, Payroll Processor/Receptionist
Softwares used: Mas 90, QuickBooks Pro, PeachTree, MS Office
Reference:  "Kristy came to our office during a very hectic time.  She was able to handle the job professionally with completeness and with a great attitude. Kristy fit in great and we appreciated her work very much."
Salary Requirement: $15+/hr
Geographic area: Sonoma, Napa, Santa Rosa and Marin
BOLT experience: Successfully completed an assignment as a Payroll Processor/Receptionist. Kristy has experience with taxes, payroll, A/P, A/R, general ledger and reception.  
 
 

*"Payroll Service" in our industry means you recruit and select your new employee, but put them on our payroll until you are satisfied that you are comfortable bringing them on to your payroll.  Again, we are not competing with ADP to write paychecks, but we are offering the advantages of temporary employees to employers at a fraction of the cost of a temp or temp to hire employee.
 
Sincerely,
Joanne Sanders
President
BOLT Staffing Service, Inc.
Phone 707-939-2800