FAQs
Walking the (un)employment line? Aug 29
Laid-off?
Looking for your next big break?
Just seeing what your options are?
Finding new employment opportunities?
Already working but looking for freelance work to supplement your income?
Despite which job seeker category you fall into, it is important to understand the tools that are out there to help you connect with jobs. And, what I mean by understand, is for you to NOT confuse the role of an unemployment agency versus what we do here at our creative staffing agency. Yes, we are both agencies. Yes, we deal in the employment arena. But, that is where the similarities end.
Here at Sun Staffing Consultants, we specialize in matching highly skilled creative professionals with corporate clients. We have six recruiters in our Chicago office that specialize in particular areas of creative employment (motion graphics, account executives, production mangers…to name a few) and placement in the Chicagoland area. Our New York recruiters do the exact same thing, only they are in the Big Apple. While half of our job consists of working for corporate clients, the other half consists of working for those who seek employment. Since our service is free to those seeking employment, it is our client companies that pay fees once we fill a recruitment position for them. Sure, anyone can call our staffing agency to be considered for job opportunities, but it is up to our discretion which candidates we choose to interview. Typically, once a resume/portfolio is submitted to us and reviewed, it is followed by a verbal interview, either in person or over the phone. The recruiter you speak with is trying to get a feel for personality, skills and needs of the job seeker. This will include factors like willingness to travel, salary requirements or ability to work extended hours.
Often times, we present a person with employment opportunities that he or she would otherwise miss. How is this possible? Since we have been in business for more than 10 years, we have established trusting relationships with our client companies by filling prior positions with qualified and successful candidates. Then, when needs arise again at these companies, they call us to help them find the next addition to their team! Technically, since these companies are paying us (and we are a private business), we work for them, but we can also act as a positive boon for the applicant. Why? Due to our well-established relationships, a good word from one of our trusted recruiters can make a difference in the attitude of the interviewer towards the candidate, allowing an otherwise “cold” initial interview to be warm and friendly.
Now, there are other agencies out there operated by the state known as unemployment agencies. These agencies:
• Do not have the option (like we do) to turn away candidates
• Only work with individuals out of work, who are available to work and are seeking work
• Report to the Illinois Department of Labor
• Address unemployment insurance claims, protest issues and value added programs
• Do not have established relationships with corporate clients/companies
• Find jobs for a wide range of job seekers, not just creative professionals
• Are not paid by client companies to find qualified job candidates
• Are free to job seekers since they are funded through state taxes
• Offer job search assistance, job referrals and career fairs
• Can provide on-the-job training, English language classes, GED preparation and resume writing classes for job seekers.
While these differences may seem subtle, they actually set our creative staffing firm apart. Taking the time to understand the distinction between a state-run unemployment agency and SUN STAFFING CONSULTANTS, will only make your job search more efficient, smoother and time effective.
Jackie, Associate Creative Recruiter
How to get the most out of Sun Consultants Jul 03
Whether you have freelance or fulltime creative staffing needs, here are a few helpful reminders to ensure you get the most out of your experience with Sun Consultants.
Give your creative recruiter as much time as possible. While we work well under tight deadline, time is important to making sure we find the best candidate to fit your needs;
Be specific in what you are looking for. It is so rewarding to meet your candidate wish-list of personality, job skills, experience and salary. Giving your creative recruiter specific information in these areas helps us find your dream candidate;
Give feedback. After you see some resumes and/or meet the candidate, take a moment to explain to your recruiter what you did and did not like about the candidate. This not only helps the candidate know what he or she can improve on, but also helps us recognize candidates that may be valuable to you before we present them anywhere else;
Use your recruiter first. Often, we are called after you've exhausted all your resources for finding an ideal candidate. When you call us first, you now have a team working with you. You don’t have to use any of the candidates we send you or pay any fees if you don’t go with our candidates; the value of looking at who we have--compared to who you are finding--may make your hiring decisions easier.
Bottom line, we are here for you. We are your resource, and we want to find the best candidate for you. Don’t be afraid to end your search here.
Bryce, Creative Recruiter
Why our candidates are better? Jun 17
Our job is to look for great candidates. That’s all we do.
We are constantly searching, networking and meeting with talented individuals who are interested in finding that next career growth opportunity or who are just interested in networking with us for opportunities that may be a great fit for them down the road.
We interview all our candidates and take the time to meet them, get to know their career aspirations, portfolio of work, and their personalities. It is important that we build a relationship. We do a better job of matching our candidates with our clients when we know our candidates well.
We keep in contact with our candidates throughout the years, even if they have taken a full-time position and are no longer on the job market; you never know what may happen a year or two down the road. As a result of Sun Consultants keeping in contact with their candidates, we have a pool of candidates that has been developed and added to for over 10 years.
Amy, Creative Recruiter
FL vs. FT vs. Temp to Perm: How does each benefits a company. May 27
The question of freelance vs. full-time vs. temp-to-perm is a common issue in today’s staffing marketplace. Each option has its benefits and disadvantages.
Freelancers are most frequently used when a company has a deadline to meet and not enough internal resources to complete the project on time. Often times, there are very specific skill sets that a freelancer needs to possess in order to meet the needs of the company. The benefit of this is that the company does not have to invest thousands of dollars and hours into hiring and training this individual. They can call this person when the need arises. The downfall is that the availability for freelancers is very sporadic. Freelancers don’t like to sit idle, so they are always looking for their next project. If a company is really in a bind, they might have to either settle for sub-par talent or over-extend their full-time employees.
Full-time is becoming increasingly dominant especially in the interactive advertising community, because of the incredible demand for experienced talent. The advantages are that companies have an unlimited talent pool to target to fill their full-time opening. They have the option to head-hunt from a competitor, target out of town talent, or go the conventional route and post for jobs and interview candidates. The downfall of this is that you never know how well a candidate will fit into the office culture until they start. It takes a very large investment on the company’s behalf to interview, hire, and train a new employee. If they don’t work out, the company will have to start all over again.
Temp to perm may be the safest bet when making a full-time hire. However, the same downfall holds true for temp-to-perm roles as with freelance positions - The talent pool is limited. It is highly unlikely that a full-time candidate will leave their job for a temp to perm position that is not guaranteed. The benefit is that both the company and candidate get to ‘test each other out’ before moving into a full-time capacity. Also, this is a great way to reduce a staffing agency’s placement fee. After a certain number of hours worked in a freelance capacity, the fee that the company will have to pay to bring that employee on full-time drops significantly. However, if the company doesn’t like the candidate, they can let them go at any given time.
Ted, Sr. Creative Recruiter
The Reward of Showing Appreciation Apr 28
The technological age has provided speed and efficiency to the advertising and marketing industry, but this instant gratification has come with a price. The phrase ‘Here today, gone tomorrow’ has never been more accurate, and finding new ways to have staying power is at the top of any brand’s challenge. Applying this attitude to the space of job searching can reap great reward. Within in this new electronic workspace lies a golden opportunity upon which few candidates seize: the display of appreciation and gratitude.
Following up an interview with an email ‘Thank You’ is one of the easiest yet most often neglected procedures in furthering the process toward a job offer. A short email showing appreciation for someone’s time speaks volumes and keeps your name at the top of a prospective hiring agent’s mind.
Be sure to get a business card while interviewing, or contact your recruiter for the title, full name or email address of the person with whom you spoke. Adding a small detail of the face to face conversation within the body of the email creates a personal connection and helps you stand above the pack. A short and thoughtful email takes only a few moments to compose and send but shows follow-up, appreciation and professionalism – an efficient use of time even by today’s breakneck standards.
Greg, Creative Recruiter
Why work with a staffing agency? Apr 17
There are several benefits to working with a staffing agency. First, we have a deep pool of candidates to pull from in almost every category from advertising through marketing; everything from Art Directors and Copywriters to Flash Developers and Marketing Managers to Production Artists. We do both fulltime and freelance placements, so whether you are looking for a fulltime Creative Director or a last minute freelance Proofreader, we can fill those needs.
For fulltime placements we have a guarantee period, so if the candidate does not work out or leaves before the guarantee period is up, we will refund the placement fee. Another attractive option is taking the candidate on a freelance to permanent basis. This means you can try the person out for a few months and get a really good idea of their work and their personality and if all goes well, you can decide to hire them on fulltime.
Did you know there is no charge or fee until you engage a freelancer in a project or hire our candidate for a fulltime position? Looking at resumes and interviewing candidates is risk free to you and offers some competition if you are also screening candidates. So give us a try!
Lastly, you know that time is money. If you find that recruiting is taking away from your core responsibilities, consider the cost of working with a staffing agency versus the cost of your time looking for that perfect candidate. Let us do all the leg work for you – interviewing – screening to find you the perfect candidate.
Nancy, Creative Recruiter
How to work with your staffing firm Apr 07
To help us get you out there in the creative world, keep us informed on what you’ve been doing. If you happen to be working at a company through us, let us know how everything is going. Are you happy? Is the project being extended or cut short? If you’re not working, check in periodically, especially if you’ve done some recent work or updated your resume. Always have your resume and a pdf file of samples readily available.
Be honest with where your resume has been sent. We do not want to resubmit your resume to the same company twice. It’s a creditability issue and makes us look like we didn’t take the time to check in with our candidates. Also, be honest with your skills sets.
If you have to take a day off or think you need to come in to work late, please contact your recruiter as soon as possible. We do not want to leave our client in a lurch, nor do we want to risk having to replace you for the duration of the assignment. Communication is critical for these types of requests.
Remember, we work for the client, so we may not always have a position for you and will do our best to keep you informed. Consider working with a staffing firm as one avenue for seeking out your next job and not your only job source. You may find yourself frustrated and wondering why you haven’t found your next job yet.
Just like any other relationship, communication and honesty is very important. Take time to get to know your recruiter. Your recruiter is the person representing you. The more they know about you, the better they will be able to identify your perfect job.
Good luck!
Mao, Office Manager
The Set-Up of a Resume Mar 31
Your resume is a calling card representing your career. It’s also the first (and usually only) chance to get the attention of a prospective employer. Assuming you’ve already spell checked it (twice!) and set it up legibly, here are a few more hints.
Callout well-known clients and awards at the top of your resume.
A short list or box of clients with whom you’ve worked and or awards of which your work was a result immediately catches the eye. Think of yourself as your own brand: how can you best get the message that you are a viable candidate the fastest? Associating your name with the name of a well-known brand lends weight.
Keep your job descriptions short and to the point.
Remember, you goal is to get an interview. Summarize your work in specifics using as little filler as possible. You can further explain the details once you’re face to face with a hiring agent.
Include any related activities to your career even if it’s not something from which you derived a paycheck.
Personal, non-work themed hobbies are generally a no-no, but anything that may give an insight on your character as related to a position should always be listed. A perfect example: though having never worked in fashion, a candidate struggling as an admin temp once got hired at a well-known fashion company as a marketer – she had listed a hobby in sketching and designing her own clothes on her resume. It got her foot in the door, which led to an offer on the table!
Greg, Creative Recruiter
Where’s The Love?!?!? Mar 14
Outsourcing your staffing needs actually saves you money, substantiating the common misunderstanding of staffing agencies. There are many reasons corporations tend to think negatively in regards to Staffing Agencies. In actuality, it’s more of a misconception of the services a staffing agency can offer. When a hiring manager has an urgent need, there is usually not much thought into how much time and effort it takes in finding the right candidate for the position at hand. And as we all know, time is money! This is precisely where a staffing agency takes over.
Not only can staffing firms find the right match in a freelancer, but more importantly we assist companies in staying within their given budget. Sun Consultants built themselves with offering competitive rates to our clients. Freelancers are economical as they are the staffing firms’ employee, meaning we carry on the burden of employing an individual. And it’s just as beneficial to the freelancer; according to the American Staffing Association (ASA), 88% of staffing employees say that temporary or contract work made them more employable. Just as important as staying within the budget is ensuring that the project is done in the allotted time frame.
Additionally, Sun Consultants offers an attractive conversion fee if our client wishes to bring on our freelancer to a permanent position. Another fun fact from the ASA, 80% of staffing clients say staffing firms offer a good way to find people who can become permanent employees. This is a very efficient way to make a good decision on a permanent hire for both the freelancer and the client. Overall, working with a knowledgeable staffing firm such as Sun Consultants, is not only advantageous but economical as well.
Nick, Creative Recruiter
Most Recent Entries
- Walking the (un)employment line?
- How to get the most out of Sun Consultants
- Why our candidates are better?
- FL vs. FT vs. Temp to Perm: How does each benefits a company.
- The Reward of Showing Appreciation
- Why work with a staffing agency?
- How to work with your staffing firm
- The Set-Up of a Resume
- Where’s The Love?!?!?