Workplace Challenges
Staffing industry converges to discuss best practicesMembers of Canada's recruitment and staffing industry converged last week at the annual ACSESS National Conference in Toronto. DAVE ELIA |
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 [ 2002-05-15 ] |
Veteran CPC Tony Bruno addressed the anual ACSESS conference on the state of the U.S. staffing industry.
The conference, which is held to promote professionalism and high standards in the staffing industry, consisted of two full days of speakers, workshops and ceremonies, and was attended by the full gamut of industry professionals, from workers to consultants.
The conference was hosted by the Canadian Search, Employment and Staffing Services (ACSESS), an organization that is a co-operative of the recruitment industry that aims to set standards and best practices among its 800-plus member offices.
It is an amalgamation of two past organizations that represented full-time and temporary employment services across Canada.
"The amalgamation was a result of everyone in the business recognizing that there were no longer any defined lines in the segments of the industry," said ACSESS national president Steve Jones.
"Now most companies offer a blend of a whole variety of staffing services, from training to recruitment, contract work, temp staffing and payroll -- a whole spectrum."
ACSESS is recognized as the single voice in the industry, setting standards and establishing ethics.
"We have established this position so it would be highly unlikely that any government would consider enacting a piece of legislation without consulting ACSESS," Jones said.
This is partly because of ACSESS's standards and ethics committee, which decides what's right and wrong and how business should be conducted.
There's also the Certified Professional Consultant (CPC) designation, which is a certification program to enforce these high standards of operations.
At the conference, 20 more consultants were set to graduate.
"This certificate means that the industry recognized your minimum level of knowledge and experience and how you conduct yourself as a professional consultant," Jones said.
Continuing with its commitment to professionalism, the ACSESS conference featured a range of interesting and experienced speakers and presenters from the recruitment industry.
Personal motivator Mike Lipkin offered his advice on building confidence and communication skills, while veteran CPC Tony Bruno addressed the state of the U.S. staffing industry.
"We wanted to hit the owner and operator side of the business, the recruiting training part and the sales side," says Amanda Curtis, executive director, ACSESS. "We have people attending with little experience, and others who want to expand their knowledge in the industry."
As a participating member of ACSESS, Barb Allen, general manager of TOSI Placement Services, says the convention is a great learning experience.
"Sometimes I'll learn something I am unaware of," Allen says.
"Some tidbit or tweak that I can take back to my office and make things a little bit better, but mostly I learn a lot more about the industry across the country."
Allen also found the speakers to be helpful and informative.
"Lipkin showed me that being overtly confident is not a bad thing," Allen says. "Most customers are looking for confidence; why not apply it?"
TOSI has been in the business for more than 35 years and has witnessed all the ups and downs, trends and booms.
Allen says knowing the industry inside out, with the help of events such as the ACSESS conference, can make the difference.
"IT is still hurting. TOSI has five specific divisions, and IT has definitely been hit the hardest," Allen says.
Surprisingly, neither Sept. 11 nor the subsequent recession had much of an effect on business.
"Maybe if Air Canada was one of my clients," Allen jokes. "But the only difference is that employers are demanding more security and background checks."
Both Allen and Jones agree that the recruitment industry is a business that relies on efficiency and service. More importantly, efficiency is the service they sell.
"When I hear that people say our industry is unnecessary, I think it's ridiculous," Jones says. "Traditional corporations or businesses do not have the resources to find good candidates, and that's what we do, and we do it efficiently."
"We are incredibly efficient," Allen says. "We have better databases and technology than the private sector."
The trade is also surviving through convergence and expansion.
"We continue to broaden our services," Allen says. "We process payroll, clerical and more information than ever before.
The reality is that in our business, the inventory talks back."
(Dave Elia is a Toronto-based freelance writer based in who can be reached at elia1@yahoo.com.)
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