News & Events
Giving Thanks to our Team Members
Our Simpsonville, SC office welcomed team members, and clients to an Appreciation Thanksgiving Dinner.
The office offered a traditional spread of turkey, dressings, rice, sweet potato casserole, green beans, cranberry sauce, roll and tea for their guests. During this event, they had someone stop in only for directions. While the branch manager was assisting her with the directions, the person commented on how great the spread looked and smelled. She was immediately offered a plate and was very grateful.
Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful and the Simpsonville office wanted to express their gratitude to our team members and clients for all that they do for Marathon.
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Marathon Staffing Partner Richard Miles Nominated as CNN ‘Hero of the Year’
Richard spent 15 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Now, through his non-profit Miles of Freedom, he is on a mission to help formerly incarcerated individuals transition back into society and stay out of prison.
After his release, Richard’s fight was far from over. Two and a half years after his exoneration, he had to work through the Texas court system to remove the felony label from his record and struggled to take the next step in his life – find an apartment, get a job, and contribute to the ‘free world’.
This experience inspired him to start Miles of Freedom. Through his organization, he offers programming that provides pre-release support, a three month job readiness program, and services to counsel youth who have been impacted by incarceration.
Marathon Staffing is incredibly honored to partner with such an amazing community leader. Richard’s impact on the Dallas community is no less than heroic. Vote for Richard by following the link below:
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Unemployment Hits 50-year Low
Looking for talent? You’re far from alone! According to the Board of Labor and Statistics, 1969 was the last time the unemployment rate has been this low.
How low, exactly? Just 3.5% in September. 136,000 new positions were added in September, despite significant signs of an impending economic slowdown.
Reports reveal that low unemployment and new jobs haven’t led to higher wages as some expected. Wage growth has actually slowed (from 2.9% from 3.2% last month) according to US Dept of Labor data.
The industries where much of the hiring occurred include healthcare (41,400 jobs), professional services (34,000 jobs) and government at the state and local level (22,000 jobs).
Manufacturing jobs declined by 2,000 last month and retail jobs decreased by 11,400 jobs due to store closings nationwide.
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3 Career Lessons from James Alexander
Veteran, leader and Marathon team member.
When you walk onto the production floor and spot James at work, it’s hard to tell him apart from your typical, high-performing Marathon team member. He gets to work on time, greets everyone with a smile, and believes in a culture of workplace safety. But even people familiar with James rarely know that his service during operation Desert Storm landed him on the cover of Time Magazine, which is what makes James an amazing person, and why Team Marathon sat down with him to discover his unique perspective on career development. www.bluefountain.net
Dealing with adversity:
Life happens to everyone and everyone deals with it in their own way. Stay positive. Pray. Do what you can and leave the rest to God. My oldest son had an accident when he was 10 years old and lost his left hand and right thumb. Today, he has adjusted and is living a full life. You can learn a lot from people who have overcome incredible challenges.
Navigating the ‘temp-to-hire’ waters:
Get to work on time every time. Attendance is crucial. You’ll have difficult days at work, but don’t give up a good job because of a tough day. Work through it. It will pay off.
Career advancement:
The best thing about being a Marathon Team member is career advancement. Listen to supervisors. At times they can seem rude or insensitive but, as I’ve advanced to different roles, I’ve realized supervisors exist to get everyone on the same page. Don’t take their methods personally. Mentors are important, too. There were a lot of people who helped me along the way. I try to do the same. At the end of the day, career advancement is about you and what you want. Always keep that in mind. It will help erase the ham-handed ways in which others may sometimes coach or supervise you.
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Soft Skills
Today’s job interviews no longer consist of meeting with company management, reviewing your resume, and sitting through a series of questions. These days, smart companies are getting creative. Although hard skills are still evaluated during the hiring process, soft skills are keenly evaluated, too.
NEWS FLASH: Companies have figured out that traditional resumes and interviews aren’t the best indicators of future career success.
Why?
Because as a job seeker, you know what’s coming and (if you’re smart) you can practice painting a picture of your best self.
So, companies are taking a well-rounded, more holistic view of candidates starting with simple feedback, including how you treated the person at the front desk.
Feedback from nontraditional sources gives employers insights into something many job seekers can hide during brief periods of time during an interview, such as how do you interact other humans.
Soft skills—including communication, interpersonal skills, transparency and attention to detail —are crucial for long-term success.
Example: If you’re interviewing for an executive position, how you treat the janitor who opens the door for you as you enter the building will tell a story. Did you thank your benefactor with a smile, or did you walk feeling too self-important or higher up the food chain to bother? How did you communicate with the front desk staffer as he set up the appointment?
Although hard skills remain crucial, making sure you embrace and use robust soft skills can certainly help you get the nod when the time comes to make a hiring decision.
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Workplace Safety Update: Oxy being phased out for Ohio workers with chronic pain
The misuse and over-prescribing of opioids has played a major role in fueling the opioid crisis. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 80% of people who began using heroin started after being prescribed and misusing prescribed pain pills.
The workers compensation bureau began phasing out reimbursements for Oxycontin and its traditional generic Oxycodone on June 1 for workers with Chronic Pain caused by on-the-job injuries.
An optional replacement drug, Xtampza, is a pain killer designed to release its ingredients slowly even when tampered with, so it’s hard to snort or inject because it doesn’t melt or crush well.
Patients already covered under workers comp for Oxycodone or Oxycodone have until the end of the year to stop using them and switch to another medication approved by the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation.