Date: Fri 05-Sep-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

Jobseekers-Rhines-recruiters

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Job Search Recruiters:

Can They Help?

Fred Rhines (left) of Remedy Intelligent Staffing will talk about "How Job

Search Recruiters Can Help You" at the first fall meeting of the Jobseekers

Support Group moderated by Bill Brimmer (right) at 7:30 pm on Tuesday,

September 9, in the parish center at St Rose Church. Anyone who is looking for

a job or contemplating a job change is invited to attend. -Bee Photo, Valenta

The Jobseekers Support Group will begin its fall meetings at 7:30 pm on

Tuesday, September 9, with a program on "How Job Search Recruiters Can Help

You."

Fred Rhines of Remedy Intelligent Staffing in Danbury will be the guest

speaker. Remedy is one of the nation's largest privately owned temporary

staffing companies, with 160 offices across the country.

"We're really marriage brokers," Mr Rhines said. "It's matchmaking, corporate

style."

Mr Rhines and his wife, Betsy, opened Remedy 18 months ago after they were

awarded the exclusive franchise to serve Fairfield County. Previously Mr

Rhines had spent nearly 30 years working for top advertising agencies in New

York City; his wife had an editorial background.

About 70 percent of Remedy's business involves "temporary-to-permanent" jobs -

jobs which are considered a temporary placement for 100 days, then become

permanent if both the client company and the employee are satisfied and want

to continue the relationship, Mr Rhines said.

A lot of clients prefer temporary-to-permanent placements because it gives the

company a chance to get to evaluate workers before deciding whether to hire

them and put them on the company payroll.

Similarly, many unemployed workers find the temporary-to-permanent route a

good way to evaluate whether they will like the job and the working climate at

the company before making a commitment, he said.

"The client (company) knows it is a two-way street. They have to be happy with

the candidate, and the candidate has to be happy with them."

About 10 percent of Remedy's placements are permanent, or as Mr Rhines calls

them "regular."

"No jobs should be described as permanent today," he said, explaining why

companies such as his play such a large role in the job search market.

Remedy recruits workers with many types of skills including accounting, data

entry, customer service, secretarial, telemarketing and word processing. The

company also places technical personnel and general and specialized light

industrial workers.

Even unemployed executives can learn and benefit from the services offered by

staffing companies like Remedy.

"We get some job offers for out-of-work executives but we can also help by

directing them to specific types of companies," Mr Rhines said. "Many times if

we are working with a company, we will learn of other opportunities."

Remedy provides an innovative testing program which evaluates the strengths,

weaknesses and interests of each applicant and matches these results with

those required for the job.

"But one of the first things I do, when a company calls us, is to go visit the

company, tour the worksite and decide what type of people will be comfortable

working in that environment," Mr Rhines said. "It may be a formal or informal

company, a relaxed or crazy environment."

According to the Rhineses, nine out of ten US companies, from small firms to

major corporations, use temporary help for flexibility and immediacy in

solving staffing problems.

Fred Rhines earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Michigan and a

master's in business administration at the University of California at

Berkeley. He formerly was president and chief executive officer of Publicis,

the US branch of a Paris-based advertising agency.

The Jobseekers meetings are free and open to anyone who is seeking employment

or considering a career change. They include a networking session.

Bill Brimmer is the group coordinator. The meetings are held in the first

floor conference room in the parish center building at St Rose Church on

Church Hill Road.

For more information, call Mr Brimmer at 270-9885.