Below are a few topics we thought might be of use and/or interest to you and your business.

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IRS Announces the Payroll Tax Cut is Extended to the End of 2012

Under the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, enacted on 02/22/12, workers will continue to receive larger paychecks for the rest of this year based on a lower social security tax withholding rate of 4.2 percent, which is two percentage points less than the 6.2 percent rate in effect prior to 2011.  For the complete article go to http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=254723,00.html.

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Small Business Hiring Intentions Best Since 2008

Seven in ten business owners say they would hire temporary, contract or part-time workers.

PRINCETON, NJ — By 22% to 8%, more U.S. small-business owners expect to increase than decrease the total number of jobs at their company over the next 12 months, according to a new Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index poll conducted Jan. 9-13, 2012. This 14-percentage-point advantage for expected job growth is the largest since the +15 of January 2008, suggesting small-business owners are more optimistic about hiring now than at any time in the past four years.  Click here to read full article.

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Could Job Boards Replace Recruiters?

I often hear the remark that job boards are the same as recruiters. If that is true, could job boards replace recruiters?

Companies post jobs on Monster, CareerBuilder, and various niche boards, and many post jobs on their own sites in a career section. Social media has tackled the job seeker market in the last couple years, with new applications such as BranchOut and TopProspect, just to mention a couple. Does this mean the job of a recruiter is finished?  Click here to read the full article.

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Upcoming FREE Job Seeker Training Webinars – March 2012

——> OBTAIN THE BEST JOB OFFER POSSIBLE
Tuesday, Mar. 6, 2012 at 9:00am PST
The way you present yourself, fill out applications and interview greatly impact the salary you will be offered.  During this session you will learn:

• How to address salary on application forms.
• When and why to reveal your salary history.
• Specific tips to increase the salary you will be offered.
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——> RELATIONSHIPS THAT PROVIDE JOB SEARCH SUCCESS
Thursday, Mar. 15, 2012 at 12:00pm PST
Throughout your job search, you will rely on the past and present relationships you have established.  Networking is the #1 way to find your next opportunities and it is your relationships that provide eventual success in your job search.  Topics covered in this session include:

• Relationships that are the most effective.
• Best use of established relationships.
• TOMA – top of mind awareness will provide you with resultsWinning format for cover letters.
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——> HOW TO EFFECTIVELY WORK WITH RECRUITERS
Friday, Mar. 23, 2012 at 11:00am PST
During you job search, you may encounter third-party recruiters as well as corporate recruiters.  These individuals understand the needs of their clients and are very effective making appropriate matches.  During this session you will learn:

• How to position yourself with third-party recruiters.
• What it takes to impress a corporate recruiter.
• How to proactively get a recruiter to pursue you.
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——> WHAT OFFERS SHOULD YOU ACCEPT? REJECT?
Wednesday, Mar. 28, 2012 at 7:00am PST
If you’ve been in a job search for any period of time, you are probably thinking this topic doesn’t apply to you.  You might be in a position where you would accept ANY and ALL offers.  However, it is important to understand up front which offers could hurt vs. help you.  During this Webinar we will discuss the following:

• What should be included in a job offer.
• Determine which offers to decline. 
• Determine which offers to accept.
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Registration for these webinars are FREE and located at www.InsuranceCareerOnline.com.

Once you’ve registered, log into our Career Portal at www.InsuranceCareerOnline.com and click on the WEBINAR tab. Then click on the Event and register by clicking the webinar registration link for each event listed.

Hello potential employers!  Have you heard the news?  We’ve brought back the page on our website where you can search through Candidate Profiles that may match what you’re looking for. 

Just go to http://www.sdistaffing.com/employers/candidate/  and click on the category you’re most interested in viewing.  Then call (888) 528-8367 or email info@sdistaffing.com with the Candidate # for the person you would like to meet with.  It’s that easy!

Please note:  Not all of our available candidates are posted on this page.  These are a select few who took the time out to complete their profile online.  Please call us if you don’t find a profile that matches what your company is looking for and we’ll start working on it!  Also, be sure to bookmark http://www.sdistaffing.com/employers/candidate/ as a favorite so you can search new profiles each week.

Job # 42LR – COMMERCIAL LINES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

General Agency specializing in Professional Liability & Garagekeepers Insurance in Carmel Mountain Area is looking for account executives to add to their sales staff.  MUST HAVE a minimum of 2 years of sales experience in commercial lines insurance AND active CA Fire/Casualty agent license.  This opportunity is temp-to-hire and pays a base of $30-40k per year + commission and is an inside sales job. Our client is looking for an individual that is commission motivated and not afraid to do want it takes to obtain the business. Leads will be provided to you from their in-house marketing team but you are encouraged to obtain leads on your own. You will be speaking with small to medium size auto repair and smog shops. This is a business to business sales position. They want an experienced sales representative… NOT a telemarketer.

Qualified and interested?  Email info@sdistaffing.com.

Thank you all for participating in our first Guess & Win Contest for 2012!

Drum roll please…………….the lucky winner of our February 2012 Contest is Maiko Tanaka!  She guessed the closest number of items, without going over, that were in the 1 gallon fishbowl.  Good job, Maiko!  The $25.00 gift certificate will be delivered to you this week!

As for the rest of you readers out there, be sure to look for the March Guess & Win Contest to be sent out on Friday, March 2, 2012.

San Diego Insurance Staffing wishes you
a safe & happy holiday weekend!

In observance of President’s Day, our office will be closed as listed below.

• Closed all day on Monday, 02/20/12

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We’re excited to announce our new, monthly Guess & Win Contest for 2012.  Each month, we will be giving away a gift certificate worth $25.00 to one lucky winner!

To participate in this contest, all you have to do is guess how may items are in the jar pictured below by the deadline listed using the link below.  That’s it!

FEBRUARY 2012 GUESS & WIN CONTEST

• QUESTION:  How many items (chocolate Hershey kisses & plastic red hearts) are in this 1 gallon fishbowl?
• DEADLINE TO PARTICIPATE:  No later than noon on Tuesday, 02/13/2012.
• SUBMIT YOUR ANSWER HERE:  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SDIS_Guess_Win_February2012

The winner will be announced on our Blog & Facebook page on 02/14/2012.  GOOD LUCK!!!

Only one entry per person per contest allowed.  Family members of internal SDIS employees are excluded from contest.  Contest winner must guess the number correctly, or if no one guesses correctly, the winner will be the person who comes the closest, without going over the correct answer.  Only one gift card per contest will be awarded.  If there is a tie, where more than one participant answers correctly, the tied participants will be entered into a drawing for the $25.00 gift card.