A new forecast by the New England Economic Partnership estimates that employment in Massachusetts will increase at an average annual rate of 1.4 percent, or about 45,000-50,000 jobs a year, through 2017. The unemployment rate in Massachusetts is projected to decline to 5.2 percent by 2017; it is currently at 7.2 percent.
Read more about the forecast here.
After an exciting World Series came to a close the night prior to Halloween, many offices in Massachusetts were quiet on the 31st – filled with exhausted employees who had stayed up late many nights in a row to watch the Red Sox win the World Series. While many of us here at PSG did watch the game, the PSG office definitely was not “quiet” or “exhausted” on Halloween!
In keeping with the spirit of Halloween, Professional Staffing Group encouraged employees to partake in some exciting office festivities!
The day began as all other days, but when the clock struck noon, it was time for PSG’s trick-or-treating to begin. Each PSG team within the company was responsible for bringing in a homemade or store-purchased Halloween treat – the normal candies, as well as items such as pumpkin bread, cookies, and other baked goods were some of the highlights of the office trick-or-treating.
The spirit of Halloween didn’t end there! We had a number of employees who wore costumes throughout the day at the office – we had pirates, witches, and much more. Below, check out some of the costumes that could be found around the office on Thursday!
This month’s issue of Workforce magazine includes a special report on the staffing industry. PSG’s President Aaron Green spoke with Workforce for the article, lending his perspective to the drivers behind the temporary staffing industry’s growth.
Some notable points from the article:
Read the full article here.
PSG was proud to sponsor the Boston Business Journal ‘Leaders in Diversity’ event, which took place at the Omni Parker House in Boston on October 25. As a charity partner for the event, PSG’s Aaron Green was delighted to honor the Asian American Civic Association with a $2,500 gift. The Asian American Civic Association (AACA) has provided decades of support to those members of the community who may need assistance to excel in their careers. AACA offers English classes, job training and youth development, along with other programs, to help immigrants and people from all walks of life succeed in the workforce, as well as in our society.
PSG President Aaron Green and AACA Board Chair Mary Chin
This week the American Staffing Association (ASA) held its annual conference, Staffing World, in Orlando. As one of the biggest conferences for staffing industry firms and professionals, Staffing World always offers news and informative exhibits. As a member of the ASA Board of Directors, and its past Chairman of the Board, PSG’s President Aaron Green was in Orlando for the conference. Here are a few updates from Aaron:
PSG was proud to sponsor the “2013 Trailblazer Scholarship Award” at this year’s Annual Freedom Fund Dinner held by the NAACP Boston Chapter. PSG Manager Laurie Fiumara presented the scholarship to two deserving students: Charles Paige, a graduating senior at Wayland High School, and Janel Campbell, a freshman at Howard University. Both students are graduates of the NAACP Boston branch’s Pipeline to Leadership Program and both have given over 100 hours of community service in the past year.
The NAACP Boston Chapter’s Annual Freedom Fund Dinner Boston was held September 28 at the Westin Copley Place Hotel.
The Freedom Fund Dinner is a tradition for NAACP Branches across the country. The dinner provides an opportunity to recognize local and national leaders, corporate citizens and young people who continue to demand civil and human rights.
PSG’s President Aaron Green was named to the ‘Staffing 100,’ a list of the 100 most influential people in the staffing industry, by Staffing Industry Analysts. The list was published in the October issue of SI Review magazine and is available online at si100.staffingindustry.com . Congratulations Aaron! 
BostonHerald.com recently published this article on how to interview for a temporary job. Naturally, we agree with the writer that temporary positions can be terrific career opportunities and that it’s important to prepare properly for them.
For more advice on how to ace an interview, see our previous posts on preparing for an interview; researching a company before an interview; questions to ask during an interview; appropriate office attire for interviews, following up after an interview; and protocol for thank you notes.
Massachusetts’ unemployment rate remains at its highest level in two years, while the number of jobless workers has grown to 250,000. According to the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, in August there were 250,000 unemployed workers in Massachusetts and the unemployment rate remained at 7.2 percent, its highest level in nearly two years. Nationally, the unemployment rate has been decreasing; at 7.3 percent, it is still slightly higher than Massachusetts’ unemployment rate.
Despite the slow pace of economic growth in Massachusetts and the downturn in hiring we’ve experienced over the past few months, local experts – including PSG President Aaron Green – are optimistic that the economy will regain momentum soon. Read more about the economic indicators and experts’ predictions here.
Professional Staffing Group 