Crimmins Staffing’s sister office, Meadow Lane Private Staffing, is proud to sponsor Heart of the Hamptons’ 2nd Annual Moonlit Plunge on Tuesday, August 1st (7-10pm) at Coopers Beach in Southampton. All proceeds will benefit Heart of the Hamptons’ year-round food pantry and assistance program serving 2,000 families.

Welcome to the beginning of the dog days of summer. In the world of residential staffing, July and August can be slower months, which means it’s a great time for candidates to begin getting ready for September. Typically, September starts a new active time period and you need to prepare yourself to take advantage of this renewed activity by planting seeds and preparing accordingly.

Decades spent in private service have only reinforced my slavish devotion to checklists. They function so beautifully, on so many levels, that I must take this moment to sing their praises.

According to a recent Gallup poll, the average U.S. worker expects to work until they are at least 66 years old.  For round number sake that means most workers will work for 40 years. Using an average of 2,000 work hours per year, people will average 80,000 hours of work in a lifetime.

It seems reasonable to infer that by doing your craft well, by working well, you’ll earn the respect of other workers and the right to be heard. Work with all our heart. Be a good worker. And give it your best even when the boss isn’t watching.

As the calendar hits May and we march towards Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer, thoughts are beginning to turn to long weekends or extended stays in places like the Hamptons, Nantucket, and Saratoga Springs. What about staffing support for these long-awaited getaways?

Based on my personal experience in this industry, residential staffing has certainly evolved over the past 10 years. With the introduction of Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Craigslist, the prevalence of email, and the launch of many new, more automated staffing agencies, I have seen a dramatic change in the way clients go about finding staff for their homes.

A marathoner sets out to run 26 miles. A candidate sets out to find a new job. Both are very similar. The process of finding a job is much like that of a runner training for a marathon.

When you’re looking to hire your next household employee, the first step is to secure a clear vision for your home. This is essential before you start the hiring process. For your household to run efficiently and effectively, any employee you appoint has to fit with the chemistry of your home, work well with existing staff, and match-up with the skill sets you need.