APRIL 2011 NEWSLETTER

With 30 years of experience working for the document imaging industry, Copier Careers is the only recruiter with the resources to find what your dealership needs most: experienced technicians, copier sales representatives, managers, controllers, dispatchers, support staff, and managed print services experts. Our database of qualified copier professionals is the biggest in the business (50,000 strong and growing!) and we're dedicated to helping our clients and our candidates make the best matches possible. Whatever you're looking for, Copier Careers can help you find it. Learn more at www.copiercareers.com or call (888) 733-4868 to talk to one of our recruiters.

Copier Careers 2010 Salary Surveys still available! Read them all online at http://copiercareers.com/salary_surveys.shtml
 

IN THIS ISSUE:

The Feed  - Non-compete agreements: what employees need to know
 The Top 7  - Reasons why lunch breaks should make a comeback
 News In Brief  - Announcements from Copier Careers, Canon, Ricoh, Kyocera, RISO, and Xerox
 Sound Off  - Our readers respond to last month's poll
 Poll-of-the-Month  - Do you take time for a lunch break during the workday?
Featured Job Listings

  
 
  THE FEED

Non-Compete Agreements: What Employees Need To Know

In our February and March newsletters, we brought you two articles on the topic of non-compete agreements: What is a Non-Compete Agreement, Anyway? and Non-Compete Agreement: What Employers Need to Know. This month, we’re delivering the final installment, Non-Compete Agreements: What Employees Need to Know.

One of the first questions many copier-industry employees ask is whether they need to take their non-compete agreements seriously. According to Mike Minenko, a Minneapolis-based attorney practicing in the areas of business litigation and employment law, the answer is a definite “yes”. Although the courts in many states don’t look favorably on non-compete agreements, they will enforce them if they find that the employer has a legitimate business interest to protect. In other words, violate your non-compete, and you could find yourself in court.

What’s more, says Minenko, the former employee isn’t the only person at risk of being sued — if you leave your job and sign on with a competitor, your new employer may also be sued for what’s known as “tortuous interference with contract”. For this reason, it’s important to be upfront with prospective employers about any existing non-competes. If the company is able to find vulnerabilities in the existing agreement, it may hire you anyway. “If it looks like a non-compete will not be enforceable,” says Minenko, “then it’s a calculated risk for the new employer to hire that employee.”

In all cases, employees are required to receive some benefit in exchange for signing a non-compete. Usually, the agreement is signed before employment starts, and the benefit to the employee is that they receive the job. Sometimes, however, an employee who has already been on the job for some period of time is asked to sign a non-compete. In that situation, the employee may be able to negotiate something extra in exchange for signing the agreement, such as a bonus, a salary increase, or a promotion.

Minenko’s partner, Gene Hoff, points out that it’s important for workers to recognize that in any employer/employee negotiation, there is unequal bargaining power. “Usually,” he says, “the employers are holding the upper hand. So if you’re presented with a non-compete agreement, it’s a good idea to review it with an attorney who practices in that area.”

Gene Hoff and Mike Minenko practice commercial and employment law in Minnesota. Learn more at www.minenkohoff.com.

This article should not be construed as providing legal advice. Anyone who has any legal issue regarding the topic of this article should retain an attorney who practices in this area.

 

THE TOP 7... Reasons Why Lunch Breaks Should Make a Comeback

Tips from the trenches to keep your copier career on track  

According to a recent poll conducted by Right Management and LinkedIn, fewer than half of all employees leave their workstations to take a lunch break. That number isn’t surprising in our slowly recovering economy, but it’s too bad that so many workers are choosing (or being pressured) to work through their midday breaks. Here’s why:

  1. Breaks relieve stress. “We know employees are currently under a lot of pressure,” says Eric Breuer, Market Vice President of Right Management, the talent and career management unit of Manpower Inc. “But skipping lunch or being reluctant to take a break during the work day is not a good way to deal with it. On the contrary, taking time away from one’s desk for lunch may go a long way toward relieving stress and boosting energy.”

  2. Breaks are more necessary, not less necessary, as workloads increase. Following the economic crash, many workers (you know, the lucky ones who kept their jobs) found themselves managing heavier workloads and working longer hours. Skipping lunch to squeeze a few more minutes of productivity out of the day may seem like a good strategy, but in most cases it just leads to poorer performance later in the afternoon.

  3. Lunch is social. “Everyone benefits from a midday break that offers some renewal and time to recharge,” says Breuer. “And if your company provides a lunch room, it’s also a great time to strengthen relationships and build camaraderie with fellow employees.”

  4. Lunch feeds your brain. According to Dr. Janet Scarborough Civitelli, a workplace psychologist at VocationVillage.com, taking a lunch break allows you to feed your brain as well as your body. “From a productivity standpoint, there are diminishing marginal returns when you ask your brain to exert constant effort through an eight-hour day.”

  5. Stepping away from work allows your subconscious mind to solve problems. Einstein said he got his best ideas while shaving. Steven Spielberg says he thinks best while he’s driving. Paul McCartney first heard the melody to “Yesterday” while he was dreaming. Take a break from your workday to eat a sandwich or go for a walk, and you might also find that that new ideas and fresh solutions will occur to you.

  6. Lunch is more than lunch. A standard 30- or 60-minute lunch break is enough time to do something besides wolf down a meal. If you’re one of the growing number of people who feel that taking a lunch break is a waste of time, then do something productive on your break. Read a book, take a nap, go for a jog, study for a certification exam, learn how to knit. Personal growth feeds professional growth, just as professional growth feeds personal growth.

  7. Lunch is fun. And we all deserve a little of that, at least for a few minutes every day. Take a little time for yourself, so you can give it your all for the rest of the day.

 		 
 

NEWS IN BRIEF

Copier Careers Database Reaches 50,000 Copier Professionals. This month, our proprietary database of copier professionals reached 50,000 people! To learn more about how we can help your business find the best professionals around, visit www.CopierCareers.com. or call 888-733-4868 to talk to one of our recruiters.

Canon Earns Top Copier/MFP Market Share for 2010. Canon announced this month that it earned the number one position for total U.S. page copier/MFP market share for 2010 with 18.6 percent of the market, according to Gartner’s Printer, Copier, and MFP Quarterly Statistics Database. “For the thirteenth year in a row, Canon has been recognized by Gartner as the leader in total page copier market share, reflecting the ongoing success of the Canon imageCLASS series and imageRUNNER ADVANCE office system product lines,” said Junichi Yoshitake, senior VP and general manager, Imaging Systems Group, Canon U.S.A. “Canon’s leadership position is driven by our commitment to developing leading-edge products that are ideally positioned to serve customers in the office and light production markets.”

Copier Manufacturers Supports Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Efforts. The Ricoh Group will make a contribution totaling 300 million yen (approx. 3.7 million dollars) to the victims of the March 11th earthquake, and The Canon Group will also make a donation in the same amount. The Kyocera Group will donate 100 million yen (approx 1.2 million dollars) to relief efforts.

RISO Partners With Solimar Systems To Expand Mid-Volume Solutions Business. RISO, a leader in high-speed cut-sheet digital color inkjet printing technology, and Solimar Systems, a provider of production printing and secure document delivery solutions, have announced a cooperative effort to expand the availability of mid-volume communications color printing solutions. As a result, RISO high-speed cut-sheet inkjet printers are certified to work with Solimar’s transactional document conversion, re-engineering, and electronic delivery solutions to provide customers with single-pass full color for mid-volume production and reprint workflow. “We are pleased to be working with Solimar to deliver new high-speed production color printing and reprint capabilities to firms producing transactional content including invoices, statements, and notices,” said Kevin Hunter, executive director of strategic marketing for RISO.

Xerox to Stop Taking Orders for Wide Format Products in U.S. and Canada. The company says U.S. and Canadian customers will continue to have access to service, supplies, media, and parts from Xerox for their existing equipment for a minimum of five years from the last install of a particular product line. Xerox’s European and Developing Market operations will continue selling wide format products and will source new products.

 
 

SOUND OFF: Our readers speak

Last month, we asked you whether you think technicians and sales representatives should be required to sign non-compete agreements. Out of 1,134 total voters, 830 of you said you think only sales representatives should have to sign. Here are the full results:

Should sales reps and technicians be required to sign non-compete agreements?

Yes, but only sales reps, not techs: 73% (830 votes)
Yes, both sales reps and techs should be required to sign non-competes: 10% (108 votes)
Yes, but only techs, not sales reps: 9% (107 votes)
No, neither sales reps nor technicians should be required to sign non-competes: 8% (89 votes)

Reader comments included the following:

“I was asked to sign one when I was 53, it said I could not work in the field for one year [after leaving the company]. I did not accept the job. I have worked in the industry since I was 17—what am I supposed to do for a year, eat beans? I ran into the potential employer about a year later and he asked why I had refused the position, because he thought he had offered me a nice package. When I told him it was because of the non-compete clause, he said he would have taken it out if I’d asked him to. I didn’t think I should have to tell him that he couldn’t take away my livelihood if the job didn’t work out.”

“Non-compete agreements should be respected. Unfortunately, in today’s world there are too few salespeople who understand that a non-compete can also protect the employee. It is interesting to see, as I have had sales candidates tell me stories of the accounts they can take away from other dealers. They don’t realize that I would never hire someone who would break a previous non-compete— what’s to stop them from doing the same thing to my company in the future?”

“Only management should have to sign non-compete agreements. They have more access to information.”

“No one should be required to do anything for an employer after the term of employment has ended.”

“How does anyone expect employers to pay to train their sales and service staff without getting a long-term commitment from the employee?”

“Non-competes have been a misunderstood concept for years. The fact is if you sign one and you ignore it when you leave the company, you can be taken to court. If you don’t lose the court case, at the very least you will have to hire an attorney to represent you. Companies count on having greater financial resources than you do. If you break your non-compete, will you be able to afford the cost of defending yourself?”

“I think that both techs and sales reps should have to sign. Technicians typically develop a much deeper relationship with the customer than sales reps do, and competing dealerships are all very aware of the value of information they can gain by acquiring a seasoned tech.”

“Techs have access to just as much company info as sales reps do. The big difference is that techs are loyal! If you treat them fairly and pay them well, they will stay with you forever. The sales force always seems to be looking for their next job opportunity.”

“The admin people in the front office have more access to customer lists, contracts, and financing agreements than either techs or sales reps—so why are they so often exempt from non-competes?”

 
 

POLL OF THE MONTH

Do you take a lunch break during the workday?

1. Yes, I stop what I’m doing to eat
2. Yes, but I eat at my desk or in my car
3. No, I don’t have time to take a lunch break

 
 

JOB LISTINGS

Our Industry is evolving again and only Copier Careers represents top employers on a retained basis. Your career path can have new, exciting and profitable options. Contact Copier Careers to find out about exclusive career opportunities across the country. These positions are not advertised anywhere. You may be surprised to learn about the opportunities that are currently available.  

Technician - Jonesboro, AR  
OEM trained technician needed for a branch location of a large organization.

Account Executive - Huntsville, AL  
Experienced Sales Representative needed for independent dealer. Candidate will be required to build customer development, client relationships and create new business opportunities.

Inside Sales Rep - Los Angeles, CA  
Inside Sales Professional to build team of individuals who are customer oriented professionals. Candidate will be working directly with dealers around the area to obtain and build relationships in the industry.

Account Executive - Los Angeles, CA  
Energetic Sales Professional needed for the LA and Orange County area.

MPS Account Executive - Los Angeles, CA  
Management Print Solutions Sales Consultant to manage Sales professionals bringing them to the next level of the copier industry. Will need 3-5 years of MPS proof with prior company.

Technician - Los Angeles, CA  
Technician needed in the LA and Orange County area. Experience with networking and knowledge of Panasonic is a must.

Technician - Washington, DC  
OEM trained Technicians needed for both the DC area as well as a technician needed for the suburbs of DC.

Account Executive - Sarasota, FL  
Independent dealer looking for highly motivated sales professional to work side by side with the owner. Strong company that has been around for numerous years.

E-Automate Sarasota, FL  
Client looking for an individual that has experience with E-Automate. Will have other back office duties as well for this independent dealer.

MPS Manager - Eastern, IA  
Highly motivated sales professional in the Waterloo area is needed for a large and successful independent MPS dealer. Candidates will need to have proven record of meeting and exceeding company goals for this position.

Selling Sales Manager - Western, IA  
Experienced selling sales manager to lead team of individuals for a branch location of an independent dealer.

Account Executive - Chicago, IL  
Successful Sales Professional needed for the Chicagoland area.

Account Executive - Indianapolis, IN  
Experienced Account Manager needed for large independent dealer. Candidate will be required to build customer development, client relationships and create new business opportunities.

Customer Service Support - Kansas City, KS  
Our client is looking for a Customer Service Support person. Customer service is the major factor in this position. Candidate also handle order processing, shipping/handling. Will need to be able to recognize what needs to be done, multi task, organize and be detail oriented.

Technician - Helena, MT  
3-5 years experience as a Field Service Technician. Must be reliable, independent worker with OEM Training. Great opportunity with management possibilities for the right candidate.

Technician - Omaha, NE  
OEM trained technician needed for the Omaha area.

Account Executive - Winston-Salem, NC  
Motivated Sales Representative needed for the Winston-Salem area.

Account Executive - Ashville, NC  
Experienced Sales professional needed for the Ashville area working for an independent dealer.

Account Executive - Wilmington, NC  
Successful and industry experienced account executive needed for the Wilmington area. Prior copier sales is needed to qualify for this position.

Technician - Wilmington, NC  
Our client is looking for a certified technician to service the Wilmington area. Salary will be based on experience.

Account Executive - Upstate, NY  
Seeking a sales professional with record of meeting and exceeding company and personal expectations. Client is a large independent dealer and looking to expand a branch location in Upstate, NY.

Account Executive - Manhattan and Long Island, NY  
Experienced sales professional with 3-5 Years of business to business experience in Manhattan area. This position is in an open territory environment. If you as the candidate, feel you are able to work in this exciting environment please contact Copier Careers.

Account Executive - OH  
Experienced Account Executives needed throughout the state of OH. The opportunity will be for the following cities: Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Zanesville.

Technician - Philadelphia, PA  
OEM Trained Technician needed Primarily the Philadelphia PA metropolitan area, which includes 5 county Philadelphia regions, Southern New Jersey and Northern Delaware. Technician needs to be OEM trained on Xerox printers, MFPs and a plus to our client would be knowledge of the HP line.

Selling Sales Manager - Sioux Falls, SD  
Successful Selling Sales Manager needed to manage a territory as well as a team of highly motivated sales representatives.

Account Executive - TN  
Independent dealer opening multiple branches throughout the state of Tennessee. Needs experienced hunters to bring in new business.

Technician - Nashville, TN  
OEM Technician needed for an independent dealer. Territory will include Nashville and south of Nashville.

Sales Manager - Austin, TX  
Successful Sales Professional looking for a career in management should apply to this large independent dealer. Candidate must have proven record of meeting and exceeding quotas and a drive to train and motivate a team of individuals.

Selling Sales Manager - Beaumont, TX  
Selling Sales Manager with 3-5 years sales that is looking for career in management. Will work on major accounts and will lead a team of 3-4 sales professionals.

Selling Sales Manager - College Station, TX  
We are looking for an individual that perhaps had some Sales Team Leadership Experience while selling in a Territory to take over a group of individuals in the College Station. Knowledge of the area and strong ties to the community if a plus.

Major Account Manager - Houston, TX  
Major Account Manager to take over existing territory. Candidate will need at least 5 years of successful sales. Looking to fill a couple different positions.

Solutions Software Specialist - Houston, TX  
Successful Solutions Software Specialist needed for dealer in the Houston market. A strong background in Pre Sales, Data Storage Sales, and Product Solutions will be required for a qualified candidate.

Technician - Laredo, TX  
OEM trained technician needed in the Laredo area. Candidate will be working from satellite location so strong knowledge of the OEM is a must.

Account Executive - VA  
Reputable independent dealer looking for experienced account executive to take over existing territories as well as pursue new opportunity through various branch locations in VA.

Technician - Northern VA  
Senior technician needed for large independent dealer in the northern Virginia area. OEM training is preferred.

Selling Sales Manager - Milwaukee, WI  
Highly energetic individual to recruit, train, develop, manage & motivate multiple sales professionals.

Account Executive - North Eastern, WI  
Energetic and Experienced Sales Professional needed for North Eastern Wisconsin.

Technician - Clarksburg, WV  
Trained technician needed for independent dealer. Candidate will work with small team of technicians to service clients throughout Northern and Central West Virginia.


  
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PHONE: (888) 733-4868
FAX: (800) 464-3434

  
 

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