Tip #467: How To Encourage Your Staff To Place Business Goals Above Personal Ambitions

Leadership is a business skill that needs continuous work. Without it being worked on, an otherwise savvy business person can sometimes be a detriment to his or her company.

So how does one manage significant team-based decisions while ensuring that the interests of the business are also met and served?

Even The Best Business Leaders Focus On Their Own Interests. 

No matter who is leading or managing a team, they are all human. And because of this, they become susceptible to positioning themselves in the best light for larger budgets, pay increases, bonuses and promotions. Due to this, some team members will tend to put their needs above the organization's corporate goals.   

Key Attributes Your Team Leaders Should Consider.

We've taken what many best-in-class team leaders do and have listed them below. Specifically:   

• They are open to compromise.
• They come up with a solution that drives sales and production while still maintaining a focus on cost containment and profits.
• They look at satisfying the end-user and/or customers.

  

Have Your Leaders Focus On The Company's Goals Vs. Their Own Personal Agendas.

Think about those serving in other professions. Their missions are clearly defined. Let's say that a group of leaders are working on a process improvement project in the shipping department, for example, it is clear that the "shipping department" is the customer being served.

While the goal of process improvement is clear, each leader tends to a specialty - IT, shipping, warehousing, etc. Prior to working on optimizing the department, the leaders must discuss:

• What they must fix (diagnose the problems)
• How best to fix it
• Who handles what aspect of the shipping department
• Timeline of completion

You and your team can tackle work projects with the same level of focus. However, it is important to dissect and solve the problems at hand. Additionally, they need to set new ideas, methods, procedures, etc. into action by putting the goals of their organization first - even if it involves a reduction of labor.

Executive Summary: By committing to put the business' needs before ones personal needs, your team will spend less time arguing over what to do. Plus, a more focused approach will help your team identify and solve problems and issues - even if they affect other personnel. That said, do not forget to reward them for their individual efforts and contributions as well as their ability to put the business first.

For more information, visit our website!

How to Present Your Online Degree to Employers

The National Center for Education Statistics predicts that a record number of graduates will complete postsecondary degrees in 2013. According to the report, over 1.8 million new bachelor’s degree holders and 955,000 new graduate degree holders will enter the U.S. job market. As these graduates seek jobs, they must put together a resume that demonstrates their talents, experience and educational achievements. It’s no secret that online degrees are still met with skepticism by some employers and recruiters who are trying to initially weed applicants from their pool.
If you received your degree online, you will need to make a decision about how best to present your degree and demonstrate its merits during the earliest stages of this application process. Keep in mind that you cannot mislead or lie to any employer regarding your educational background. But as with any component of your application, your goal as an applicant is to maximize your opportunities to explain your education and how it makes you a unique and valuable candidate. There are three options for presenting your online education on your initial resume:

1. 1. You can embrace your online degree and present it directly.
2. 2. You can omit the “online” descriptor on your resume.
3. 3. You can omit your online degree from your resume altogether.

Strategy 1: Be Direct About Your Online Degree

Your resume is your strongest tool to differentiate yourself from other candidates early in the application process. Potential employers will examine resumes before deciding to move forward with face-to-face interviews. If you plan to be direct with your degree acquisition, then you will need to focus on how your online education will bring value to the workplace. Here is an example of a straightforward depiction of your online degree as it should appear on your resume:
Education and Activities
Washington State University Online
- M.B.A. with a Marketing concentration, 2008-2010.
- B.A. in Business and Marketing, 2004-2008.
WSU Academic Honors
- Dean’s List, 2006-2010.
- Graduated Summa cum laude, 2010.
- Phi Beta Kappa, 2010.
WSU Organizations and Activities
- Editor in Chief for the WSU MBA Webinar on Administrative Policy, 2010.
- Tutor for the WSU Center of Advising and Career Development, 2008-2010.
List distinguishing honors and in-depth volunteer or leadership experiences that set you apart from your online degree program peers. If you’ve participated in online group projects or assisted faculty with web-based meetings, be sure to mention it. This shows prospective employers your online education has given you greater technical fluency than many traditional schools would have.
When you are called in for your interview, you will need to emphasize how your distance learning experience gives you an edge in the workforce. Here are some practice questions and answers.
Q: How would you say your experience at Washington State University has prepared you to work with clients?
A: Businesses seek marketers with a good balance of interpersonal savvy and technical knowledge. At WSU, I was selected to coordinate a webinar from the administrative level, allowing my peers to speak with our dean, alumni, and internship partners through a streaming conference. I was responsible for the audio-visual instructions, participant scheduling, and social media broadcasts, all done remotely.
Our Marketing webinar went off without a hitch, and over 260 students attended the live stream. Over 12 people in my Marketing 402 class, including myself, began internships from company connections they made during the webinar. The experience I gained with digital communications can translate directly to the marketing responsibilities here at your company.
Q: Do you feel like your school’s online format prevented you from developing business social skills?
A: No. I exchanged dozens of communications daily via voice chat, email, message board, and video streams. After the remote webinar earlier, I was able to make a significant connection with the marketing firm SynthCo, and become their marketing intern in 2009. I worked on-site with them, managing their online brand image. At SynthCo, I was able to raise customer satisfaction by over 80% through an aggressive social media and email campaign. I don’t think my technical skills would have been up to par without the experience I gained daily working with WSU Online.
The interview samples above highlight two main college experiences – the Marketing Webinar and the SynthCo internship, which are also mentioned in the resume. The interviewee shows how their technical knowledge and social media netiquette have benefited both their academic peers and SynthCo. Before your interview, think of your greatest academic accomplishment and how your earned skills will be useful to an employer.
Was your college a flagship institution that offers both online and traditional degree programs? Or are they strictly a distance learning institution? Schools with greater brand recognition, such as the University of Phoenix, are known to offer online degrees and many employers regard them favorably. However, the reputation of your school shouldn’t impact your resume presentation too much. In a recent survey conducted by Zogby International and Excelsior College, 83 percent of company executives polled acknowledged that online degrees are as credible as traditional degrees. Online degrees are by no means rare amongst applicants, and they are constantly gaining recognition in hiring departments.
Before deciding how to present your school’s online format, you will want to also consider the type of degree you have. If you have majored in a field that relies on technology, such as digital photography or computer science, you may find that employers are more receptive to an online degree. However, if your field requires a lot of experiential learning or social interaction, then you will want to bolster your interview by discussing internships and other professional opportunities, in addition to your academic credentials.

Strategy 2: Avoid the “Online” Descriptor

Some professionals believe that you should avoid mentioning a school’s online format, since most employers will assume that you received a degree from a traditional brick-and-mortar university. Institutions like National University recommend that you omit the “online” status from your resume, since distance learning graduates are held to the same rigorous academic standards that traditional campuses provide. Here is an example of how you might structure the Education section of your resume.
Education
Villanova University
– Master of Public Administration, 2007-2009.
- BA in Communications, 2003-2007.
Since this academic institution offers both campus-based and online courses, an employer may not even bring up your school’s format. However, it is critical to arrive at your interview prepared to explain the format of your online degree. It’s difficult to predict employers’ reactions during an interview, when they learn that you have received a degree online. The best way to counter resistance is to inform prospective employers of how online institutions work and how your degree brings value to the workplace. Here is an interview scenario to illustrate this:
Q: How did your experiences at Villanova inform your professional aspirations?
A: Actually, I earned my MPA through Villanova’s online program.
Q: Ah, I see. I’m sorry, I actually don’t know too much about how online programs work. Are your credentials still the same as other MPAs?
A: Yes, online academic institutions must earn accreditation and meet the same academic standards as brick-and-mortar schools. The Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools granted accreditation to Villanova online programs.
Before you attend an interview, you will want to brush up on your institution’s credentials, notable alumni, and industry-specific programs. If an interviewer seems unsure about an online degree, you can highlight your school’s achievements and connect your academic experiences to your prospective role at a company.
3. Obscure or Omit Your College Education Completely
It is extremely rare to find employers willing to hire someone who doesn’t list education credentials on their resume. However, there may be some unusual scenarios where you can benefit from omitting your college education. For instance, some graduate students will leave off their master’s or doctorate degrees, with the fear that they will seem overqualified for a position. Others will omit their education if they dropped out of an online college early or were expelled before completing their degree programs.
Statistically speaking, it can pay off to mention your online degree at some point during the application process. In 2011, 74.5% of college graduates were employed during the same year they graduated, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Their data shows that only 50% of those without a college degree are employed. Ultimately, it is usually best to be forthright with a potential employer during the application process. If you still decide to omit your education from your resume, then you will want to prepare for interview questions regarding your academic performance. Here is an interview scenario involving an applicant who has omitted their academic background.
Q: I noticed that you left your education off your application and resume. Would you be able to fill in the blanks for me?
A: Certainly. I began my bachelor’s program in English Literature at the University of Phoenix in 2003. However, my academic performance suffered due to family and work responsibilities. I did want to discuss a few crucial experiences I’ve had in my professional life, which I think will translate well into my work for your company.
Ultimately, if you have earned a degree, you shouldn’t omit it completely just because of your school’s online format. Your postsecondary education required serious time and financial investments, so don’t be ashamed of holding a degree from an online program. If for some reason, you decide to omit your educational background, then you will really need to emphasize other parts of your resume, including your career experience, volunteer work, skill sets, and awards. You will need to set yourself apart from other applicants who disclose their education histories. You can do this by emphasizing your non-academic experiences and your interest in the organization by asking questions of your own. Study the organization before your come in so that you can ask intelligent and informed questions about their work environment, company culture and the company’s greater mission and directions.
It can be difficult to decide how to present your online degree to employers. It relies on multiple factors – what kind of degree you obtained, what school you attended, the industry you’d like to work in, and what kind of job you’re applying for. However, there is no reason to go into a job interview unprepared. No matter how your present your education on your resume, an employer may ask you unexpected questions about your degree. Research your school’s credentials, make lists of relevant skill sets, and learn to speak about your education with confidence!

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #466: 7 Networking Tips To Help You Increase Sales

     
Like most business leaders, marketing personnel and salespeople, you understand the value of networking.

Individual connections can and will generate trust and credibility - and even a business referral or two. In a business environment that includes so many channels (like social media, networking events to social situations), how should you spend your valuable time networking?

Focus On The "Quality" Of The Connections.

As you continue to network and grow your contacts, you will find that many people will want your attention. Although this is a nice way to bring in new business, it is simply impossible to provide everyone you meet the attention they seek. Instead, focus on the quality of the connection - on those that can help you further your goals.

7 Tips To Get The Most Out Of Networking.

Tip #1: Give Time Before You Receive It - Business relationships are investments. You need to offer something in order to get a return. However, you can give some personal attention without over-investing your time. Consider sending recently acquired contacts a useful free whitepaper. This will help you stand out among the sea of forgotten connections acquired at networking events.

Tip #2: Improve Your Networking Skills - Networking does not come naturally to everyone. Walking up to another professional and introducing yourself can feel awkward at times, but the only way to improve is to try. Before you attend an event, think about how you will pitch or describe yourself to others. Focus on:   

• What you do
• What you would like to do
• What you can offer new connections

Tip #3: Use A Networking Strategy - When you have a new business goal or wish to enter into a new area or market, think strategically about your networking. Which events are the best use of your time? Who are the key contacts you'd like to meet? Consider these questions when selecting your networking events.

Tip #4: Prepare For A Networking Event - Make sure you have the correct tools before you attend a networking event. You should always carry:   

• Business cards (bring more than you think you will need)
• Smartphone
• Pen for yourself (take notes on the back of your contacts' business cards)
• Extra pen (allows others to remember you as resourceful)

Additionally, ensure that you are dressed appropriately for the networking events you attend. If you are not sure about the expected attire, call the event organizer or the venue and ask. Some events also offer a list of attendees prior to the meeting - study up!

Tip #5: Manage What You Eat And Drink - Some networking events include appetizers and alcoholic drinks. If you plan to have a glass of wine, avoid arriving on an empty stomach. Consider the practicality of holding food while shaking hands and taking notes to avoid any awkwardness. Often times it is best to have avoid alcohol. 

Tip #6: Be A Conversationalist - Always have some non-controversial topics on hand to discuss. Perhaps you could talk about innovations in your industry or bring some helpful information to pass out. Avoid topics such as religion and politics unless your job function is specifically aligned with such an interest.

Tip #7: Remain Conscious Of The Digital World - The best way to secure a connection is to do so instantly - through social media. LinkedIn is a valuable professional networking tool that also offers a free smartphone app. Connect with others instantly after speaking to them and scan available QR codes to navigate to their pages.


Executive Summary: Many networking professionals get intimidated by the necessary process of networking. However, by adequately preparing for networking events and diligently following up on the most useful contacts, the amount of time you spend on networking will yield greater results.

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #465: 5 Ways To Improve Your Employee Engagement Activities

     
Employee engagement is extremely beneficial to any type of business or organization. In fact, it is oftentimes a worthwhile investment as it improves profits and customers' opinions of your business.

71% Of Your Employees Are NOT Fully Engaged In Their Job.

With improved metrics and motivated employees, installing an employee engagement program is an obvious means of improvement - especially since 71% of your staff are not fully engaged in their job. However, establishing a true corporate culture that encourages employee engagement is something that takes time, effort and attention.

5 Ways To Improve Your Employee Engagement Activities.

Tip #1: Create Goals For Your Team - Help employees establish and follow specific paths to goals. If your job consisted of the same daily tasks and you did not see how they fit into the big picture, it would certainly hold less meaning. Additionally, create smaller goals or achievements to give your employees a sense of completion.

Tip #2: Demonstrate A Commitment To Employee Engagement - You can talk to your employees about engagement, but if an employee feels disengaged, he or she is not going to buy into it until you show a level of commitment. Employees and management must understand that employee engagement and the rewards associated with it go both ways and everyone must contribute. By the way, companies with engaged employees will out perform those without up to 202%.

Tip #3: Encourage Employee Feedback - It is possible that you have unsatisfied, disengaged employees who do not air their grievances to you, especially if you do not have an open door policy. Be sure to encourage active communication between yourself and your personnel. This also means providing regular feedback to each employee - and keep in mind that constructive criticism is easier for anyone to take once they have received consistent, positive feedback.

This includes not only formal one-on-one meetings, but informal feedback, such as a simple e-mail praising an employee's handling of a certain situation. If you notice an employee has gone above and beyond their required duties, praise them.

Tip #4: Identify The Best Means Of Motivation - Many employees are motivated by promotions and higher compensation. However, employees truly feel more engaged and part of the corporate process when given independence (especially in their own time management), the ability to become an expert in a specific area and the big-picture perspective - that is, understanding how their job improves the company overall. What can you do to allow employees to become autonomous experts who fit into the overall mission of the company?

Tip #5: Remove Your Staff's Frustrations - Can you list your employees' top three frustrations? Imagine encountering the same roadblocks over and over again. This could include a computer glitch that hasn't been fixed or a manager who never gives approvals. These roadblocks make employees feel as though their job is not important. Identify roadblocks and remove them to increase employee engagement and a sense of achievement.

Executive Summary: Remaining in touch with your employees is the key to true employee engagement. Each person matters - and every individual needs to feel as though his or her job is valued and appreciated. By removing roadblocks and providing an adequate motivation, your employees will become more engaged and you will see an increase in profit and customer satisfaction.

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #464: 6 Free Tools For Any Size Business

     

Business owners, entrepreneurs and general managers make many difficult decisions when it comes to their businesses.  And when it comes to their IT/technology issues, it always presents a challenge.

With new computers and various software programs, it is often easy to see a high return on investment with them.  But more importantly, it makes your employees' job more efficient. But did you know that some of the most useful business tools are virtually free to use?

6 Essential Free Tools For Your Small Business.

Tool #1: YouSendIt (HighTail.com) - This is an absolute gem of a free tool that can help you send large files (up to 50MB) through their secure network. Whether you are using it for data or graphic files, you should check it out.

Tool #2: Energy Star Guide - Whether you work in a large office complex or a small home office, you understand that energy bills can add up quickly when it comes to business costs. If you invest in energy efficient equipment, you can cut costs significantly. The Energy Star Guide is a free tool that allows you to select products that can cut your energy costs. (You can also receivefederal tax credits for converting your office to an energy efficient environment.)

Tool #3: FaxZero - While many businesspeople send PDF documents instead of faxes, using a fax machine is still a requirement in the business world. However, you can ditch the clunky machine - especially if you rarely use it. FaxZero allows each user to send two (2) free faxes each day, as long as the transmitted documents are under three pages. Using this software, you can instantly send PDFs and Word documents to your intended recipients' fax machine.

Tool #4: Skype - Skype is a VOIP (voice over internet protocol) system that allows users to make free face-to-face calls. You can chat with or without video and it is relatively easy to record Skype conversations for recordkeeping purposes. Skype is extremely popular for both business and personal use, with users spendingover 2 billion minutes per day utilizing the tool.

This is particularly helpful if you want to avoid long-distance and international phone charges. Skype works internationally, which means you can chat with your vendor in Bombay free of charge as long as you both have stable Internet access.

Tool #5: Social Media - Most social media is free and simple to use. While it doesn't make sense for every industry to focus on it, having an established online presence can keep your business "top of mind" to consumers. Furthermore, asking users to "check in" on apps like Foursquare encourages repeat business and broadcasts customers' visits to their networks. Joining Foursquare is as simple as listing your business on the service and hanging the (free) window sticker on your door.

Tool #6: Square - Mobile credit card payments are a challenge for small businesses that sell products or services on the go. If you participate in trade shows or even flea markets, you understand how difficult a cash-and-carry operation is for you. Square is a smartphone and tablet app that is free to download. It is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. The Square app charges a standard 2.75% card-processing fee and the card reader itself (which plugs into your phone or tablet) is free as well.

Executive Summary: It is not easy to keep operating costs down for a small business. However, the free tools above can help you not only help you keep costs down, but also make you adaptable to your customers.  

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #463: 4 Tips To Retain Your Most Talented Employees

     

Keeping your most talented employees is a challenge. As the economy improves, your most enterprising and creative workers may find themselves lured to other companies with salary increases, competitive benefits and other perks.

While some employees will inevitably leave to advance their careers, you can employ several strategies to retain as many quality employees as possible.

4 Tips To Encourage Your Top Employees To Remain At Your Company.

Tip #1: Offer Educational Opportunities.

An engaged employee loves to learn more about their job, making continuing education a real perk. This does not necessarily mean spending thousands on courses at a local college, but it does mean focusing on cross-training, online education or on-site training company.

Tip #2: Learn How To Motivate Each Employee.

Each employee is motivated by different perks. Ultimately, most employees wish to feel as though they are truly essential to the organization. Small things such as gift cards for an extra effort, praising a worker for a job well done, complimentary coffee or getting paid more frequently can make your workers' lives easier.

Tip #3: Provide Passion And Purpose.

Most employees will want to stay at a job that actively engages their interests. If you can find a way to marry a real interest and essential job duties, you will find that your employees would prefer to stay at your company. If you notice a member of your staff taking a specific interest in a certain aspect of their job, take the time to help them with it. Talking with your employees on a regular basis goes a long way too.

Tip #4: Listen To Your Most Talented Team Members.

Your employees know their job best.  That said, you could learn from them when they make suggestions for improvement; therefore, ask them for their suggestions.  By the way, this is especially pertinent in a small business environment, where one employee may have multiple responsibilities. Failure to do this will not only cost your business an advantage over the competition, but you may also find yourself without as many talented employees.

Executive Summary: While money and advancement are contributing factors when employees decide to leave companies, they are not always the deal-breakers. If you fail to encourage your employees to learn and actively participate in your organization, they will inevitably feel undervalued - and they will leave. To retain your talent, respond to their feedback and implement cost-effective suggestions when necessary.

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #462: 3 Steps For Motivating Disengaged Employees

     

According to the Bureau of National Affairs, businesses lose $11 billion each year due to employee turnover and loss of productivity. If you wish to avoid some of this financial burden, you must combat many issues with your employees.

All Is Not Lost With A Disengaged Employee.

You can re-engage your employees by simply doing the following:

1. Build a fun, rewarding and challenging corporate culture.
2. Offer recognition for jobs that are well done.
3. Play into an employee's strengths

Two Other Ways To Engage Your Staff.

1.  

Work On A Shift In Attitude 

 -If an employee feels that the organization supports his or her personal and professional goals, he or she is more likely to put in at least as much effort as the job requires.    

2.  

Embrace Trust And Control 

 -If you give an employee more trust in their job function, you will make more employees become engaged in their work, job functions and changes in their overall mental health. As you do this, remember to:   

• Set specific expectations on projects but allow an employee to meet them in their own way.
• Reward someone who performs beyond your expectations.
• Know that each employee is motivated in a different way.
• Try coaching in place of criticism.

Other Suggestions If You Are A Leader Within Your Business.

We recommend that you listen closely to your team about what would be helpful to them in creating a more engaged place to work.  Additionally, make sure that you follow up on anything that you commit to do. Period. 

Read More About Our Employee Engagement Survey:

Dale Carnegie surveyed 1,500 employees and found demographic trends among those who felt disengaged:   

• Ages 31-39
• At an organization for less than a year
• Earning less than $50k per year
• Highly educated, often with postgraduate certifications

Executive Summary: Engaged employees increase productivity and create greater profits for a company. Not only that, engaged employees must feel motivated to work above and beyond what is required, and they will only do so if they are given the freedom to feel as though they positively impact the organization. 

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #461: 9 Quick e-Mail Etiquette Tips

     
Most people in business send and receive thousands of e-mails per year.   
While e-mail is a valuable business tool, you always have to ensure that you are following the proper etiquette.

9 Quick e-Mail Etiquette Tips:

Tip #1: Add Someone's e-Mail AFTER You Write It: Even though the "to" field is usually located at the top of an e-mail, leave it blank until you are finished writing. This will prevent you from sending the message before it is finished or failing to include the necessary attachments.

Tip #2: Consider The Tone Of Your e-Mail: When speaking with someone in person, on video chat or on the phone, you can hear the inflections in his or her voice. Hesitation and sarcasm are easy to interpret. However, this does not always come across on e-mail. Write with a neutral tone to avoid confusion.

Tip #3: Use Motivational Subject Lines: Make sure you use a subject line that defines the topic of your e-mail and makes the recipient want to open it. Your subject line should be a clear summary of the body of your e-mail. This is particularly relevant when your sales and marketing teams send e-mails.

Tip #4: Think Of Your e-Mail As A Business Letter: Unless you are writing to someone you know extremely well, you need to think of your correspondence with them as strictly professional. Although e-mail may feel more informal, its purpose is not.

Tip #5: Write Clearly And Concisely: Most businesspeople are extremely busy; therefore, people want to see and digest important information as quickly as possible. To do this, write clearly. Use bullet points and make sure the recipient knows you are available to discuss the details if necessary.

Tip #6: Do Not Use e-Mail As A Passive Tool: e-Mail is a passive means of communicating. Although is allows you to avoid a conflict, it is rarely the best course of action when there is an issue to address. If you need to talk about something crucial or pressing, it is always better to meet in person or on the phone.

Tip #7: Use Proper Grammar: There are various types of business e-mails - some may go out to your entire team, while others may reach prospects. While inter-office e-mails may be somewhat informal, introductions to business prospects should not come across this way. An e-mail full of typos and colloquial language will distract your audience from the message and undermine your professional authority. Type with an educated tone that exudes professionalism and confidence.

Tip #8: Write The e-Mail First In MS Word: Most people will forgive a few minor mistakes in an e-mail, but initial e-mails must run without error. To ensure the proper image, always write an important e-mail in MS Word. Doing so allows you to use its spell check and grammar features before sending it via Outlook or comparable e-mail services. 
  
Click here to view Grammar Girl's Quick And Dirty Tips For Better Writing, an invaluable resource for all things grammatical and spelling related.

Tip #9: Use An e-Mail Signature: Always include an e-mail signature. The signature should include your name, title, phone number (with extension), business address and business website address. This looks professional and establishes the legitimacy of your business; furthermore, it allows the recipient to easily locate your contact information.

Executive Summary:While e-mail is a fast and useful tool for communication in the business world, it does not excuse poor communication and it is in no way a final substitute for verbal communication. A recipient's e-mail inbox is much like a physical mailbox - it is rude to send too many messages. In the contemporary business world, e-mail can influence the amount of success you have in communicating your message. It can also enhance (or tarnish) your reputation as a consummate professional.

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #460: How To Hire The Right Employee

     
Recruiting top talent is one of the most challenging aspects of running a business.  Sure, finding someone who is interested in working for you may be easy, but finding the right employee for your company is easier said than done.  To help facilitate the hiring process, many companies employ a number of tactics such as administering personality and competence tests and employing a variety of interviewing techniques.  We would like to share some of these tactics with you.

Look At The Interview Process From Different Angles.

Approaching an interview from several different angles is the key to finding your ideal candidate. Unfortunately, this is often overlooked by the busy employer. Interviewing is a two-way street.  Just as you are exploring how well a potential candidate will fit into your company, they are exploring whether they truly wish to work for you. If you are looking to bring your A-game to the interview process, then prepare by following the five steps below:

5 Steps For Preparing To Hire The Right Employee:

1. Organize Yourself: You expect your candidates to prepare extensively for their interviews, right?  So why shouldn't you? If you truly want the best candidate to work for you, put aside time to create a checklist of the qualities and skills you hope to find in such an employee.

2. Speak With The Recruiting Firm: If you are using a recruiting firm to find someone, you need to ask the recruiter for a summary of why they are recommending a particular candidate.  The recruiter should be able to provide you with a list of the candidate's strengths and weaknesses.

3. Use Multiple People To Interview The Candidate:Interviewers bring with them unique perspectives shaped by personal experiences; this is why we recommended the use of a variety of people to interview candidates (preferably ones who would be affected if this candidate is hired). Plus, having someone else interview this person will give you several different perspectives, which are invaluable in the hiring process.

4. Do Not Give Your Answer Away To The Interviewee: One of the most common mistakes made by interviewers is giving away too much information about what they want and need in a person.  Providing a company overview is fine, but do not go into too much detail about what you need in an employee. Doing so provides the interviewee with clues as to how they should tailor their responses.  Instead, learn what you can about an interviewee and do not feed answers to the interview subject.

5. Consider The Interview A Conversation: As an interviewer, it may be easy for you to fall into a rhythm with the questions you ask.  But if you really want to get to know the candidate, you need the interview to be a mutually comfortable conversation. 

After The Interview Is Over . . .

Once the interview is over, you still have work to do.  Check references and conduct a background check and drug tests.  As we all know, a person giving a reference is going to speak positively about the candidate.  During that conversation, keep an ear-out for what a reference does not say or chooses to avoid answering. 

Executive Summary: Do not dominate the interview; engage your potential employee in a push-pull conversation.  Remember, you are looking to add a new player to your team.  Your new hire will need to play well with others and complement your operation in their own unique way.  Look beyond who a person is on paper, and see who they might be as your employee.  And remember, 35% to 50% of the résumés you receive will contain discrepancies about work experience or education history, so take advantage of references.

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #459: 7 Tips For Streamlining The Hiring Process

   

Most managers agree that hiring is one of the most important aspects of their job.  It also tends to be one of their least favorite responsibilities.  Ask any manager what their strategy for hiring is, and most will just shrug and tell you they really don't have one.  This is because the hiring process is an exhausting one.  There is paperwork to be filled-out, rules to adhere to and even time constraints to consider.

Learn How To Take The Pain Out Of The Hiring Process.

In order for your business' hiring process to be more effective, you need to streamline it.  It needs to be broken down to its essential steps so that hiring is quick and easy for everyone involved, from the manager down to the new employee.

7 Tips For Streamlining The Hiring Process:

Tip #1: Put An End To Long Delays - Just as you are considering more than one candidate, they are considering more than one potential employer.  Like many other aspects of business, recruitment is competitive.  That means there is no time for passing paperwork throughout an organization before taking any real action.  Top talent won't stay available for long, so managers need to address the hiring process sooner versus later. 

Tip #2: Don't Rummage Through Résumés - Sifting through stacks of résumés from unqualified applicants is a waste of time and energy.  Make sure that your recruiters understand the job requirements thoroughly so that every applicant they forward to you meets the minimum requirements.  This expedites the hiring process right from the get-go.

Tip #3: Improve Your Interviewing - Good interviewing is a lot like good conversation.  Both require a balance of push and pull, and, in the case of interviews, both formal and casual conversations are appropriate.  Also, keep in mind that candidates who make good interviewees do not necessarily make good employees.  We suggest crafting interviews to be multi-faceted, so you get to know the employee as a person as well as a worker.
  
Tip #4: Come To An Interview Prepared - Managers should never go into an interview blind, especially when dealing with top talent.  Smart candidates will come equipped with both market research and competitive benchmarking, hoping it gives them an edge, so managers should conduct their own research in order to go toe-to-toe with candidates.

Tip #5: Minimize Documentation - Part of what jams up the hiring process is excessive paperwork.  Sure, certain legalities need to be recorded, but a lot of this paperwork is just useless and never looked at again.  So why bother having it?  Slimming down employment paperwork so that it is less of a hassle for managers means less of a hassle for everyone.

Tip #6: Observe What Does And Doesn't Work - In larger businesses, several managers may have hiring responsibilities.  When this is the case, these managers need to be in communication with one another.  They ought to swap hiring success stories in order to put together a more effective hiring strategy based on experience, instead of just theory.

Tip #7: Give Managers More Control - Many managers feel disconnected from HR, which can sometimes cause them to lose a top candidate.  They claim that the offers approved by HR just aren't competitive enough.  At the end of the day, hiring a new employee should be about strengthening your team, not saving as much money as possible.  Hiring based on dollars and cents is never wise, so give managers better salary survey data, and afford them more control over how high their offers can be.

Executive Summary: Ultimately, hiring rests on more than just a manager's shoulders.  Managers, HR and recruiters need to work as a team to make the hiring process fluid and more likely to bring a new, ideal hire into the fold.  This requires the process to be streamlined - disassembled then reassembled so that all the fat has been trimmed off and the hiring process has been made quick, easy and painless.

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Tip #458: 3 Steps For Conducting A Performance Review

    

Most businesses conduct their employee performance reviews annually.  Typically, many managers do not enjoy conducting them and, to make matters worse, do not know the proper techniques for getting a review done properly.

To help you get the most out of your employee reviews, we have listed below the three most crucial steps that need to be taken in order to ensure the execution of an effective employee performance review.

3 Steps For Conducting An Effective Employee Performance Review:

Step 1: Have The Employee Conduct A Self-Evaluation.

Before sitting down for the actual review, have employees fill out a self-evaluation form.  This gives employees an idea of what they are in store for during the actual review.  Furthermore, it gets employees actively thinking about the work they have done in the past year.  Additional benefits of self-evaluations include:

• Involving multiple perspectives in the eventual performance review.  Managers cannot remember everything, and even if they can, they only bring one perspective to the table.
• Alerting management of any disparities between what they think an employee's performance has been and what the employee thinks.
• Showing employees that the review process is one of give-and-take. That is, the employee has a say in the process, too.

The mark of a good employee self-evaluation form is the quality of its questions.  Here are some examples of general questions to include in a self-evaluation form:

• What work did you enjoy the most and why?
• What skills and talents helped you achieve success?
• What was the most difficult or challenging work you have done?
• What results make you the most proud?

Step 2: Prepare For The Review.

Rushing through employee reviews to get them over and done with is one of the biggest mistakes managers make.  If you want to make the review process move quickly and easily, take the time to prepare beforehand.  Not only will this help expedite the actual review process, it will also make it less laborious.

To prepare for an employee performance review:

• Review the employee's job description.
• Write an agenda for the meeting.
• Think about what you want an employee to take from the review.
• Schedule reviews in advance; never spring them on an employee without notice.
• Review the performance measures you will use for assessment.

Step 3: Implement A Fair And Consistent Rating System.

Quantifying performance review data can be a difficult process.  Arbitrary numbers and grades do not tell you a whole lot -- what a "7" means to one person might be entirely different to someone else.  The best approach to a rating system we have seen is the Unsatisfactory to Exceptional Scale:

• Unsatisfactory: The employee's work is well below the minimum level of performance.  The employee must make significant improvements to the employee's work.
• Below Average: The employee's work meets some of the minimum levels of performance but not all.  As a result, the employee must immediately improve in some aspect of their work.
• Satisfactory: The employee's work meets all minimum levels of performance, even excelling in some areas.
• Above Average: The employee's work is above minimum levels of performance.  The employee shows initiative for and investment in the business' success.
• Exceptional: The employee's work exhibits superior levels of performance, and the employee's work has had a direct impact on the overall success of the company.

Furthermore, be sure to provide employees with a ratings key complete with short, 1-2 sentence descriptions of what each rating means, similar to our example above.  This helps ensure that everyone is on the same page as far as what a rating means exactly.

Executive Summary:After handing out employee self-evaluations, all that is left is to have the actual performance reviews.  When the time comes, make sure you come prepared.  What is the point of having an employee performance review if neither you nor your employees take anything away from it?  As for the review itself, make sure your rating system is known throughout the organization and is fair, easy to understand and consistently used by each manager.

For more information, visit our website!