Business has changed dramatically over the last twenty-five years, but a first impression never will. The chance to make one is still extremely important and can advance your visibility and perhaps lead to a promotion! Technology has advanced immeasurably and has brought us to levels few thought were possible. But not everything has changed. There are still eager new employees and graduates looking to make their mark and be seen. But as a new employee in an organization, how do you impress the boss and get noticed?
Business Rule Number One – You committed to your current job and the duties that go with it; therefore do every part of your job to the very best of your ability. Personally, I simply don’t understand why people complain about their jobs. No one is forcing you to keep your job and frankly – you picked it. Therefore, do your job in the most superior manner possible. If done with passion, you are sure to get noticed and eventually the boss will hear about it. Enthusiasm, attitude, and commitment really do work!
Business Rule Number Two - If an opportunity presents itself or someone needs assistance, volunteer your services. I don’t mean for tasks like getting lunch, but for projects, extra work, to stay late, to help the firm in any way. This will positively get you the recognition you seek. In addition, whenever possible, do more than asked. If you were asked to create a presentation, create the presentation and write a sample introduction to accompany it. This is of great value to your boss.
Business Rule Number Three – Find ways to save the company money. Review marketing collateral, internal programs, existing marketing projects, mailers, and figure out how to make them better. Decrease unnecessary spending or increase revenue for the company. I have seen administrative level personnel do this for their firm and generate thousands of dollars in savings, as well as promotions for themselves.
Business Rule Number Four - Dress the way you wish to project yourself. Even in a business casual environment, you must dress professionally to get serious recognition from top executives. In my opinion, very few people are taken seriously in anything other than corporate attire. Did you know that less than 10% of graduates entering into the workforce today dress professionally? That fact alone is worth bucking the system and standing out!
Business Rule Number Five - Use your computer and technology abilities. Take a plain looking presentation or document that is in use around the office and improve it. I hate to admit it, but new graduates really do seem to have an edge on the technology front. A few years ago I hired a twenty year old employee, who despite his youth continues to impress me daily with his computer savvy, technical knowledge and sophistication. Take these skills and put them to good use.
Business Rule Number Six - Be careful when using email and social medial platforms. Watch how you represent yourself as it reflects on you and your firm. Also watch your grammar and spelling when emailing and writing in the workplace. I have found that people who are used to IM and text messaging have carried abbreviations and slang words over to the corporate environment. Excellent grammar and proper punctuation will get you noticed as management is always impressed with good writing skills.
Business Rule Number Seven – Prior to leaving the office each day, ask your boss if there is anything else that you can do. As President of a busy firm, I can tell you that this comment is always greatly appreciated, and would only be accepted if a real pressing issue was at hand.
Business Rule Number Eight – Keep your priorities straight at work and keep your personal life private. By all means, interact with your work colleagues and don’t isolate yourself but keep it professional. Avoid office gossip, political games, and concern yourself with what is best for you in the long run. Be a listener, not a talker!
Business Rule Number Nine – If you are due for a promotion or there is an open opportunity that you are interested in, don’t be afraid to ask. Showing interest in advancement is appropriate. You will only fail if you make no attempt at all.
Business Rule Number Ten – People who complain and offer no solution are a drain on everyone around them. Don’t become the office whiner. If there is a problem that continues to crop up, think of a good solution and then bring the problem and solution together to the boss. If possible, once a solution is agreed upon, offer to implement it.
Here’s to outshining your colleagues and using your passion to get ahead!
Monday, October 3, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Setting Expectations
I have owned and operated a staffing and recruitment firm for 25 years. We work diligently to please all of the people that come seeking job opportunities. However, we know that we can’t get everyone a job. But – can we make everyone happy? Do they leave feeling optimistic and prepared enough for the hard road they are about to encounter in these economic times? What are the expectations that someone should expect when going to a staffing firm? I took the time to think about this a great deal before preparing this article because it is a very important question that deserves some good answers. Here is a list of the expectations you should set when going to meet a staffing professional:
· Dress accordingly and bring a resume. Expect to finish up paperwork and have your personal documentation in order. Prepare to engage in a face to face meeting that should take an hour (often two) with one or more staffing professionals. Expect positive critiquing on your attire, presentation, and resume. We know the market better than most; therefore, we should guide and counsel you on important resume strategies and what hiring authorities want to see on your resume.
· You should feel good and have a positive dialog with your staffing professional. Any questions or items that are troubling you, or feel you need special counsel on, should be discussed at this time. Often, people have been laid off and feel awkward about disclosing this in a professional fashion. We are the experts and can easily assist you with these uncomfortable matters prior to a client meeting.
· We will review your on-line presence and make recommendations if anything should be changed or deleted. We will also discuss all of the relevant tools and protocols that will assist you in landing a job in these difficult economic times.
· Consulting work should always be discussed and recommended with a potential job seeker as it is a superior way to find a permanent job particularly in this economic climate. Showcasing your talents in person is the fastest way to land a permanent job offer!
· Expectations should now be formalized by both sides. A plan including follow-up should be outlined by your recruiter. You should also set criteria for continual follow-up based on your status each week. There should always be a level of communication that is expected from the staffing firm.
You may not leave your meeting with a job but you should leave feeling satisfied, that you established a rapport and cultivated a relationship worth continuing; having all of your questions answered. You should now have a critiqued resume, good solid pointers on housekeeping items that need attention, and a documented plan.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Adam Gietz a candidate who came to The McIntyre Group recently who took the time and had the courage to write me a letter asking “What expectations should a candidate have?”
· Dress accordingly and bring a resume. Expect to finish up paperwork and have your personal documentation in order. Prepare to engage in a face to face meeting that should take an hour (often two) with one or more staffing professionals. Expect positive critiquing on your attire, presentation, and resume. We know the market better than most; therefore, we should guide and counsel you on important resume strategies and what hiring authorities want to see on your resume.
· You should feel good and have a positive dialog with your staffing professional. Any questions or items that are troubling you, or feel you need special counsel on, should be discussed at this time. Often, people have been laid off and feel awkward about disclosing this in a professional fashion. We are the experts and can easily assist you with these uncomfortable matters prior to a client meeting.
· We will review your on-line presence and make recommendations if anything should be changed or deleted. We will also discuss all of the relevant tools and protocols that will assist you in landing a job in these difficult economic times.
· Consulting work should always be discussed and recommended with a potential job seeker as it is a superior way to find a permanent job particularly in this economic climate. Showcasing your talents in person is the fastest way to land a permanent job offer!
· Expectations should now be formalized by both sides. A plan including follow-up should be outlined by your recruiter. You should also set criteria for continual follow-up based on your status each week. There should always be a level of communication that is expected from the staffing firm.
You may not leave your meeting with a job but you should leave feeling satisfied, that you established a rapport and cultivated a relationship worth continuing; having all of your questions answered. You should now have a critiqued resume, good solid pointers on housekeeping items that need attention, and a documented plan.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Adam Gietz a candidate who came to The McIntyre Group recently who took the time and had the courage to write me a letter asking “What expectations should a candidate have?”
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The War for Talent
Much to everyone’s surprise, the economy is improving and the job market is brightening. Last week’s report on jobs for April was very positive and shows unemployment is slowly declining. It would decline at much greater speed if the proper management, structure, and initiatives were put into place, but that is a different topic, for another article.
Once again, candidates have career options and job choices, and recruiters are under pressure to showcase multiple job opportunities quickly before the top notch candidates slip away. The greater challenge for recruiters is educating our clients, who still don’t believe that they need to move quickly with interviews and offers. Clients continue to request multiple interviews of candidates, often trying to schedule around busy executives who travel or are unavailable for long periods of time. Many offers are being lost and great candidates are going to the competition because of this. It is time to change gears!
In addition, we see that companies are opening up their wallets and offering signing bonuses and creative perks to entice and attract top candidates. We see that some firms are caught off guard by the rapid speed and assertiveness of their competitors going after this top talent. The hiring trends we saw in 2006/2007 are again returning. There are more competitive job offers, sign-on bonuses and perks that allow a candidate with multiple job offers the flexibility to have many options. This is a wake- up call for our clients to move much more quickly in streamlining their interview process and preparing offers.
This market change is affecting the consulting arena as well. Firms that are accustomed to interviewing their consultants are losing them. As we preach, consultants only make money when they are working and they are shrewd about selecting the opportunities where they can simply start and not waste time interviewing. We are using our “4-hour free work interview” to gain the trust of newer clients and to remove the insistence of wasteful interviews for our highly skilled consultants & temporary associates.
As recruiters, part of our process is to educate and offer awareness to our clients on the new realities of the hiring landscape. We want to make sure that everyone is ready to close deals when a hiring decision has been reached.
Here are some tips that we can offer to ensure you get the best and brightest talent:
1) Make sure all of your hiring managers and executives are ready to interview. Schedule multiple managers and executives per interview session so you can maintain the momentum of the candidate’s schedule and keep them interested. “Time kills deals.”
2) Don’t waste time after the offer has been made with paperwork. Have all paperwork prepared ahead of time and have HR informed and ready.
3) Make sure that you are putting your best offer first. Don’t wait to bring out your best offer until you are involved in a counter offer with a highly motivated firm competing against you.
4) Allow your recruiter to pre-close your first choice candidate by giving them the salary and benefits ahead of time. Doing this eliminates surprises and having the candidate pre-closed before an offer is made eliminates the need to spend time negotiating and then renegotiating an offer.
When our clients give us an initial job description, McIntyre will work hard to hammer out the compensation prior to initial interviews so we can pre-negotiate all of our offers, maintain candidate control, and hopefully prevent counter offers from coming in from your competition. We like to know at all times where our candidates stand and the candidates know up front that we are doing our best work to ensure a seamless staffing partnership is being achieved. We hope that your businesses are thriving once again and wish you successful hires.
Once again, candidates have career options and job choices, and recruiters are under pressure to showcase multiple job opportunities quickly before the top notch candidates slip away. The greater challenge for recruiters is educating our clients, who still don’t believe that they need to move quickly with interviews and offers. Clients continue to request multiple interviews of candidates, often trying to schedule around busy executives who travel or are unavailable for long periods of time. Many offers are being lost and great candidates are going to the competition because of this. It is time to change gears!
In addition, we see that companies are opening up their wallets and offering signing bonuses and creative perks to entice and attract top candidates. We see that some firms are caught off guard by the rapid speed and assertiveness of their competitors going after this top talent. The hiring trends we saw in 2006/2007 are again returning. There are more competitive job offers, sign-on bonuses and perks that allow a candidate with multiple job offers the flexibility to have many options. This is a wake- up call for our clients to move much more quickly in streamlining their interview process and preparing offers.
This market change is affecting the consulting arena as well. Firms that are accustomed to interviewing their consultants are losing them. As we preach, consultants only make money when they are working and they are shrewd about selecting the opportunities where they can simply start and not waste time interviewing. We are using our “4-hour free work interview” to gain the trust of newer clients and to remove the insistence of wasteful interviews for our highly skilled consultants & temporary associates.
As recruiters, part of our process is to educate and offer awareness to our clients on the new realities of the hiring landscape. We want to make sure that everyone is ready to close deals when a hiring decision has been reached.
Here are some tips that we can offer to ensure you get the best and brightest talent:
1) Make sure all of your hiring managers and executives are ready to interview. Schedule multiple managers and executives per interview session so you can maintain the momentum of the candidate’s schedule and keep them interested. “Time kills deals.”
2) Don’t waste time after the offer has been made with paperwork. Have all paperwork prepared ahead of time and have HR informed and ready.
3) Make sure that you are putting your best offer first. Don’t wait to bring out your best offer until you are involved in a counter offer with a highly motivated firm competing against you.
4) Allow your recruiter to pre-close your first choice candidate by giving them the salary and benefits ahead of time. Doing this eliminates surprises and having the candidate pre-closed before an offer is made eliminates the need to spend time negotiating and then renegotiating an offer.
When our clients give us an initial job description, McIntyre will work hard to hammer out the compensation prior to initial interviews so we can pre-negotiate all of our offers, maintain candidate control, and hopefully prevent counter offers from coming in from your competition. We like to know at all times where our candidates stand and the candidates know up front that we are doing our best work to ensure a seamless staffing partnership is being achieved. We hope that your businesses are thriving once again and wish you successful hires.
Monday, March 21, 2011
First Impressions Make Lasting Ones…..
I am always left a little taken aback when I read articles about Interviewing Do’s and Don’ts. This morning a candidate came to our office for an interview with pants dragging on the ground and soaking wet hair. She was a lovely woman but her presentation put her at the end of the line for potential job interviews. After spending over twenty-five years in the staffing industry, I am amazed that people still don’t pay attention to the details that they can control and improve upon. My philosophy is to always control what you can! There are so many variables when job hunting that you can’t control why not at least control the few things that you can?
Although the economy is in a much better place than it was last year and the unemployment rate is on the decline instead of incline, the job competition is still fierce. It’s time to take stock of your entire image and take personal accountability. Here is a check list of essentials when preparing for an interview or when networking to find a job:
· Wear a classic style business suit – classics never die! Knee length skirt or plain pantsuit, and not trendy
· Always wear closed- toe shoes, nothing strappy or stiletto-like and always wear pantyhose
· Keep make-up light with no heavy eyeliner, colorful shadows, or bright a lipstick. Stick to neutrals
· Do NOT chew gum, bring a food or drink to the interview, or eat at any time during the entire interview process
· Leave your cell phone in the car! A text message or phone call can wait until you return
· Limit what you bring to your interview. You will need multiple copies of your resume, a portfolio (with questions from the research you did prior to your meeting) and a pen. The more you bring with you, the more likely something will either fall or spill, or you will leave an item or two behind
· If you are a smoker: DO NOT smoke before your interview. Everyone can smell it
· Do not wear heavy cologne or perfume, remove any multiple piercings and cover up any tattoos
These recommendations are for professional corporate job opportunities; all companies are not alike. I am speaking from experience and specific to making a good first impression only! Once you land your dream job you will have plenty of time to distinguish yourself and show your individuality and personality. Best of luck in 2011 with your career search!
I am always left a little taken aback when I read articles about Interviewing Do’s and Don’ts. This morning a candidate came to our office for an interview with pants dragging on the ground and soaking wet hair. She was a lovely woman but her presentation put her at the end of the line for potential job interviews. After spending over twenty-five years in the staffing industry, I am amazed that people still don’t pay attention to the details that they can control and improve upon. My philosophy is to always control what you can! There are so many variables when job hunting that you can’t control why not at least control the few things that you can?
Although the economy is in a much better place than it was last year and the unemployment rate is on the decline instead of incline, the job competition is still fierce. It’s time to take stock of your entire image and take personal accountability. Here is a check list of essentials when preparing for an interview or when networking to find a job:
· Wear a classic style business suit – classics never die! Knee length skirt or plain pantsuit, and not trendy
· Always wear closed- toe shoes, nothing strappy or stiletto-like and always wear pantyhose
· Keep make-up light with no heavy eyeliner, colorful shadows, or bright a lipstick. Stick to neutrals
· Do NOT chew gum, bring a food or drink to the interview, or eat at any time during the entire interview process
· Leave your cell phone in the car! A text message or phone call can wait until you return
· Limit what you bring to your interview. You will need multiple copies of your resume, a portfolio (with questions from the research you did prior to your meeting) and a pen. The more you bring with you, the more likely something will either fall or spill, or you will leave an item or two behind
· If you are a smoker: DO NOT smoke before your interview. Everyone can smell it
· Do not wear heavy cologne or perfume, remove any multiple piercings and cover up any tattoos
These recommendations are for professional corporate job opportunities; all companies are not alike. I am speaking from experience and specific to making a good first impression only! Once you land your dream job you will have plenty of time to distinguish yourself and show your individuality and personality. Best of luck in 2011 with your career search!
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