by Beth | Jan 4, 2012 | Adventures in Interviewing
I was interviewing a couple of years ago for a great position at the local non-profit. An application for Andre came across my desk with decent qualification. As I glanced over the cover letter, I noticed the candidate signed as “Andrea”. I was confused about what to call this person, so I didn’t.
As employers, we can be swayed by a person’s technical skills, where they went to school, who they have worked for, but if they can’t get their own name right? No thank you.
by Beth | Jan 3, 2012 | Employee Hiring, Firing Employees
As we begin each new year, many of us take the opportunity to re-group and redefine goals for our businesses. This time is often filled with renewed energy to get our lives and work in order. As a part of your new year’s goals, it might also be time to fire that one employee that is not contributing to your company’s vision.
The impact of an unengaged employee on your business can be catastrophic. Decreased productivity, lowered company morale, and miserable working environments have been common complaints by my clients as they come to the decision to relieve an employee. I say start the new year fresh!
For example, a past client had an employee who consistently gave the employer ultimatums. The threats were often “If you don’t do this, then I will quit.” First who wants to work with an individual who is constantly threatening? The team was struggling to work with the individual, the employer was unhappy with the performance of the individual, yet the concept of firing and replacing this person seemed daunting and ill-timed. When my client finally became fed up, they did indeed fire the employee. I won’t sugar coat the transition. It was hard, uncomfortable and came at a terrible time, but my client knew that this was the right decision for the company.
I have clients who will begin the new year with new employees who are excited about the company, the job and the new opportunity. Start your new year with a fresh perspective and make a resolution to find the best employees that you can possibly imagine.
by Beth | Dec 29, 2011 | Employee Hiring
Did you know that the interview process is a great marketing tool? People who are genuinely interested in your company will apply for positions, not just those looking for a job. It’s possible to have an audience of up to 500 applicants who want to work for you. While you can’t possibly hire them all, you do have a powerful opportunity to make a long lasting impression.
If you respond to your applicants in a timely and courteous manner, they will remember. I have received hundreds of thank you notes for rejection letters. Because of the vulnerability of the candidates, you WILL make an impression on them. They may never want to frequent your business again because they felt they were treated poorly. They will also never forget how great you were because you kept them in the loop.
Somehow, we have gotten away from responding to our potential employees as potential customers. We have decided that we don’t have to respond to them, they don’t deserve a response or we don’t have the time or money to do it. The next wave of successful companies is those who invite people to apply and who respond to them along every step. Be Bold, Be Different and Respond!
by Beth | Dec 27, 2011 | Employee Retention
Like most consultants that I know, my office is in various coffee shops along the Front Range of Colorado. As a result, I hear lots of different conversations. Last week, I was sitting next to two women in one of my favorite office locations. They were having a heated discussion about Woman #1’s abrupt departure from Woman #2’s company. The conversation went something like this:
Boss: “I can’t believe that you left!”
Employee: “I told you why I was frustrated!”
Boss: “But I thought we fixed the scheduling problem. You didn’t tell me about the other issues. I can’t fix it if I don’t know about it!”
Employee: “How can you not know about it? You are the boss!”
The “boss” is ultimately responsible for everything that happens within her company. One important responsibility is to ensure a healthy work environment for her employees. In this scenario, or any scenario for that matter, blaming her employee for lack of communication does not resolve the issue. I find most often that employees attempt to discuss problems in a very subtle way. They often feel hesitant to make complaints because they are really unsure of how receptive said boss will be. To help you spark the conversation with your employees, look for the signs that an employee is thinking about leaving:
- Your top performer is now underperforming. If you begin to have performance problems with someone that you’ve never had an issue with, it is time to ask them what’s going on.
- Your employee asks about another opportunity in your company. This means they are not feeling challenged, grown bored with their current position and may be considering a change.
- Your employee mentions that another company is trying to recruiting them. This is a very subtle way of an employee letting you know that they are exploring options.
If you don’t want to be caught unaware, then listen and pay attention to your staff. They will tell you when they are becoming unsatisfied.
by Beth | Dec 23, 2011 | Interview Process, Interview Techniques
I ask my clients regularly about their thoughts on a candidate after the initial interview. Usually, I get responses like: “He had a stain on his shirt” and “Did you notice the scuff marks on her shoes?” While I realize that first impressions are often centered on people’s appearances, it may not be a factor in your hiring decision.
I like to probe further and ask about their thoughts on the candidate’s personality. After lots of “Ummm’s” and deer-in-the-headlight looks, they finally come up with comments like: “They were a bit whiny” or “I’m not sure.”
Let me give an example. I interviewed a candidate who complained about his boss, his co-workers in multiple jobs, his company, and his work. Nothing and no one seemed to make him happy. During our interview rap up, I asked the client “So what did you think?” She responded with “His tie was askew.” I questioned further and uncovered that she really wasn’t impressed because she felt he was a whiner and would have difficultly working with him.
The very next candidate that we interviewed walked in well prepared. He presented a list of recommendations, asked well researched questions, and had a great attitude. He recounted how he had come to the business site 3 days before the interview to make sure that he would not get lost on the day of his interview. He said “Even if I don’t get the job, I wanted to tell you my thoughts on how this could be improved.” After he left, I asked my clients this question: “What was he wearing?” No one could remember. They didn’t even remember that he wore glasses! We hired him and he is currently in his third year.
The moral of this story is that when people are WOW’ed by someone, their looks don’t really matter. But when faced with a personality flaw, we often describe it in terms of their appearance, i.e. “The Whiner had an askew tie.” When you are interviewing your candidates, remember to listen to their words and pay attention to their use of language and their preparedness. These qualities are much more indicative of their performance than their appearance.
I was interviewing a couple of years ago for a great position at the local non-profit. An application for Andre came across my desk with decent qualification. As I glanced over the cover letter, I noticed the candidate signed as “Andrea”. I was confused about what to call this person, so I didn’t.
