by Beth | Dec 2, 2013 | Adventures in Interviewing, Employee Hiring, Employee Retention, Selecting Good Candidates, Uncategorized
For the past few blogs I have been telling you about my swimming experience. Recently, I had a setback. One day, I began to experience hip pain. The diagnosis is a herniated disc in my back. Much to my dismay, I have had to quit swimming and go into rehabilitation mode to become healthy again. I was at a crossroads and needed to make a decision about my swim lessons. I really did not want to quit working with my coach but swimming was no longer an option with my back issues. So, I decided to meet him for coffee one morning to deliver the bad news. He immediately suggested that a treatment option could be trigger point massage work, and lo and behold, he is a certified myotherapist. He was right. The trigger point along with chiropractic is doing the trick. Our relationship has changed dramatically from when we started working together, and I could never have predicted this amazing outcome.
The job that I originally hired my swim coach for has changed. As a business grows, the positions that you will have within the company will also grow and change. The right hire will grow and change with you and your business. If you can remain flexible, you might be surprised at what other skills your great employee can bring to the table.
The lesson here is that none of us can predict the future. We do not know how our businesses will change, but when you hire the right person, you can travel that journey together.
by Beth | Oct 6, 2011 | Uncategorized
My clients and I were interviewing a man who arrived prepared with several sealed 8×11 envelopes. When he sat down, he asked if we needed a copy of his resume. I said “no thank you” because I already had one sitting on the table in front of me he’d already provided. He mentioned that he also brought some additional documents like references. He began describing his last manager with such anger and venom, I was concerned and actually did want to see the references he brought. When he opened the envelope to hand them over, he struggled with the envelope’s seal. While I was curiously wondering why the envelopes were sealed to begin with, he whipped out a huge serrated edge knife to slice one open. Wide eyed in amazement, we unfortunately did not hear what he said because we were so focused on that knife. We ended the interview really quickly, realizing that the candidate was probably not a great fit.
While this individual had some really amazing experience, my client actually felt somewhat threatened in the interview process. Be careful how you present yourself to future employers. While opening a letter with an appropriate tool is certainly understandable, carrying a weapon into the interview is probably not the best way to secure your chances for employment.
by Beth | Sep 16, 2011 | Interview Process, Uncategorized
I was recently performing an interview for one of my clients. As I introduced myself to a well dressed candidate, the first question out of her mouth was “What animal left the long green poop on the sidewalk? Was it a goose? I think it’s a goose.”
While the question was entertaining to me and my fellow interviewer, the inappropriateness of the comment showed us this candidate was not thinking about the interview at hand. Listening to the random comments of your future employee will give you amazing insight into whether they are really interested in “THIS” job, not just “A” job. You want to look for people who are focused on the job that is at hand and who present themselves in the best possible light to ensure that they will receive this job offer.
If poop is their first question, probably not the A-List candidate you are looking for.
For the past few blogs I have been telling you about my swimming experience. Recently, I had a setback. One day, I began to experience hip pain. The diagnosis is a herniated disc in my back. Much to my dismay, I have had to quit swimming and go into rehabilitation mode to become healthy again. I was at a crossroads and needed to make a decision about my swim lessons. I really did not want to quit working with my coach but swimming was no longer an option with my back issues. So, I decided to meet him for coffee one morning to deliver the bad news. He immediately suggested that a treatment option could be trigger point massage work, and lo and behold, he is a certified myotherapist. He was right. The trigger point along with chiropractic is doing the trick. Our relationship has changed dramatically from when we started working together, and I could never have predicted this amazing outcome.