Archive for July, 2009
I am a director of a college-level educational service who routinely spends much time hiring new employees. Standards are high and hiring is competitive. Applicants can find very specific application instructions including minimum job requirements and information about our services in many places: on the application itself, our website and brochures, and by simply visiting (and even using) our service in person.
Despite all of this easily available information, my last three interviewees have had 1) little or no idea of what we do and/or 2) spoke incorrectly to the point of insult about our services and the people who use them. They all expected me to then explain to them what it is we do – essentially to do their homework! (They all arrived either 15 minutes early or late, and addressed me by my first name.)
What happened to preparing for an interview? What about learning as much as you can about the job beforehand? Being on time? And while we’re at it, being courteous and adopting an appropriate level of formality?
Dear Readers,
You can see from the above letter that job applicants, especially those who are still in school or who have just graduated, still have to learn the basics when it comes to interviewing for a job. All job applicants need to realize the importance of making a good first impression – and that it starts from the first piece of communication, even if it’s an email.
If you are a teacher or parent, please share the above letter with your students or children. You will be doing them a huge favor.
And Once They’re Hired?
I overheard an employee treating a customer disrespectfully. She’s generally a good employee, but she has gotten very defensive when I have tried to correct her in the past. Any advice?
Dear Readers,
Even the most skilled manager can have difficulty keeping her criticism constructive. But that’s generally the goal. Sound advice can be found in Richard Gallagher’s new book, How to Tell Anyone Anything: Breakthrough Techniques for Handling Difficult Conversations at Work (AMACOM, 2009). Gallagher, a corporate trainer, suggests “starting at a safe place,” which means first asking the employee about her reaction to the customer. He suggests a three-part approach: 1) observation: “I can tell you’re frustrated,” 2) validation: “Lots of people feel that way,” and 3) identification: “I’d be frustrated if that happened to me.”
Gallagher admits that putting that much energy into being supportive of people who are doing something wrong initially “feels like drinking poison to people.” But he claims it is useful because “It makes it clear you understand their view of the world, so they have nothing to argue about.” This sort of understanding gives you power for the next step: engage the other person in solving the problem.
Next comes the step of asking questions about the situation. In this case it would be something like, “What are your expectations for interacting with customers?” “The goal here,” Gallagher writes, “is to be curious, not furious.” After some back and forth, it is easier to be frank about the problem. You might say something factual about the need to hold onto customers. And explain that keeping customers requires that each customer finish a transaction feeling respected, even if they don’t seem to deserve it.
Finally, you should ask for her help in meeting the company’s goals regarding customers.
Gallagher offers several options that reframe criticism: Instead of telling people they are doing a bad job, tell them what standards they could meet to help them do a good job. Instead of saying what is unacceptable, let them know what will work better. Instead of telling them to change, show them how they will benefit.
In real life, following a several-part approach when you are angry about an employee’s or colleague’s behavior is no easy task. Gallagher suggests stepping away from the situation, if you can, until your emotions calm down. He also points out that this sort of approach requires much practice. If you have trouble with it, try again the next time. Even occasional interactions that incorporate empathy and reframed criticism can vastly improve overall relations in a workplace. So don’t give up.
Tomorrow is the day that the minimum wage rises to $7.25 per hour.
An interesting piece about the business view of the increase is posted on the NY Times.com’s Economix blog, written by the site’s economics editor, Catherine Rampell.
Certainly the rise is good for the employees who see a slightly swollen paycheck. Is it good for business?
I have worked for a “big box” retailer for five years. The job started as a source of temporary income, and I have been very successful, staying much longer than I intended. It’s time to move on now, but I have a problem. My company’s standard operating procedures state that no one from the company may give references, with the threat of dire consequences up to termination for violations. Instead, the company contracts with an automated service that a potential employer can call, pay a fee, and verify an applicant’s dates of employment.
Many of the jobs I am applying for are at public schools. I cannot conceive of a school paying a fee to verify employment history, yet the schools require references and verification of employment. How can I convince a potential employer that I’m worth the hassle, especially when applicant pools are so large right now?
Dear Readers,
I think it is outrageous that anyone who has been an excellent employee for an extended period in the eyes of her boss cannot get a glowing reference. It seems unfair to the employee and it cuts unnecessarily into the autonomy of supervisory staff.
Unfortunately, it’s not quite that simple, and positive references are fast becoming a casualty of our litigious society. Many businesses routinely refuse to give references, good or bad, for fear of lawsuits. They point to cases in which former employees have won hundreds of thousands of dollars by charging that their employers’ poor references have unfairly prevented them from obtaining future employment. Employers have also lost suits charging that they overstated an employee’s qualifications.
In contrast, there are a number of automated services that provide limited information to an inquiring loan officer or prospective employer such as title, dates of employment, and salary. One of the biggest such companies, The Work Number, owned by Atlanta-based Equifax, claims 9,000 clients, including the federal government. A spokesman for Target Corp., for example, confirmed that the retailer uses an automated service for “legal issues.”
Saving time is another reason that employers sign up. The State of Colorado, for instance, notes that it pays 33,000 employees each month and loses 10,000 employees each year. Hiring a verification service can cut down the number of hours spent verifying facts for employees who are seeking a car or home loan or searching for a new job.
Taking the subjectivity inherent in personal references out of the hiring process may actually help some applicants. References “rely on judgments, are fraught with idiosyncratic impressions, and can otherwise hurt a good prospect,” says Lyle Sussman, chairman of the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, College of Business, University of Louisville. Even Fortune 500 companies rarely keep the kind of thorough records necessary to provide accurate references, Sussman says.
Many school districts and other governmental entities use the service both to provide verification services for their employees and to screen job applicants. That means the $10 or so fee per applicant has already been figured into their budget.
Getting a reference that allows you to stand out from other applicants is another matter. In the current environment, both applicants and employers have to use “more creativity” when it comes to sharing quality information, says Sussman. Some ideas:
• If you can document some of your accomplishments on the job, try to find a manager who is willing to verify those specific facts.
• Find a former manager who knows your work but has since left the company and is not still bound by its procedures.
• Create an impressive profile on the LinkedIn online social networking site and ask people who are familiar with your work to recommend you.
Before signing onto your next job (but after you’ve received the offer), inquire about its reference policy. If your new employer has a strict policy against references, explore the possibility of introducing some exceptions. Can you track certain measurable accomplishments and have them verified periodically? Can managers receive legal training that will make the act of giving references less of a liability? Surely a policy that is more respectful of employees, more data-oriented, and less fear-based makes the most sense.
Dear Readers,
Those highly anticipated, often-dreaded annual performance reviews can take on even more significance nowadays, when jobs are harder than ever to keep. If you’ve got one coming up, try to think of it as an opportunity. If you just had one, it is never too early to start planning for next year.
Managers take all sorts of approaches. If you are lucky enough to have a supervisor who hands you the evaluation form and asks you to draft it for her, rejoice. You have a chance to educate your boss as to exactly what you do, why it is vitally important to your company, and where you want to go from here. Just like the rest of us, many managers have been saddled with more responsibilities as the economy has declined. They cannot be expected to follow your career, too.
You will benefit from doing some advance planning even with a boss who retains more control over the process, especially if she is not as familiar with your work as you would like. To prepare, pull out your copy of your review from last time (if you had one) and the folder that you’ve been using since then to keep track of your accomplishments. You don’t have one? Start your folder now so you will be in better able to prepare next year.
This folder – barring that, your stellar memory – should help you answer the first of six preparatory questions suggested by Janelle Brittain, co-author of How to Say It: Performance Reviews, Phrases and Strategies for Painless and Productive Performance Reviews (Prentice Hall, 2006). Her six questions follow:
1. What did I accomplish last year?
It’s not only employees who do not do their homework in advance of performance reviews, managers are often just as lax. This means they may harp on whatever happens to stick in their minds. One of Brittain’s clients, for example, met with a boss who spent most of the review criticizing a mistake that had occurred right before the review. Had she come prepared with a list of accomplishments, Brittain says, she would have had a much better chance of broadening the discussion.
2. Did I meet my goals?
Assuming you did, point out “the obstacles you overcame to get there,” says Brittain. If you fell short, resist the temptation to blame others. Instead explain how you will do things differently in the future, or if they are unrealistic, how the goals need to be adjusted.
3. Did I go the extra mile?
This question helps you organize your thoughts about any crisis or emergency that came up. How did you step up and help out? Document the times when you took on extra duties or went above and beyond your job description in other ways.
4. Did I make any mistakes?
Remember: No one is perfect. If you did make an error, own up to it, and then share what you learned from it. Let’s say you over-reacted to criticism during a meeting, for instance. You can add, “I learned not to be so emotional, that it’s important to cool down before I respond.”
5. How has my job changed during the past year, and how did I handle it?
This question reminds you to make note of the extra duties you have taken on during the past 12 months and any other ways that your job has gotten more difficult. “Mention anything additional you’ve done, even a short-term project,” advises Brittain.
6. How have I grown? In what areas do I want to grow next year?
These last two questions invite you to take a step back and view your career from a broader perspective. Have you learned new skills, or perhaps become the organizational expert on a particular topic? Looking forward, where would you like to expand your knowledge? How do you want to contribute more to your workplace? These questions are worth pondering, before a review and several times during the year.
If you have had a good year, do not be afraid to “toot your horn” at your performance review, says Brittain. Make as much music as you can.
I never thought having 25 years of experience would be a liability, but that seems to be the case when you are looking for a new job. Is there any way to turn the negative perceptions about “older workers,” true or not, to my advantage?
Dear Readers,
Even if you have false teeth and use a walker, there are ways to take a bite out of the job market and sail past your younger competitors. Most likely you have collected a lengthy list of accomplishments, navigated a rough patch or two, and developed perspective that only age can bring. All you have to do now is convince a prospective employer that, in addition to your unmatched experience, you have tremendous energy and enthusiasm.
Charles Hays, vice president at Right Management Consultants, Inc., gives a monthly seminar for job hunters over 50. He offers the following tips to boost your chances of success:
Attitude Matters: “If you think you’re old, you are,” says Hays. Maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle pays off when you interview. Work in some mention of your life outside of work “so interviewers get to know the whole person.”
Appearance Counts: Some older workers show up at interviews wearing ill-fitting clothes commenting that, “they just want to feel comfortable,” Hays says. If interviewers are looking for a reason not to proceed with the hiring process, those applicants just handed it to them. Stick to tailored clothes and an up-to-date look for a good first impression. Also important is upright posture, a lively gait (if possible), and lots of eye contact.
Animation Helps: What gets a higher rating from interviewers – experience, communication, enthusiasm, or personality? Answer: enthusiasm. Research shows that it “wins by quite a bit,” Hays says. Upgrade your mildly positive, I-can-do-that-in-my-sleep approach to true enthusiasm for the position.
Emphasize Your Work Ethic: The view that older workers have a stronger work ethic than the younger generation “is the biggest thing older workers have going for them,” says Hays. To underline this point, mention the times you have gone the extra mile, worked after hours, and held fast to your commitment to a stellar attendance record.
Stretch Often: To counter the perception that people age 50 and older are inflexible, demonstrate involvement with new managers, different product lines, and expanded responsibilities. Keep current with technology and management styles. Managers who came up through the ranks and have trouble adapting when their organization takes a flatter, more inclusive approach often lose their jobs, Hays says.
10 Is Better Than 35: “Everybody wants to tell you their life story,” says Hays, but it’s far better to focus on your accomplishments of the last 10 years. This true of your resume, too, which he advises keeping to two pages. One way to stand out, especially if the company you are applying to has experienced some ups and downs, is to indicate your accomplishments in both growth and consolidation environments.
Short Answers: Another stereotype is that older people ramble on. Keep your answers short and to the point. Start with “what” not “how,” Hays advises Prepare a few sentences about your most impressive accomplishments and stop there. If your interviewer wants to know more – the details of how you did it – she will ask. “Pay attention to the eyes,” Hays says. If they start wandering, you’ve lost her and should stop talking so she can redirect the conversation.
Reassure The Youth. If you will be working for someone younger, she might feel threatened by your experience. Stress your largesse. Among the things you might say: Which needs do you think I can fill? How can I help you grow?
Over-qualified? To head off the question of whether you will move on if you find a more challenging position, pare down your resume. “We tell people not to fluff up their resume, but nothing says you can’t dumb it down,” says Hays. When one of his clients applied to a company that was smaller than the department he had previously run, the client omitted numbers from his resume that made the contrast too apparent, and “it worked out quite well,” says Hays. He landed the job. Furthermore, he enjoys it and has no plans to move on.
